Kobylisy Shooting Range: A Memorial to Resistance

The Kobylisy Shooting Range, located in the northern suburb of Prague, bears witness to a dark chapter in Czech history. Established in the late 19th century as a training facility for the Austro-Hungarian army, it later served a far more sinister purpose during the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia. Following the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich in 1942, the shooting range became a site of mass executions of Czech patriots. Hundreds of people, including scientists, artists, politicians, soldiers, and even clergy, were killed here as part of the Nazi regime's retaliatory measures. The executions took place almost daily between May 30 and July 3, 1942. The remains of the executed were incinerated at the Strašnice Crematorium. After World War II, the site was converted into a memorial to honor the victims. The grounds are marked by a bronze statue titled “The Unbowed Motherland” by sculptor Miloš Zeta, erected in 1978. The area is freely accessible and serves as a place for reflection and remembrance. Despite being surrounded by residential buildings, the memorial maintains a sense of calm and reverence. Among the notable individuals executed at Kobylisy were Prime Minister Alois Eliáš, Bishop Matěj Pavlík-Gorazd, writer Vladislav Vančura, and many others who resisted the Nazi occupation. The youngest victims were three 15-year-old boys. The Kobylisy Shooting Range stands as a reminder of the sacrifices made by the Czech people during World War II and a symbol of resistance against oppression.