Pomník Zákřovský Žalov

Zákřovský Žalov Memorial is a place of remembrance in the forest near the village of Kozlov, in the Olomouc district of Moravia, marking one of the most tragic crimes committed in the region during the final days of the Second World War.

What happened at Zákřov in 1945?

On 18 April 1945, the village of Zákřov was surrounded by Wehrmacht troops together with soldiers of the 574th Cossack Battalion, who suspected the local community of supporting the partisan resistance. Men under the age of 50 were first gathered at the town hall in Velký Újezd, then marched to a forestry cottage in a place called Kyjanice, close to today's Kozlov - the exact spot where the memorial now stands. On the evening of 20 April, the captured men were locked inside a wooden hut, which was then set on fire. None of the 19 men trapped inside survived; the youngest victim was only 17 years old. On 14 May 1945, the remains of the dead were placed in a single coffin and buried at the Tršice cemetery, with large numbers of local residents attending the funeral.

What does the memorial look like, and who designed it?

The monument was unveiled in 1949. It was created by Professor Vladimír Navrátil of Palacký University together with architect Lubomír Šlapeta. The centerpiece of the composition is a larger-than-life sandstone sculpture of a kneeling woman, her face covered by her hands in a gesture of mourning - a personification of a mother grieving for her murdered sons. The figure stands on a sandstone pedestal, to which a polished granite plaque bearing the names of all 19 victims is attached. The front of the pedestal carries an inscription stating that the victims of the German occupiers were burned alive at this spot on 20 April 1945; the back bears the year the memorial was built along with the words "We gave our lives - you give love!". Beneath the monument lies a crypt containing charred fragments of wood from the burned cottage and an oak coffin connected to the victims' burial. Behind the memorial, nineteen linden trees are planted in a semicircle - one for every man who died.

Why is this place worth visiting?

The memorial is visited mainly by people interested in the history of the wartime occupation of Moravia, as well as by relatives and residents of the region, for whom Zákřovský Žalov remains a symbol of civilian suffering in the final days of the war. The quiet forest setting stands in stark contrast to the site's dramatic history, and annual commemorative ceremonies still draw residents from the surrounding villages, including Zákřov and Kozlov themselves.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the memorial located? The memorial stands in the forest at a place called Kyjanice, near the village of Kozlov in the Olomouc district.

How many people died at the site where the memorial now stands? Nineteen men from Zákřov were killed in the burning cottage; the youngest was 17 years old.

When was the memorial unveiled? The memorial was unveiled in 1949, a few years after the war ended.

Who designed the memorial? It was designed by Professor Vladimír Navrátil of Palacký University in Olomouc and architect Lubomír Šlapeta.

What do the linden trees next to the memorial symbolize? The nineteen linden trees planted in a semicircle behind the memorial represent each of the 19 massacre victims.