Lidice memorial: the story and how to visit from Prague

There is no village at the old site of Lidice. There's a field, a few markers and the sense of a place from which something has been removed. A short distance away stands the new village built after the war, with a memorial museum that tells what happened.

This is a sombre subject, and the guide keeps a restrained tone.

What happened

In 1942 Czechoslovakia was part of the Nazi-occupied Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. In late May two Czechoslovak parachutists sent from Britain attacked the acting Reich Protector, Reinhard Heydrich, in Prague. He died of his injuries in early June.

The response was terror. On 10 June 1942 German forces surrounded Lidice, near Kladno, which was falsely accused of links to the assassins. They shot 173 men that day. The women were sent to the Ravensbrück concentration camp and the children taken away, and most of the children were murdered. The village was burned and razed. A similar atrocity struck the village of Ležáky later that month.

For the wider period, read about Terezín, a respectful day trip from Prague and our explainer on communist Czechoslovakia for what came after the war.

A name that travelled

News of Lidice spread around the world. Towns and streets in several countries took its name in solidarity, and campaigns in countries including Britain and the United States raised money under the slogan "Lidice shall live". After the war a new village rose beside the old site, and some surviving women and children came back to live there.

What the site holds

• A museum with an exhibition on the village, the destruction and the aftermath.
• A rose garden, planted as a symbol of peace and friendship with roses given from around the world.
• A sculpture to the child victims by Marie Uchytilová.
• The old village site, a gentle slope with markers. Stand there for a few minutes to grasp how small the village was.
• An international children's art exhibition, held each year.

Opening hours and tickets are on the memorial's website; I haven't quoted them because the memorial sets them. The museum uses documents, photographs and film, and has English material, but check the website for the current offer.

Getting there

Lidice is about 20 kilometres north-west of Prague. A bus from the Prague area runs there, in about half an hour; check the current line and timetable in the PID app or on IDOS. Driving is straightforward and there is parking at the memorial. Our guide to public transport apps shows how to check connections.

Visiting with respect

1. Dress modestly and keep your voice low.
2. Don't take photographs where signs ask you not to.
3. Treat the rose garden and the monument as the quiet places they are.
4. Think about whether children are ready: the exhibitions deal with the deaths of children.

Afterwards

A walk in the surrounding countryside helps, and so does a calm meal back in Prague. Lidice is near Kladno and a short trip back. Visiting Terezín on the same day is a lot to absorb, so give each site its own day. If you want to see how the story ends, the Velvet Revolution explained picks up in 1989.

Frequently asked questions

What happened at Lidice?

On 10 June 1942 Nazi forces destroyed the village in reprisal for the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich. They shot 173 men and deported the women and children.

How far is Lidice from Prague?

About 20 kilometres north-west, roughly half an hour by bus or car.

Is the memorial suitable for children?

It deals with the deaths of children, so parents should judge whether their family is ready.

How long should I allow?

Half a day is enough for the museum, the garden and a walk round the old site.