Monuments in Slatina

Monument to President T. G. Masaryk

This monument has an interesting history. The first ceremony of its unveiling was held on 18 July 1937 and the second ten years later on 1 June 1947. During the Second World War the monument had to be demolished and all traces of it erased. However, the citizens who were forced to carry out this humiliating and unwanted act in 1941 saved the granite inscription slab that formed the lower part of the monument by burying it without damaging it. They did well: the slab was used in the restoration of the monument and serves at least as a reminder of the original.

The first unveiling ceremony for the monument to T. G. Masaryk was held on 18 July 1937. A triumphal arch was erected at the junction of the Chanovice and Kadov roads, and a second at the fire station. The procession of participants — which included the costumed Sokol members, six fire brigades, a farmer's cavalry, legionaries and groups of Slatina citizens and youth in traditional dress — assembled on the Svéradice road and arrived to the sound of music at the memorial to the fallen of the First World War. The main address was delivered by the Russian legionary Major Drápela of Vimperk. This was followed by poems by local children; Mr Vachuška's band played 'The Song of Zborov' and the national anthems. The procession then moved to the monument to T. G. Masaryk, which had been erected in front of the Průcha inn. The state flag was raised to the sound of the anthem; Major Drápela and other speakers spoke again. The teacher Jaroslav Vaněček then thanked all present for attending and handed the monument over to the care of the village. A ceremonial march-past of all participants followed and the ceremony was concluded. It was as if the people of Slatina sensed that the President Liberator would not be with us much longer. He died two months later, on 14 September 1937.

The second unveiling ceremony for the Masaryk monument was held on 1 June 1947. The organisers chose the same format as ten years earlier. Both triumphal arches were erected at the same places; the procession again assembled on the road to Svéradice and marched to the war memorial. The ceremonial address was delivered by Staff Captain Josef Jiřík of Klatovy; Mr Krůta's band played 'Those Who Are Warriors of God' and the procession moved to the monument of the President Liberator. Its lower part (a part of the original monument) was draped with the state flag. The new monument — of tall, conical shape in natural granite with a bust of T. G. M. — was the work of local stonemasons. The flag was raised to the sound of the anthem; Staff Captain Jiřík unveiled the monument plaque, before which a unit of firemen laid a wreath. Poems recited by local schoolchildren followed, and the fire brigade secretary Mr Jaroslav Benedykt of no. 4 handed the monument over to the care of the village. The ceremony concluded with a march-past of participants.

Memorial to the Fallen of the First World War

The Slatina memorial is artistically one of the finest memorials to the fallen. It was made by the stonemason firm J. Trčka of Blatná (as was the memorial in Svéradice) for 8,800 crowns. The portraits and commemorative plaques placed on the monument cost 1,044 crowns, the railing around the monument 2,600 crowns, materials and other expenses 1,956 crowns — a total of 14,400 crowns. The stone kerbs and posts were made by the stonemason Josef Klepsa. The initiative for construction came from the volunteer fire brigade, chiefly its chairman Karel Barák of no. 25 and the brigade secretary, teacher Jan Turek. There were great disputes in the village about the location of this memorial. A twelve-member committee was formed under the chairmanship of village mayor Mr Šilhavý, which then chose the present site by secret ballot. There was a marshy pond there which was filled in and the whole area landscaped. The largest contribution to the construction of the memorial came from Slatina natives living in America, who sent 7,758 crowns; the collection among villagers raised 673 crowns.

The unveiling ceremony was held on 3 July 1921 and was truly magnificent. Two triumphal arches were erected, wagons decorated with garlands, a garden prepared for the afternoon festivities, and the Czechoslovak flag flew from most buildings, which were also decorated. Sokol members, legionaries, firemen and large numbers of people came. The procession assembled at the school — the band led the way, followed by the Czechoslovak and American flags, flower girls, Sokol members and other groups in traditional dress. The village mayor delivered the ceremonial speech, the legionary Vachuška removed the veil from the monument, the national anthem was played and poems recited — and then the heavens opened. Everything was redirected to the garden, where the programme was to continue, but as the rain did not let up, the celebrations moved into the inn of Mr Hlaváč, where the final dance was also held. Apart from the weather, everything went very well and the occasion was long remembered.

Names of the fallen and missing citizens of Slatina in the First World War:

Benedykt Jan, stonemason, fell in Italy 1917,
Benedykt Jan, bricklayer, fell in Russia 1916,
Dušner Alfréd, shop assistant, fell in Russia 1917,
Holeček Josef, baker, fell in Russia 1914,
Kelíšek Alois, farmer, missing in Russia,
Klepsa Josef, farmer, died in Chrudim 1918,
Klepsa Josef, stonemason, fell in Italy 1916,
Klokan Josef, stonemason, died in the military hospital in Písek,
Krůta Karel, farmer, died of wounds at home 1917,
Peška Jan, farmer, died in Styria 1917,
Sabath Josef, shop assistant, fell in Russia 1917,
Šilhavý Karel, farmer, missing in Russia,
Švec Josef, stonemason, died in Russia 1916,
Valach Jan, stonemason, died of wounds at home 1919,
Vaněček Jan, farmer, fell in Russia 1914,
Vaněček Karel, bricklayer, fell in Russia 1915,
Vaněček Václav, farmer, fell in Russia 1915,
Zoubek Václav, farmer, died in the military hospital in Písek 1918.

With 18 casualties — fallen, dead and missing — Slatina ranked first in the Horažďovice judicial district. A total of 61 men from the village were conscripted to the front, representing 19% of the village population (321 inhabitants), and those 18 casualties represent 31% of the dead as a proportion of those conscripted and 5.6% of all Slatina's inhabitants. Across the entire Horažďovice district there were 3,306 soldiers, representing 16% of the total population, with 576 fallen and dead, i.e. 2.8% of the population. Slatina had exactly twice as many.