Radetzky will be back!
The monument to Field Marshal Josef Václav Radetzky is set to return to Prague's Malá Strana after more than a century. While the decision has broad political backing, some history minded members of the public still question whether the location is appropriate.
A field marshal remembered across Europe
Josef Václav Radetzky, born in 1766 into a Czech noble family, served in the Habsburg army for more than seventy years and became one of Europe's most celebrated military commanders. He fought during the Napoleonic Wars and later commanded Austrian forces in northern Italy, where his victories at Custoza and Novara helped preserve Habsburg rule in Lombardy and Venetia.
His military reputation inspired Johann Strauss Sr.'s famous Radetzky March. At the same time, Radetzky's legacy has long been viewed differently in different parts of Europe. While admired in Austria as one of the empire's greatest commanders, he is also remembered in Italy as the man who crushed the revolutions of 1848–49.
The Prague monument itself reflected that international reputation. Unveiled in 1858, it became one of the city's best-known monuments before being dismantled after the establishment of independent Czechoslovakia.
Restoring a piece of Prague's heritage
The original bronze monument, designed by the renowned Czech sculptors Emanuel and Josef Max with architect Bernhard Grueber, was removed in 1919 amid the political changes following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Since then, its sculptural group has been preserved in the Lapidarium of the National Museum. Before it can return to Malostranské Square, Prague must still secure the necessary approvals from the Ministry of Culture. It is still to be decided whether the original or a copy will be re-installed.
For supporters, the project is about much more than commemorating a famous military commander. They see it as the restoration of an important work of Czech art and of a monument that formed part of Prague's historic urban landscape for more than sixty years.
Jan Bárta, chairman of the civic association Radetzky Praha, has spent nearly two decades campaigning for the monument's return. An architect specialising in heritage conservation, he says his interest in Radetzky first grew out of his fascination with Czech history before evolving into a broader effort to restore what he regards as one of Prague's finest public sculptures.
"The monument is not simply about one historical figure," Jan Bárta says. "It is also a magnificent work by the Max brothers and one of the finest examples of Romantic sculpture. That is one of the reasons why we would like to see it brought out of the Lapidarium, where relatively few people can appreciate it."
According to Jan Bárta, attitudes towards Czech history have changed considerably over the past century.
"The understanding of our national history has moved on from the revolutionary emotions that followed 1918," he says. "Josef Radetzky belongs to Czech history. He was an outstanding military commander and an internationally respected military leader."
Michael Heres, vice-chairman of the association, also rejects the idea that the monument represents an alien or imposed symbol.
"We demonstrated that this is not some foreign element forced upon Prague," Michael Heres explains. "The monument was commissioned in Prague, created by leading Prague sculptors, and the person it depicts has deep historical connections with Prague and the Czech lands."
He points to the outcome of the vote itself as evidence that attitudes have changed. The proposal was backed by 41 Prague city councillors, while only four voted against it. In his view, that overwhelming majority reflects a growing willingness to acknowledge the city's entire historical heritage rather than judging it solely through the political upheavals of the twentieth century.
"The people who voted for the monument were not expressing nostalgia for Austria-Hungary," he says. "They were recognising that Prague has a rich and complex history, and that Radetzky forms part of that history."
A different view of the monument
Although the decision to restore the monument received overwhelming support from Prague's elected representatives, not everyone believes Malostranské náměstí (Lesser Town Square) is the right place for it. Among those who remain unconvinced is Luboš Rokos, a health care professional but also a history graduate. He says he appreciates the complexity of Czech history and does not question Radetzky's importance as a historical figure. However, he believes the monument's location carries a symbolic message.
"I wouldn't want the statue on Malostranské náměstí ," Luboš Rokos says. "Right next to the proposed site stands one of the buildings of the Czech Parliament. We'll have, in front of Parliament, a man who did not believe in parliamentary government."
Luboš Rokos suggests that a military setting, such as Prague's historic Invalidovna, would be more appropriate. At the same time, he acknowledges that Czech society has become more willing to view its history in a broader and more balanced context than it did immediately after the collapse of Austria-Hungary.
As Prague prepares for the monument's return, the discussion surrounding Field Marshal Josef Radetzky serves as a reminder that historical monuments often tell several stories at once. They commemorate individuals and artistic achievement, but they also reflect the changing ways in which each generation chooses to interpret its own past.
