The Liberec conservationists want to save the dove of peace on the facade of the building
Liberec - Preservations want to save one of the last reminders of socialism in Liberec - a neon in the shape of a dove of peace with the inscription "peace to the nations of the world." It has adorned the façade of one of the buildings in Šaldovo Square in the center for 30 years, but it is significantly dilapidated and some letters are missing. The preservations did not recommend removing the inscription; instead, they propose its reconstruction and reactivation, and are even exploring ways to obtain funding for the repair. The city hall wants residents to express their opinions on the issue and is preparing a survey. CTK was informed about this today by city hall spokeswoman Zuzana Minstrová.
The owner of the building that features the neon has requested the city's consent for its removal. However, since the building is in a protected zone, the preservations also had to express their opinion, which opposes the destruction of the inscription. "We are also interested in the opinion of the citizens," said Mayor Martina Rosenbergová (ČSSD) to CTK. According to her, the survey on the Liberec website should allow people to express whether they would prefer the building without the dove and inscription or if they support its preservation. "I will be glad if as many citizens as possible express their views. Personally, I lean more towards having the inscription repaired and keeping it along with the dove on the building," added the mayor.
The preservations share the same opinion, stating that the neon is a testament to the era of its creation, now very rare and almost unique. "Most similar symbols, inscriptions, and reliefs from the normalization era were spontaneously demolished after 1989. The dove of peace with the inscription escaped this fate due to its ideological neutrality. Over the course of its existence, it has become a characteristic part of Šaldovo Square," said Václav Němec, the Deputy for Preservation Affairs at the National Heritage Institute in Liberec. Moreover, compared to many modern advertisements and neon signs, he believes the depiction of the dove is timeless and tasteful. "It thus creates a subtle contrast to the current advertising smog," he noted.
The dove is not the first similar symbol in the Liberec Region whose fate has been decided. For instance, in Semily, there were turbulent discussions for several years about whether to remove a mosaic with a hammer and sickle that adorns the façade of one of the buildings on Rieger Square. The mosaic, measuring four by four meters, was created in the 1970s and served as propaganda for communism until 1990. It was then covered by an advertising panel. Three years ago, after the removal of the advertisement, it re-emerged in the square. Since then, discussions have continued in the city about what to do next. Ultimately, the council decided to supplement the mosaic with a quote from George Santayana: "Those who do not know their past are condemned to repeat it," and to leave it as a monument to totality.
The owner of the building that features the neon has requested the city's consent for its removal. However, since the building is in a protected zone, the preservations also had to express their opinion, which opposes the destruction of the inscription. "We are also interested in the opinion of the citizens," said Mayor Martina Rosenbergová (ČSSD) to CTK. According to her, the survey on the Liberec website should allow people to express whether they would prefer the building without the dove and inscription or if they support its preservation. "I will be glad if as many citizens as possible express their views. Personally, I lean more towards having the inscription repaired and keeping it along with the dove on the building," added the mayor.
The preservations share the same opinion, stating that the neon is a testament to the era of its creation, now very rare and almost unique. "Most similar symbols, inscriptions, and reliefs from the normalization era were spontaneously demolished after 1989. The dove of peace with the inscription escaped this fate due to its ideological neutrality. Over the course of its existence, it has become a characteristic part of Šaldovo Square," said Václav Němec, the Deputy for Preservation Affairs at the National Heritage Institute in Liberec. Moreover, compared to many modern advertisements and neon signs, he believes the depiction of the dove is timeless and tasteful. "It thus creates a subtle contrast to the current advertising smog," he noted.
The dove is not the first similar symbol in the Liberec Region whose fate has been decided. For instance, in Semily, there were turbulent discussions for several years about whether to remove a mosaic with a hammer and sickle that adorns the façade of one of the buildings on Rieger Square. The mosaic, measuring four by four meters, was created in the 1970s and served as propaganda for communism until 1990. It was then covered by an advertising panel. Three years ago, after the removal of the advertisement, it re-emerged in the square. Since then, discussions have continued in the city about what to do next. Ultimately, the council decided to supplement the mosaic with a quote from George Santayana: "Those who do not know their past are condemned to repeat it," and to leave it as a monument to totality.
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