Tomáš Holý

The Tomáš Holý memorial stands beside the road linking Polevsko and Kytlice, in a wooded stretch of northern Bohemia, and commemorates a Czech child film actor whose face was one of the most recognizable in Czech family cinema at the turn of the 1970s and 1980s. A black granite stone with a plaque, it's a modest but still-visited site, drawing both fans of his films and hikers passing through on other business.

Where exactly is the memorial located?

The site sits on the road between Polevsko and Kytlice, in a quiet, forested part of the Šluknov and Česká Lípa region, at coordinates 50.791243, 14.538695. It is not located in the center of either village but marks the exact spot of a 1990 car accident, reached via the local road connecting the two settlements.

Who was Tomáš Holý?

Tomáš Holý was born on March 17, 1968, in Prague and, while still a child, became one of Czechoslovak cinema's biggest young stars. He made his screen debut in 1976 in the comedy "Marečku, podejte mi pero!" and went on to appear in films including "Ať žijí duchové," "Pod jezevčí skálou," and "Setkání v červenci." His greatest fame, however, came from playing Vašek in director Marie Poledňáková's comedies "Jak vytrhnout velrybě stoličku" and "Jak dostat tatínka do polepšovny." Both films remain staples of Czech family cinema and are still regularly rebroadcast on television, which is why several generations of viewers grew up recognizing the young actor's face.

What happened near Polevsko?

On March 8, 1990, just days before his 22nd birthday, Tomáš Holý died in a car accident on the road between Polevsko and Kytlice. That evening he had been at a local pub in Polevsko with friends; afterward he got into a car driven by one of them. The vehicle struck a tree less than half a kilometer from the pub. Holý suffered severe internal injuries and died shortly afterward at a hospital in Nový Bor.

Why did the memorial only appear decades later?

For roughly a quarter of a century, the accident site was marked only by a small, badly faded cross. It wasn't until 2015 that the current black granite memorial was installed, funded and commissioned by Hynek Charous, a businessman from Brno and admirer of the actor's work. The new, durable monument was meant to replace the makeshift marker and give Holý a dignified memorial at the place where he died.

What can visitors see today?

The memorial takes the form of a simple black stone bearing a plaque dedicated to the actor's memory. It isn't an elaborate memorial complex but a low-key roadside point, passed by cyclists and hikers walking the routes between Polevsko and Kytlice. For many Czechs who grew up watching Holý's films, though, the site carries real sentimental weight.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Tomáš Holý? A Czech child actor, best known for playing Vašek in Marie Poledňáková's comedies "Jak vytrhnout velrybě stoličku" and "Jak dostat tatínka do polepšovny."

How did Tomáš Holý die? He died in a car accident on the road between Polevsko and Kytlice on March 8, 1990, at the age of 21.

When was the current memorial built? In 2015, 25 years after the accident, on the initiative of a fan, Brno businessman Hynek Charous.

What marked the spot before that? For many years, only a small, heavily faded cross marked the site of the accident.

Where exactly does the memorial stand? On the road connecting Polevsko and Kytlice, at the location of the accident.