New Memorial at Kampa Museum Honors Victims of 1968

A memorial by sculptor Jiří Sozanský, dedicated to the victims of the 1968 and 1969 occupations, has been unveiled near the Kampa Museum in Prague.

The sculpture commemorates the lives lost during the brutal invasion of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact forces and the subsequent crackdown by Czechoslovak authorities.

The memorial, first revealed last year at the Army Museum to mark the 55th anniversary of the invasion, now stands on the embankment, bearing the names of 147 individuals who perished in 1968.

The installation also includes the names of six people killed in 1969 during protests against the occupation.

Sozanský, known for his focus on themes of war and oppression, has made significant contributions to public memory with works like the Memorial to the Victims of Communism and the Memorial to Political Prisoners in Valdice. The creation of this latest sculpture, titled “68/69,” was entirely self-funded by the artist.

The invasion of Czechoslovakia began on the night of August 21, 1968, leading to the deaths of dozens of Czechoslovak citizens on the first day alone, either in clashes with soldiers or in traffic accidents caused by the occupying forces.

A year later, from August 19 to 21, 1969, a wave of protest demonstrations swept the nation, marking the first anniversary of the occupation.

The regime’s response to these protests was brutal. According to recent historical research, seven people were killed during the demonstrations—five were shot dead, a woman on a scooter collided with an armored personnel carrier near Prague, and an unidentified soldier also lost his life.

To suppress the unrest, 20,000 soldiers, 27,000 militiamen, and numerous police and Interior Ministry units were deployed. Approximately 2,400 people were detained during the crackdown.

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