Press release
24.4. 2015
The 70th anniversary jubilee of Pilsen’s liberation
70 years ago, June 6, 1944 in the morning, the Allied attack against Wehrmacht Units was
opened by the Normandy Landings. The D-Day, when the invasion of Normandy started,
became one of the most important events of World War II. The moment of surprise,
soldiers´ determination and courage achieved success, the liberation of European
Continent started there and continued up to May 1945. Some of the Units, which had
combated on the Normandy beaches, finished their victory voyage in Pilsen.
Liberation Festival Pilsen (Slavnosti svobody Plzeň)
When: May 1 – May
Where: various locations in Pilsen, West Bohemia
www.liberationfestival.com
The 70th anniversary jubilee of Pilsen’s liberation by the US Army and the end of World War
II will be celebrated in Pilsen in a spectacular way. Visitors can look forward to a rich cultural
programme, themed exhibitions and, most of all, meetings with war veterans. The
celebrations will be opened unconventionally by the legendary American band Lynyrd
Skynyrd, who will play their hits such as Sweet Home Alabama at a concert on 1st May. The
whole city will ‘swing’ into the era and atmosphere of 1945 with presentations of military
camps of the era and a cultural programme in the style of the genres popular at the end of
the war. The unique Convoy of Liberty, with more than 300 vehicles, and presentations of
the current and historical military equipment of the Army of the Czech Republic should not
be missed. A monument to General Patton will be unveiled on this occasion and the
celebrations will culminate on 6 May in an act of remembrance at the “Thank you, America!”
memorial.
Pilsen, the city that symbolically links France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Czech
Republic
Due to one of the most important historical events of the past century – the end of World
War II, an event that had a fundamental impact on the fate of the European people – the
City of Pilsen has found itself in a unique position. As one of the cities liberated in May 1945,
it is the last actual and symbolic place where the Allied forces’ journey through the European
continent ended; it is a city symbolically linking France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Czech
Republic.
A celebration of the city’s liberation – the Liberation Festival – has been held in Pilsen every
May since 1990. People from around the world have come to celebrate the liberation of
Pilsen together with residents of the city, American veterans and their family members.
Participation by the veterans, whose annual visits tend to be emotional, has until recently
formed the cornerstone of the festival program. As time has passed since the end of the war,
the number of veterans has gradually dwindled. Now only a handful remain who are still in
good health and can, despite their advanced age, make the difficult journey to the Czech
Republic. For this reason the City of Pilsen has been working on shifting the liberation
festivities to further levels, thus ensuring the continuity of the Liberation Festival and the
preservation of traditions and the memory of fundamental moments in Czech history.
The Liberation Festival program is divided into several parts. These are regularly repeating
events such as commemoration services at World War II memorials and the Convoy of
Liberty historical vehicle parade. The second part is composed of individual military history
club projects that strive every year to offer a new and interesting approach to history linked
to demonstrations of period military vehicles, arms and activities. Several of these projects
are no longer one-time events and have continued to be featured.
You will find a detailed programme about the Liberation Festival here.
You can download press quality photos from Pilsen2015 at http://bit.ly/plzen-ehmk2015
You can download press quality photos from
http://www.plzen2015.cz/cs/pro-media/fotogalerie
the
Opening
Ceremony
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For further information about Pilsen 2015 or interview requests kindly contact Katerina Kombercova
either via email or at + 420 702 401 772 (CZ), + 43 660 641 24 27 (AT).
Contacts:
Katerina Kombercova, International Public Relations
+ 420 702 401 772 (CZ)
+ 43 660 641 24 27 (AT)
Mirka Reifová, PR Manager of Pilsen 2015
+420 606 090 801
reifova@plzen2015.cz
Radovan Auer, Director of Communication of Pilsen 2015
+420 602 255 546
auer@plzen2015.cz