There will be a memorial of the Jewish tombstones that paved the streets of Prague
For many years, the Jewish community in Prague drew attention to the origin of the paving in the lower part of Wenceslas Square, which, according to its members, could have included cubes made of cut cemetery tombstones.
During the restoration of the lower part of Wenceslas Square, the cut tombstones were actually found in 2020. So far, cubes with a total weight of seven tons have appeared. Thanks to a memorandum signed by the Prague and the Technical Administration of Roads with the Jewish community, the cobblestones from the tombstones returned to the Jewish community.
The people of Prague walked the Jewish tombstones for decades.
Photo: ČTK
The Jewish community in Prague did not want to leave the remains of the found tombstones somewhere in the warehouse, so they decided to have the Return of the Stones monument built by Lucie and Jaroslav Rón. The monument is designed as a horizontal circular lens of 200 cobblestones with remnants of Hebrew and Czech inscriptions.
From this lens, low walls of unequal height will dart into the circle like the sun’s rays. The central circular lens symbolizes the creator as the central mover, said the Jewish community. The total budget for the memorial is estimated at 750,000 crowns, to be unveiled on September 7.
The Jewish community applied for an extraordinary subsidy from the municipality, where it failed. She has addressed individual sponsors and is now turning to crowdfunding campaigns to the people of Prague, who have been unknowingly walking around the tombstones for many decades and now have the opportunity to symbolically restore their dignity.
The Jewish community, which Prague returned the cut tombstones, from which it wants to have a monument created.
Photo: ČTK
“We also ask those of you who care that the stones, as witnesses of past injustices, will experience lost piety. We therefore ask you to contribute to the reverential correction of past crimes, “says the chairman of the Jewish community in Prague and campaign organizer František Bányai. He wants to raise 150,000 crowns, which should