Open-air mass among several events honuring victims of Nazi massacre at Lidice

This year’s 80th anniversary of the Nazi annihalation of the Central Bohemian village of Lidice is being commemorated by several events this weekend. Among them was an open-air mass, attended by many of the country’s leading church and constitutional officials, which took place this Sunday. In a speech at the ceremony, Cardinal Dominik Duka highlighted that there was no armed resistance in Lidice. He also paid tribute to the bravery of the villagers and said that the massacre had a global impact.

The mass will be followed by the laying of flowers at the mass grave of Lidice’s male victims along with a prayer and the honouring of the child victims of war at their respective memorial. Prime Minister Petr Fiala and both speakers of Parliament are also expected to attend the commemoration.

On Saturday, choirs from across the country, that were represented by hundreds of children from all regions, visited the Lidice Memorial. A commemorative concert, called “For Lidice”, was also held.

The Nazi massacre at Lidice was carried out in retailiation for the assasination of acting Governor of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia Reinhard Heydrich in 1942. The village was flattened and 340 people, men, women and children were murdered.