Eighty years after the end of the Second World War, Prague is commemorating the liberation of the city and the victims of the war with an exhibition. ‘V for Victory’ invites visitors to reflect on the past and its values.
To mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, a panel exhibition entitled ‘V for Victory’ (Symbol “V”) was opened yesterday, 30 April, on Mariánské náměstí in front of the New Town Hall. The freely accessible exhibition presents the most significant historical events related to the liberation of Prague and the end of the Second World War and can be visited until 30 May 2025.
‘Commemorating the end of the Second World War is not only a matter of historical remembrance but also of our civic responsibility. Every name, every story, every victim has left an imprint on our history – and it is up to us never to erase this imprint. The exhibition on St Mary’s Square shows the courage and suffering of our ancestors who fought for freedom. I am proud that Prague is able to commemorate in such a dignified way what true victory means: values, morality and humanity,’ said the Mayor of the Capital City of Prague, Bohuslav Svoboda.
On a total of eight panels in front of the New Town Hall on Mariánské náměstí in Prague 1, visitors can learn about many significant events at the end of the Second World War in Europe across 16 themed areas – in particular the course of the Prague Uprising (Pražské povstání), the activities of the Western Allies, the role of the Red Army, the return of Czechoslovak airmen from Great Britain, and the tragic events in the final days of the war. The exhibition also presents the activities of the Institute of Military History.
The text is enriched by around 120 archive photographs from the collections of the Central Military Archives and other institutions, for example from Plzeň and Přerov. The exhibition is also available in English via QR codes on the exhibition panels.
From yesterday until 4 May, a tank destroyer, which is part of the exhibition, will be festively illuminated together with the New Town Hall between 8 pm and midnight. On the first three days, the tank destroyer will be illuminated in the colours of Prague, i.e. red and yellow, while on the remaining two days it will shine in the colours of the Czech tricolour – white, red and blue.
The exhibition takes place at a time when international relations are undergoing fundamental change and many historical values and principles for which previous generations fought are being put to the test. The symbol ‘V’ stands for the victory of moral values and a free culture based on responsibility, mutual respect and conscience.
