Minister: State wants to take over Red Tower of Death memorial

The Czech state would like to take over ownership of what is known as the Red Tower of Death near Ostrov, West Bohemia. The national cultural monument commemorates the suffering of political prisoners forced to work in uranium mines in Jáchymov in the 1950s.

The minister of culture, Martin Baxa, made a comment to that effect at the 35th annual event named Jáchymov Hell gathering on Saturday.

The seven-storey tower was used as a uranium ore sorting plant at one of Jáchymov’s communist labour camps, with work at the plant considered the most dangerous occupation for prisoners.