In the framework of the second edition of the Czech-Spanish Days, which we already reported on in Diplomacy News, a monument dedicated to František Suchý will be inaugurated in Madrid, a hero who, as the director of the crematorium of Strašnice, during the Nazi and communist repression, hid the ashes of the victims so that they could receive a dignified burial in the future.
The inauguration of the monument will constitute a worthy tribute to the extraordinary human story of František Suchý, as well as to the historical ties shared between the Czech Republic and Spain.
František Suchý, during World War II, risked his life to preserve the remains of thousands of victims of the Nazi regime. Among them were also Spanish citizens deported to the concentration camp of Hradištko, near Prague. (You can learn more about his admirable story at this link.)
The event will take place tomorrow Friday at 12:00 hours in the Madrid Río park, near the Puente de Praga bridge.
The program will include institutional interventions from representatives of the Czech Republic and Spain, among them, presumably, the mayor of Madrid, as well as representatives from the Central Bohemia region. The national anthems of both countries will also be performed along with a solemn entrance, and the event will conclude with a march.
The musical accompaniment will be provided by the Brass Quintet of the Music of the Prague Castle Guard and the Czech Republic Police, along with the Brass Quintet of the DIACU (Directorate of Barracks).
The quintet was founded in 2003 and is composed of prominent musicians from the Music of the Prague Castle Guard and the Czech Republic Police. Initially conceived for official ceremonies, it has progressively expanded its repertoire to include concert works by Czech and international authors, ranging from Baroque to arrangements of contemporary music. It consists of Pavel Hromádka (trumpet, piccolo trumpet), Jiří Bachtík (trumpet, flugelhorn), Šimon Šenkeřík (horn), Jan Triebenekl (trombone), and Pavel Hlubuček (tuba).
The Spanish brass quintet of the DIACU is part of a musical unit of the Army and is dedicated to performing a wide repertoire for brass, which includes military marches as well as concert works, while also contributing to the dissemination of military culture among the public.
The musical group is made up of Diego Tasa Chaveli (flugelhorn), Aaron Ibor Ferrando (trumpet), Guillermo Izquierdo Vegas (trombone), Luis Miguel Rodríguez Íscar (tuba), Alejandro Grau Clemente (horn).
The monument is the work of Jakub Vlček, a Czech sculptor, medallist, and draftsman. Born in 1979 in České Budějovice, he studied in Prague and currently develops his artistic activity in Vraclav. His work focuses on figurative sculpture and the representation of the human body. He trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague and completed stays abroad, including in Carrara (Italy). His works are present both in the Czech Republic and abroad.
