Rýdeč

More about this war memorial on its Registration Card.
On the initiative of Iveta Pilníková from Rýdeč, the first meeting with the chairman of the association, Zdeněk Petr, took place on 11. 11. 2022 in Ústí nad Labem, where the further procedure was agreed upon. Another meeting, this time at the site of the monument, was held on 18. 11. 2022 to determine the scope of the necessary work. On 21. 11. 2022, the association submitted a request for an opinion to the Department of Heritage Care of the Office of Urban Planning and Building Regulations of the Municipality of Ústí nad Labem. After receiving the statement, the association secured the preparation of drawings with a conceptual design of the final appearance of the monument.

The renovation of the Rýdeč war memorial was the impetus for the creation of the association's next project: War Memorials.

On 7. 4. 2023, friends and family members of Iveta Pilníková, after prior consultation with the stonemason Josef Sotona, set to work: they pulled out the stump, or rather removed only its top for the time being, as it was considerably rotten. They also raised the stairs so that the stonemason could clean them.

Work on the restoration of the monument continued on 20 and 21. 4. 2023. First, Josef Sotona cleaned the stairs and the monument itself with pressurized water, and the next day, Iveta Pilníková arranged for the loading and delivery of stones to build the wall on both sides of the staircase. The stump was completely removed.

On 18. 5. 2023, the stonemason made the necessary additions to the damaged edges of the monument and polished the entire stone before gilding the letters. The following day, Josef Sotona laid three stair treads. The top step, which had been broken into two pieces, was connected with a cement mixture and placed in a concrete bed. At the same time, the gilding of the letters began, which continued on 21. 5. 2023. The stonemason’s work, including the gilding, was completed in the late afternoon of 22. 5. 2023.

On 23 and 24 May 2023, during excavation on both sides of the staircase, the foundation stone blocks of the original retaining wall were discovered. This changed the plan for the new design of the wall. It will now be built as a stone wall following the route of the discovered blocks. On 27 May 2023, friends and acquaintances of Iveta Pilníková gathered at the site at 9:00 a.m., and the work was completed at approximately 2:00 p.m.

On Monday, 5 June 2023, a hole was dug for a new mature oak tree, which was brought on 8 June 2023 from the Gabriel horticulture in České Kopisty and planted. On Saturday, 10 June 2023, the new tree was secured, the terrain was landscaped, leveled with imported soil, and sown with grass seed. Lanterns for placement on either side of the monument base have been purchased.

On the weekend of 22–23 July 2023, the retaining wall was repointed, and on the weekend of 12–13 August 2023, the owner of the property adjacent to the monument repaired the fence. On 21 August 2023, several branches of the existing oak tree were trimmed, as they partially obscured the view of the monument. On Thursday, 31 August 2023, stonemason Josef Sotona installed the purchased lanterns. Done!

With Iveta Buková Pilníková and Dean Havelka, a date for the reopening and blessing of the memorial was agreed upon for Sunday, 24 September 2023, from 14:00. Among the invited guests was a representative of the Department for the Care of War Veterans and War Graves of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic, who presented Iveta Pilníková with a commemorative plaque for her decisive contribution to the restoration of the memorial. After the blessing of the memorial, candles were lit, and at the end of the ceremony, there was a traditional gathering and refreshments.