World War I memorial in Újezd

The World War I memorial in Újezd stands on ground that no longer appears on the map as an independent village — Újezd (German: Mähring), a former settlement now part of the municipality of Krásná in the Karlovy Vary region, formally ceased to exist in 1950. The memorial, together with a nearby cemetery, is the only physical trace left of the former community, whose German-speaking population was expelled after the Second World War.

Who built the memorial, and when?

The monument went up in 1925, funded by voluntary donations from Újezd residents that totaled 11,000 crowns. The work was carried out by stonemason Gustav Krader from nearby Cheb. The formal unveiling took place in October 1925, with the memorial placed opposite the village school, house number 44, at the center of the settlement.

What does the memorial look like?

Its shape recalls a stylized shrine niche carved from granite. The main panel carries a relief of a kneeling soldier laying a wreath at a fallen comrade's grave, a scene common to Great War memorials of the period. An iron war cross tops the stele. Inscription plaques list the names of seventeen residents of Újezd who were killed, died, or went missing between 1914 and 1918.

What happened to it after 1945?

During the postwar expulsion of the region's German-speaking population, the memorial was torn down, and the village of Újezd itself stopped existing as a separate administrative unit in 1950. Enough fragments survived, however, that the Aš museum was able to locate and reassemble them in 1992. In 2000, with support from Krásná's German twin town of Rehau and local heritage organizations, the memorial underwent a full restoration and was rededicated that October. At the same time, a new plaque funded by Rehau was added to commemorate thirteen local residents who died during the Second World War.

Is the memorial still maintained today?

Yes. In 2023, the municipality of Krásná carried out a comprehensive restoration: the stone was professionally cleaned, damaged inscriptions were repaired, and the memorial received a new stone platform along with new ironwork fencing. As a result, the site — though well off the main tourist routes — remains well kept and legible for visitors.

What else is there to know about the surrounding area?

Besides the memorial, the former village of Újezd also left behind its local cemetery, which lay overgrown and forgotten for decades. Its restoration only began in 2010, carried out by the Spolek Smrčín Aš association together with the municipality of Krásná, the town of Rehau, and the German expellee association Heimatverband Asch, which represents former residents of the region and their descendants.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly does the memorial stand? On the site of the former village of Újezd, within today's municipality of Krásná in the Karlovy Vary region, where the local school once stood.

Who designed the memorial? Stonemason Gustav Krader from Cheb, in 1925.

How many names appear on the memorial? Seventeen World War I casualties from Újezd, plus thirteen World War II casualties added in 2000.

Why did the memorial need to be rebuilt? It was demolished after 1945 during the expulsion of the region's German-speaking population; the village of Újezd ceased to exist in 1950.

Is the memorial the only remaining trace of the village of Újezd? Aside from the memorial, the only other trace is the nearby cemetery, under restoration since 2010.