Monument to Soviet tank crews
Encyclopedia
Monument to Soviet Tank Crews (Czech: Památník sovětských tankistů) was a World War II
memorial located in Prague
. It is also known as the Pink Tank, because it was controversially painted pink, first by artist David Černý
, and several times thereafter.
The original location of the monument was 50°4′43.8"N 14°24′16.6"E.
square in the Smíchov
district, was dedicated on 29 July 1945. The audience, including Soviet General Ivan Konev
and top municipal representatives, admired a tank on a massive five-metre stone pedestal with a barrel pointing menacingly westwards. The monument was built to commemorate the arrival of Konev's First Ukrainian Front, namely the Fourth Tank Brigade led by Lelyushenko
on 9 May 1945.
The monument was intended to represent Lt I.G. Goncharenko's T-34
-85 medium tank of the 63rd Guards Tank Brigade, 10th Guards Tank Corps, the first Soviet tank to enter Prague in May 1945 and subsequently knocked out in the street fighting. Unfortunately, the actual monument bore an IS-2m heavy tank instead of the famous T-34, with its turret mislabelled 23 (Goncharenko's tank had actually borne the tactical marking I-24).
Following the communist coup in 1948
, the monument was raised to the status of National Cultural Monument, commemorating the liberation of Prague by the Red Army, and the square was renamed to Square of Soviet Tank Crews.
and the abolition of censorship
, the legacy of the tank was openly discussed. The major force that saved the Prague uprising
was the Russian Liberation Army
led by Andrey Vlasov
. Vlasov's soldiers captured the Ruzyně airport, where German Me 262 jets were deployed, and took the left bank of the Vltava
including Smíchov. On May 9, the only aim of Wehrmacht military leaders was to get safely to the American occupation zone. For many citizens, the tank symbolised the Soviet invasion that ended the Prague Spring
in 1968 and the following permanent deployment of Soviet military units, rather than the events in World War II—a popular local legend was that the number 23 painted on the tank's turret foresaw the Soviet invasion (1945 + 23 = 1968). In February 1991, historian Pavel Bělina noted that there were "neither moral nor historical grounds" for preserving the monument. http://dejiny.nln.cz/archiv/2005/012005-10.html
On the night from 27 to 28 April 1991, art student David Černý
with his friends painted the tank pink and erected a huge finger in an obscene gesture on its turret roof, signing their work "David Černý and the Neostunners". Černý was arrested under an often-abused law concerning "public disturbances", and after an official protest by the Russian government, the tank was re-painted green. However, fifteen members of the newly elected parliament took advantage of their official immunity and re-painted the tank pink in protest against the arrest. The national monument status was abolished, Černý was released, and the tank removed. The tank is currently located in Military museum Lešany
by Týnec nad Sázavou
.
Černý, who finished his studies and became an enfant terrible of Czech visual art, later proposed a new statue, a pink tank digging into the ground. Following a fierce opposition from Prime Minister Miloš Zeman
and Russian Ambassador Vasil Yakovlev, the municipality representatives abolished the project. The statue was finally installed in the spa resort Lázně Bohdaneč
, where the occupying Soviet army was deployed until the early 1990s (located at 50°4′9.426"N 15°40′58.421"E).
On 17 October 2002, a fountain "Propadliště času" was installed on the spot. The spurting water should have purified everything and let the people forget. However, the people did not forget. In 2004, a CowParade
was held in Prague. One of the fiberglass
cows was painted khaki and provided with five-pointed red stars and white numbers 23 on both flanks, with the intention to paint it publicly pink later on. The cow was vandalised, and the happening did not take place.
On 8 May 2005, when the sixtieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War was celebrated, Communist party
leader Miroslav Grebeníček organised a gathering there. His supporters, mostly pensioners, put lilac
s on the spot of the former monument and sang "The Internationale
".
On 21 August 2008, the pink hull of a tank by David Černý was illegally installed on the spot. It has a white invasion stripe, the same as Soviet tanks that entered Czechoslovakia in 1968. According to Černý, the statue should draw attention to contemporary politics of Russia
.
On 20 June 2011 the pink tank was temporarily returned to Prague to celebrate the 20th anniversary of withdrawal of Soviet occupation forces. It included the erected forefinger and was placed on a barge on the Vltava river.
