Czech Culture Ministry to provide CZK 9 million for Lidice children’s memorial restoration

The Czech Culture Ministry will provide around CZK 9 million to help restore the memorial to the 82 children murdered by the Nazis in Lidice during World War II. Culture Minister Oto Klempíř and Lidice Memorial director Eduard Stehlík agreed on the funding on Thursday.

A public collection has so far raised around CZK 5.1 million. The full restoration is expected to cost between CZK 13 million and CZK 15 million and take about three years.

The memorial’s bronze statues, created by sculptor Marie Uchytilová, have been damaged by age and years of exposure to the weather. It commemorates the 82 Lidice children who were murdered after the village was destroyed by the Nazis in June 1942.