Květen 1945 v České Skalici - Bitva o město – Vlčková Věra (2016)

From May 5 to 10, 1945, the residents of Česká Skalice experienced moments filled with tension, hope, and fears regarding the last events of the war. Streams of German refugees from Silesia and German armed forces fleeing from the Red Army passed through the city. The defense of the city was activated by the creation of a separate military unit, managed by the Revolutionary National Committee. The city faced direct threats on the evening of May 9, when combat encounters occurred at several locations with remnants of SS units. The Česká Skalice garrison defended the city, and extraordinary solidarity was shown by both the defenders and the residents in the fight for freedom. The situation of those days is captured in reports from commanders, providing accounts of the specific combat activities of their assigned groups. Historical documents, now published for the first time, were written shortly after the events, thus bearing the mark of immediacy. They are supplemented by records in school, municipal, and church chronicles; equally interesting are the personal memories of contemporaries. The events are illustrated by period photographs and other documentary materials.