The piece, as modified by David Černý, will be displayed on a river barge, by Charles Bridge, until 1 July 2012 within the Week of Freedom festival commemorating the departure of Soviet troops from the country.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
memorial located in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. It is also known as the Pink Tank, because it was controversially painted pink, first by artist David Černý
David Cerný
David Černý is a Jewish - Czech sculptor whose works can be seen in many locations in Prague. His works tend to be controversial. He gained notoriety in 1991 by painting a Soviet tank pink that served as a war memorial in central Prague...
, and several times thereafter.
The original location of the monument was 50°4′43.8"N 14°24′16.6"E.
The monument
The monument, originally in ŠtefánikMilan Rastislav Štefánik
Milan Rastislav Štefánik , Kingdom of Hungary – May 4, 1919 in Ivanka pri Dunaji, Czechoslovakia) was a Slovak politician, diplomat, and astronomer. During World War I, he was General of the French Army, at the same time the Czechoslovak Minister of War, one of the leading members of the...
square in the Smíchov
Smíchov
Smíchov is a district of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, and is part of Prague 5. It is located on the west bank of the Vltava river....
district, was dedicated on 29 July 1945. The audience, including Soviet General Ivan Konev
Ivan Konev
Ivan Stepanovich Konev , was a Soviet military commander, who led Red Army forces on the Eastern Front during World War II, retook much of Eastern Europe from occupation by the Axis Powers, and helped in the capture of Germany's capital, Berlin....
and top municipal representatives, admired a tank on a massive five-metre stone pedestal with a barrel pointing menacingly westwards. The monument was built to commemorate the arrival of Konev's First Ukrainian Front, namely the Fourth Tank Brigade led by Lelyushenko
Dmitri Danilovich Lelyushenko
Dmitry Danilovich Lelyushenko |Army General]] , twice the Hero of the Soviet Union , Hero of Czechoslovakia . Member of the CPSU from 1924. Born in Rostov Oblast, ethnically Ukrainian....
on 9 May 1945.
The monument was intended to represent Lt I.G. Goncharenko's T-34
T-34
The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1940 to 1958. Although its armour and armament were surpassed by later tanks of the era, it has been often credited as the most effective, efficient and influential design of World War II...
-85 medium tank of the 63rd Guards Tank Brigade, 10th Guards Tank Corps, the first Soviet tank to enter Prague in May 1945 and subsequently knocked out in the street fighting. Unfortunately, the actual monument bore an IS-2m heavy tank instead of the famous T-34, with its turret mislabelled 23 (Goncharenko's tank had actually borne the tactical marking I-24).
Following the communist coup in 1948
Czechoslovak coup d'état of 1948
The Czechoslovak coup d'état of 1948 – in Communist historiography known as "Victorious February" – was an event late that February in which the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, with Soviet backing, assumed undisputed control over the government of Czechoslovakia, ushering in over four decades...
, the monument was raised to the status of National Cultural Monument, commemorating the liberation of Prague by the Red Army, and the square was renamed to Square of Soviet Tank Crews.
Controversy and the artistic response
After the 1989 Velvet revolutionVelvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
and the abolition of censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
, the legacy of the tank was openly discussed. The major force that saved the Prague uprising
Prague uprising
The Prague uprising was an attempt by the Czech resistance to liberate the city of Prague from German occupation during World War II. Events began on May 5, 1945, in the last moments of the war in Europe...
was the Russian Liberation Army
Russian Liberation Army
Russian Liberation Army was a group of predominantly Russian forces subordinated to the Nazi German high command during World War II....
led by Andrey Vlasov
Andrey Vlasov
Andrey Andreyevich Vlasov or Wlassow was a Russian Red Army general who collaborated with Nazi Germany during World War II.-Early career:...
