Monument to the Fallen in WWI in Plotiště nad Labem

During WWI, the inhabitants of Plotiště nad Labem began considering the construction of a monument to honor their fallen fellow citizens. The plan was discussed at a municipal meeting on January 15, 1917, but was not carried out. The idea was revived three years after the war, on October 8, 1921, when the municipal council officially decided to erect the monument. Funding was raised through a public campaign and ticket fees from local entertainment events, ultimately collecting a total of CZK 8,410. 

 

The sculpture and stonework were commissioned from the renowned firm of Václav Škoda (1870–1937), which undertook numerous architectural projects in Hradec Králové, including the District House, the Museum, the kiosks on Prague Bridge, and the building of the Czechoslovak State Railways. Václav Škoda’s two sons, Bohumil (1899–1967) and Josef (1901–1949), also worked for the company. After graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague in 1925, Josef contributed to several public space projects in the city. While the memorial book credits Josef Škoda as the author of the monument, the sculpture is signed with his father’s name. Bohumil, who took over the family workshop after completing his studies at the vocational school in Hořice in 1921, likely worked on the monument as well, though contemporary sources do not mention his involvement.

 

The allegorical monument features a muscular man wrestling with a double-headed eagle, the symbol of Austria. The dynamic sculpture is mounted on a smooth block, with its edges framed by Doric columns. These columns, along with the architrave, enclose inscriptions and panels listing the names of the fallen. The inscription on the front reads: “TO THE VICTIMS OF THE WORLD WAR IN 1914–1918.”

 

The unveiling ceremony took place on August 13, 1922, beginning with an allegorical procession attended by a large number of guests. Among those present was an honorary delegation from the Prokop the Great Infantry Regiment No. 4 from Hradec Králové. Major Slonek from Hradec Králové delivered a speech, and the gross profit from the celebration amounted to CZK 13,170.70. 

 

Nine years later, in 1931, the monument had to be relocated to make way for the construction of a school building hall (the wing facing today’s Bezejmenná Street). It was temporarily stored in a shed at house no. 149. In 1932, Václav Škoda’s company reinstalled the monument in front of Masaryk Elementary School.

 

In 2018, the monument and the surrounding landscaping were restored at the expense of city of Hradec Králové.

 

JFB