Stanislav Sucharda’s Art Nouveau tribute to the Czech Father of the Nation lies in New Town, in Palacky Square. In addition to being a professor at the College of Applied Arts, Sucharda was a huge fan of Rodin.
The figure of Palacky sits in the middle, carved in granite – as any respectable father should be – surrounded by allegorical figures representing the genius and voice of history.
The folks pictured here, however, are called “Oppression,” and stand for the victims of Habsburg domination. They crouch under an arch of stone, awaiting their revenge.
Unsurprisingly, the Nazis wanted to smash this sentiment into smithereens. It was removed in 1939 and ordered destroyed.
But thanks to the work of a few patriots, it was hidden in an overgrown pile of weeds. In 1948, it made its way back home.