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sheshe2

(97,531 posts)
9. Two decades
Sun Dec 25, 2016, 09:07 PM
Dec 2016
To create eighty-two statues of children in an above-life-size height took her two decades. The atelier where the monument was created was meanwhile visited by tens of thousands of people from the whole world. They started collecting money spontaneously so that the monument could be realized as it already touched everyone who had seen it.

In March 1989 the author finished her art work in plaster however she never saw any money from the collected donations. Therefore she cast in bronze the first three statues from her own savings. Unfortunately in autumn 1989 she unexpectedly died. She could only see her whole life work placed in Lidice in her imagination.

Her husband J. V. Hampl continued in the work since 1990 on his own. In spring 1995 there was a concrete rest cased by marble blocks made on the marked place. Afterwards the moment that was awaited for long time came. 30 children in bronze shape returns to their mothers in Lidice. Since summer 1996 more statues were installed with a different time in between each installation. The last seven were uncovered in 2000. Currently there are 42 girls and 40 boys murdered in 1942 looking at the valley.



Look at their faces and body language. Babies knowing they are going to die. The despair and resigned look of the small ones. The hands clutched with a sibling or friend, holding ones chest in pain and resignation. Look at the pictures, look at them it hurts my soul. Look at their eyes.

See the whispers, the despair, the defeat the suffering and see their death.

Now before you all decide to heap on me and tell me we do it to, please don't. This memorial is for the ages, all of them. Anytime a death of child happened in war it is wrong, yet we did not lead them to a gas chamber. They were suppose to be our future...our kids everywhere are our future, let's stop killing them, I AM NOT JUST TALKING WAR HERE!

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

... shenmue Dec 2016 #1
Yes. sheshe2 Dec 2016 #2
Frequently, the stories of the extermination of people Ilsa Dec 2016 #3
. irisblue Dec 2016 #4
Omg.This is heart-wrenching. octoberlib Dec 2016 #5
I've never even heard of this. DK504 Dec 2016 #6
I remember reading about it in fifth grade...... lastlib Dec 2016 #14
Reminds me of that first scene in "The World At War" Archae Dec 2016 #7
Thank you, sheshe mobeau69 Dec 2016 #8
Thanks mobeau. sheshe2 Dec 2016 #12
Two decades sheshe2 Dec 2016 #9
Sheshe, I appreciate you posting this. classof56 Dec 2016 #10
I never knew of it before a few years ago. sheshe2 Dec 2016 #11
heartbroken k and r for the horror of which humans are capable, and for the love and compassion niyad Dec 2016 #13
K & R Scurrilous Dec 2016 #15
Thank you. I learned this story while in the 8th grade and have never forgotten it. kairos12 Dec 2016 #16
. Warren DeMontague Dec 2016 #17
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»The Children of Lidice - ...»Reply #9