. Vlasov's soldiers captured the Ruzyně airport, where German Me 262 jets were deployed, and took the left bank of the Vltava
Vltava
The Vltava is the longest river in the Czech Republic, running north from its source in Šumava through Český Krumlov, České Budějovice, and Prague, merging with the Elbe at Mělník...
including Smíchov. On May 9, the only aim of Wehrmacht military leaders was to get safely to the American occupation zone. For many citizens, the tank symbolised the Soviet invasion that ended the Prague Spring
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
in 1968 and the following permanent deployment of Soviet military units, rather than the events in World War II—a popular local legend was that the number 23 painted on the tank's turret foresaw the Soviet invasion (1945 + 23 = 1968). In February 1991, historian Pavel Bělina noted that there were "neither moral nor historical grounds" for preserving the monument. http://dejiny.nln.cz/archiv/2005/012005-10.html
David Cerný
David Černý is a Jewish - Czech sculptor whose works can be seen in many locations in Prague. His works tend to be controversial. He gained notoriety in 1991 by painting a Soviet tank pink that served as a war memorial in central Prague...
with his friends painted the tank pink and erected a huge finger in an obscene gesture on its turret roof, signing their work "David Černý and the Neostunners". Černý was arrested under an often-abused law concerning "public disturbances", and after an official protest by the Russian government, the tank was re-painted green. However, fifteen members of the newly elected parliament took advantage of their official immunity and re-painted the tank pink in protest against the arrest. The national monument status was abolished, Černý was released, and the tank removed. The tank is currently located in Military museum Lešany
Military museum Lešany
The Military Technical Museum Lešany is a museum of military vehicles located in the Czech Republic about 20 kilometers south of Prague. It's exposition contains over 700 historic tanks, cannons, motorcycles, armored vehicles, trucks, military passenger vehicles, missile systems and other military...
by Týnec nad Sázavou
Týnec nad Sázavou
Týnec nad Sázavou is a town in the Czech Republic.-External links:*...
.
Černý, who finished his studies and became an enfant terrible of Czech visual art, later proposed a new statue, a pink tank digging into the ground. Following a fierce opposition from Prime Minister Miloš Zeman
Miloš Zeman
Miloš Zeman is a well-known Czech politician. He was a member and leader of the Czech Social Democratic Party, former speaker of the chamber of deputies from 1996 until 1998, and the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic from 1998 until 2002. He was a frequent rival of Václav Klaus...
and Russian Ambassador Vasil Yakovlev, the municipality representatives abolished the project. The statue was finally installed in the spa resort Lázně Bohdaneč
Lázne Bohdanec
Lázně Bohdaneč is a small town in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic, near the city of Pardubice. It has approximately 3,300 inhabitants.-External links:* *...
, where the occupying Soviet army was deployed until the early 1990s (located at 50°4′9.426"N 15°40′58.421"E).
CowParade
CowParade is an international public art exhibit that has been featured in major world cities. Fiberglass sculptures of cows are decorated by local artists, and distributed over the city centre, in public places such as train stations, important avenues, and parks. They often feature artwork and...
was held in Prague. One of the fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
cows was painted khaki and provided with five-pointed red stars and white numbers 23 on both flanks, with the intention to paint it publicly pink later on. The cow was vandalised, and the happening did not take place.
On 8 May 2005, when the sixtieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War was celebrated, Communist party
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia
The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia , abbreviated to KSČM, is a political party in the Czech Republic. It has a membership of 82,994 and is a member party of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left bloc in the European Parliament...
leader Miroslav Grebeníček organised a gathering there. His supporters, mostly pensioners, put lilac
Lilac
Syringa is a genus of about 20–25 species of flowering woody plants in the olive family , native to woodland and scrub from southeastern Europe to eastern Asia, and widely and commonly cultivated in temperate areas elsewhere....
s on the spot of the former monument and sang "The Internationale
The Internationale
The Internationale is a famous socialist, communist, social-democratic and anarchist anthem.The Internationale became the anthem of international socialism, and gained particular fame under the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1944, when it was that communist state's de facto central anthem...
".
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
On 20 June 2011 the pink tank was temporarily returned to Prague to celebrate the 20th anniversary of withdrawal of Soviet occupation forces. It included the erected forefinger and was placed on a barge on the Vltava river.
The piece, as modified by David Černý, will be displayed on a river barge, by Charles Bridge, until 1 July 2012 within the Week of Freedom festival commemorating the departure of Soviet troops from the country.
External links
- The complicated history of Prague's Tank No. 23, article on Radio Prague web site, including photos of the original memorial, the pink tank, and of David Černý
- Actions: Tank 91, Artwork: Sochy: Tank: Lešany – photos at davidcerny.cz