End of the war in Třešt', death of 34 citizens
In the spring of 1945 a powerful story of resistance and betrayal took place in Třešt'. Encouraged by the approaching end of the war, the locals resisted the occupiers and started an uprising against the Nazi power.
They liberated the town for a while, hoisted the Czechoslovak flags and prepared for victory. But the hope did not last long - on May 7, German reinforcements, including Gestapo troops, arrived from Jihlava.
On the same day the terror began. Within a few hours, 33 people were shot in Třešt' - ordinary people like a janitor, a railwayman or a barber. Among the main culprits of these executions was Herta Kašparová, a young woman from Třešt' who had collaborated with the Gestapo during the last months of the war. She helped to identify those who were to be punished for allegedly resisting German troops.
Her action did not go unanswered. After the war she was caught, sentenced to death and publicly executed in 1946. Thousands of people from the surrounding area, including school children, gathered for the execution.
The tragedy in Třešt' is a powerful, little-known story of courage and cruel retribution, which undoubtedly deserves a film treatment - just like the fate of Lidice.
Location: Třešt' and surroundings
Copyright: due to the time of the event, all films and photographs will be copyright-free
Sources: museum Třešt'
