A society for the rescue of Škroup's house will be established; demolition according to the region is not on the agenda

The demolition of Škroup's house in Osice near Hradec Králové is not on the agenda, but it remains one of the options if a meaningful use for the building cannot be found. This emerged from today's statement by representatives of the regional authority following Wednesday's meeting about the future of the house among county representatives, the Ministry of Culture, the municipality, and the Society for the Protection of Historical Monuments in Eastern Bohemia. The building bearing the name of Osice native and composer of the Czech national anthem, František Škroup, is not his birthplace and does not have heritage protection.

The result of the meeting is the establishment of the Association for the Rescue of the Memorial of Škroup's House, which will begin preparing the content of an exhibition dedicated to Škroup and other figures of the national revival. The new institution will also assess the costs of restoring the house to its original condition and will start preparing a public fundraising campaign for this project. "It is essential for our region that any future use of this building is long-term meaningful and economically sustainable. Rescuing a building without a clear purpose is misguided and would not make sense," stated regional governor Petr Koleta (ANO).

The region, as the owner of Škroup's house, informed in February about its intention to demolish the building and subsequently transfer the land to the municipality of Osice. However, its representatives disagree with the demolition of the building.

Robin Čumpelík, a representative of the emerging association, proposed creating an interactive exhibition in Škroup's house, where schoolchildren could learn not only about Škroup but also about other personalities of the national revival and the significance of the first, second, and third Czechoslovak resistance movements. "I have talked to several personalities who have promised to support the preparation of such an exhibition," Čumpelík stated.

According to Jiří Bubeníček, deputy minister of culture, the ministry would support the operation of the exhibition with a grant. "Based on this, a working meeting will be held in the form of a round table, which will create a proposal for the content of regional exhibitions, educational classes, and interactions that will serve the public, primary and secondary schools," stated the regional spokesperson Dan Lechmann.

This year, following the announcement of the demolition plan, suggestions have emerged on how to utilize the building, including a minimalist preservation of Škroup's house in its current state. The region has offered 30 million crowns for these options, with the condition of establishing a meaningful use for the building.

Škroup's house was built as a tribute to František Škroup in 1928 on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the establishment of independent Czechoslovakia. The building originally functioned as a cinema, among other things. The unused house was acquired by the region in 2018. The original agreement with the municipality was that after the modernization of the building, the region would return it to the municipality. A project has already been developed, and a building permit has been issued. According to the regional authority's calculations, the original renovation project would cost more than 100 million crowns. The current leadership of the region refuses to invest such an amount in the repair of the house.