Pomník rudoarmějce v Pardubicích v Tyršových sadech Memorial

Welcome to Pardubice, in the quiet environment of the Tyre orchard. Legally, you are now facing one of the most prominent and at the same time the most discussed places in the city. Stop for a moment, take a breath and look straight ahead. The dominant of this space is the mighty Red Arm Memorial. The first thing you're probably interested in is its impressive size. The whole monument reaches a height of six hundred and sixty centimeters, making it a true dominant feature of the surrounding park. Do you feel that feeling when you have to raise your head to see the top of the statue? It was this contrast between the size of man and the size of the monument that was intended from the beginning to make the visitor feel respect and respect.

Let us now look at how this monument was created and at what time it was born. To understand its importance, we must return to the times of the communist regime, when public art has often been used to express political changes and ideologies. The author of the statue, architect Richard Podzemný, wanted to materialize the gratitude of the people of Czechoslovakia to the soldiers of the Red Army. However, the whole process of creation was not easy and lasted several years. If we look at history, we'll find that by the year one thousand nine hundred fifty-two, the foundation stone was laid in these orchards. But at the time, the plans looked completely different. It was originally supposed to be a monument to Joseph Stalin. That tells us how strong the cult of the leader's personality was at the time. However, political perception was changing over time, and the result was the project you see today. The discovery of the Red Arm Monument in Pardubice took place on the fifth day of November of the year a thousand nine hundred fifty-seven.

Now pay attention to the architecture itself and the details that are right before your eyes. Look up at the main character. He's a redorm whose statue itself measures three hundred and ten centimeters. It is depicted as a strong, decisive character that stands at the center of the entire composition. But the memorial isn't just about one soldier. Notice the other characters that accompany him. Next to him, you see a woman holding a wreath. This detail symbolizes the gratitude and honor of the fallen. And then there are two other characters that might seem less significant at first glance, but they're key to understanding the period context. It's two pioneers holding guard here. In order to understand why there are children here, we must realise that after a year of a thousand nine hundred forty-eight, a pioneer organization was established in Czechoslovakia. The involvement of children in the memorial was intended to symbolize continuity, the transfer of values from one generation to another, and the future future of the state under the new regime. All of these characters together form one comprehensive picture, which was to tell the story of liberation, gratitude and a new era at the time of its creation.

When we think about the personalities associated with this place, we have to mention Richard Underground who designed this space. His task was not only to create a statue, but to create a symbol that would be authoritative and understandable to every citizen in Tyrše orchards. Although we may see this style today as obsolete or controversial, it was a precise performance of the ideological assignment at the time of its creation.

Now I want to take you to something that you can't see at first sight, but that creates an invisible layer of this place. There are stories of tension and change. This monument is not only a silent witness to history, but it itself is its victim and participant. The most interesting part of his fate is about a thousand nine hundred sixty-eight years ago. At that time, there were major political changes throughout the country, which brought about the first attempts to remove this monument. People have begun to rethink what these statues mean. What was perceived as a symbol of gratitude in the year one thousand nine hundred fifty-seven, in the year one thousand nine hundred sixty-eight became a symbol of the forced regime for many. This contradiction is accompanied by a monument to this day. That is why this monument raises such extensive discussions. It is a unique monument from the era of the communist regime that makes us think about how our views on history change and how we want to remember the past in urban space.

An interesting mystery and paradox remains the change from the original intention to build the statue of Stalin to the resulting depiction of the Red Arm. It is a fascinating example of how quickly political priorities could change and how architects had to adapt to new winds in power. So you stand before a work that carries layers of different periods, from the top of one man's cult to the celebration of military victory, to modern debates about whether such monuments in our orchards still have their place.

Feel the atmosphere of this place now. Look again at the small figures of the pioneers, the woman with the wreath and the dominant soldier. Try to imagine what the grand unveiling of November of the year was like, a thousand nine hundred fifty-seven, when there were probably pledges and official speeches. And then imagine the contrast to the year one thousand nine hundred sixty-eight, where maybe there were people meeting with completely different feelings.

This concludes the short tour of the Red Arm Memorial. I hope that this interpretation has helped you to see more than just statues in this concrete and stone work, but a real record of the history of our city and country. Now I invite you to explore the Tyrso orchards again. Walk slowly between the trees, feel the calm of the park, and perhaps in your mind think about what monuments you would build today to tell the story of our time to future generations. Thank you for your attention and I wish you a pleasant continued journey Pardubicemi. I'll say goodbye and wish you a beautiful day of new discoveries.