Assassination of Heydrich: The youngest member of Operation Anthropoid has a memorial statue
At a time when many adults trembled with fear at the mere thought of Reich Protector Reinhard Heydrich, a fourteen-year-old girl was helping to clean up the evidence of the assassination. Jindřiška Nováková helped to hide the bloodied bicycle on which Jan Kubiš fled. After her capture, the Nazis deported her to the Mathausen concentration camp, where she was murdered on October 24. She thus became the youngest victim.
Memorial work
In honor of the bravery and sacrifice that Jindřiška made, the City Hall of Prague 8 has already commissioned an art installation Girl with a Wheel. Passers-by will be able to view it on the grounds of Bohumi Hrabal Elementary School. “Jindřiška Nováková was a pupil of this school. She was the youngest, fourteen-year-old resistance fighter, a collaborative operation of Anthropoid,” Michal Švarc, representative of Prague 8, tells Bleska.
Artistic competition came out on 300 thousand crowns and himself installation of the work including play elements and a drinker under the installation on 1.6 million crowns. Both the work and the accessories were selected by the jury with regard to the age of the children in the first grade of elementary school. The work and play elements will be permanently in the courtyard.
“The combination of art in the street with an installation commemorating the heroism not only of Jindřiška Nováková, but of all supporters of the Anthropoid operation, was financed by the municipality’s ‘Art for the City’ fund,” adds Michal Švarc. The work consists of many hoops, between which wires are stretched, so that each separately resembles bicycle wheels. They are joined together to form a sphere. At the top sits an iron outline of a girl with a hand outstretched to the heavens that can light up.
Annual September celebration
On Sunday, September 4, during the afternoon and evening, the town hall of Libeňská is planning a celebration of the Libeňská castle. There will be dance performances or demonstrations of traditional crafts. “At 5:30 p.m., part of the event will be the ceremonial unveiling of the art installation ‘Girl with a bike’ in the courtyard of ZŠ B. Hrabala opposite the castle,” informs the representative.
As part of the event, not only the Singing Association and the marching band will perform, but also the writers Čvančara, Janík and Padevět. The author of the art installation Lukáš Wagner himself will also present his work. On the same date, September 4, 2014, Jindřiška Nováková was unveiled with a commemorative plaque on the school building. In September 2020, a complete reconstruction of the board took place.
Artwork Girl with a bicycle in the courtyard of Bohumil Hrabal Elementary School. Jan Dařílek
A new art installation on the grounds of Bohumil Hrabal Elementary School. August 2022.
Author: Jan Dařílek