Marshal Konev statue to get new plaque

The Prague 6 authorities have said they will place a plaque at the statue of Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev, erected in commemoration of his role in helping to liberate Czechoslovakia from Nazi oppression, which would put into better perspective his role in history. The plaque is to be ready by the end of June and should help prevent the statue’s repeated vandalization.

Marshal Konev is a controversial figure in the Czech Republic, since as well as liberating the country in WWII, he was involved in the suppression of the Hungarian uprising in 1956 and was also present in Berlin for the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961.

His statue has been spray painted in protest on several occasions in recent years, most recently on V-day when the dates 1956 and 1961 appeared on the statue in red paint.