On May 4, a tree of freedom will be planted in front of the U Matoušů farmhouse. The event is connected with a historical event that took place here on May 4, 1945 at the very end of the Second World War. Barbora Raisová hung the Czechoslovak flag on a massive linden tree in front of the farm, the day before the outbreak of the uprising. The linden fell in 1960 and now, 78 years after the end of the war, a new one will be planted. The event, which is part of the accompanying program of this year’s Freedom Celebrations, will start at 4 p.m., and its visitors can also look forward to an exhibition or a concert.

The U Matoušů farm belonged to the Rais family, but during the war it was occupied by the Germans, a motorized unit was located here, which delivered mail to its military units in and around Pilsen. On May 4, 1945, Barbora Raisová, a resident of the farm, learned from a foreign radio broadcast that American soldiers were approaching from the west and continuing towards Pilsen. “The Germans were already packing up at that moment and getting ready to leave. Mrs. Raisová convinced the local blacksmith Martin Pešek to help her to hang the Czechoslovak flag on the linden tree in front of the building. The flag hung there for several hours before the German soldiers noticed it and shot it down when leaving,” explained Martin Kolovský, manager of the U Matoušů estate. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

Barbora Raisová showed immense courage at that time. “It was the day before the outbreak of the uprising and two days before the arrival of the Americans in Pilsen. We should not forget her heroic act,” said Jaroslav Čechura, a native of Bolevec, who is involved in the preparation of the entire event.

The two-hundred-year-old linden tree, on which the Czechoslovak flag flew just before the end of the war, fell during a storm in 1960. the entire West Bohemian metropolis,” said the mayor of Jednička, Ivana Bubeníčková.

Barbora Raisová was a courageous woman, but the fate was not very kind to her. After the war, she continued to live on the farm and her sister Marie Škrábková moved in with her. In 1952, the estate was seized by the communist cooperative farm and Barbora Raisová, who translated letters from English, was convicted of high treason, she was threatened with life imprisonment, and in the end the court sentenced her to 18 years in prison. “Her sentence was later reduced, she was released in 1956,” said Jaroslav Čechura. Marie Škrábková died in 1972, and her son Karel moved to the farm in 1973, who lived there as a recluse until 2002. Barbora Raisová, whom the locals called Bábinka, died in 1978 at the age of 79.

From 16:00 to 18:00, the farm yard will be accessible to the public, except for the residential building. Guided tours will not take place at that time. The event ends at 7 p.m.

The event is held in cooperation with the municipal district of Pilsen 1, the Public Estate Administration of the city of Pilsen, the National Monument Institute, the association Bolevecká priroda, the volunteer firemen from Bolevec and the firemen’s association from Košutka.

source: Municipal district Pilsen 1

photo: https://www.facebook.com/selskydvurumatousu/photos