General Patton Monument

The two opposing slender steles (9.5 metres high slabs each weighing 10 tonnes) are made of special rusted steel (corten), which are intended to resemble the triumphal arch – a traditional symbol of victory. The rust colour itself is reminiscent of the armor of tanks, and also draws attention to the fact that the memorial was not built until 70 years after the war. The creation of the monument took about one year under the sponsorship of Vítkovice Ironworks.

A monument to General Patton was intended to be erected ten years earlier in 2004 when a foundation stone was laid in front of the Peklo cultural centre. However, the statue’s design for a realistic depiction of General Patton created by Jaroslav Bocker was rejected by the town hall after it emerged the artist had cooperated with communist Czechoslovakian Secret Police (“StB”). The statue was later placed in the nearby village of Dýšina, the headquarters of the 22^nd Corps of Patton's 3rd U.S. Army.