Ústí Region considering removal of the hammer and sickle from its regional office

by   CIJ News iDesk III
2021-01-14   12:12
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The new leadership of the Ústí Region is considering having a sculpture depicting a hammer and a sickle removed from the facade of the building during the current reconstruction of the office. For years, communist symbols have been covered by a billboard; in the future, the emblem of the Ústí nad Labem Region could be decorated instead. The governor of the region, Jan Schiller (YES), told the press.

"We agreed on that, and we talked as soon as we took office that we would all welcome a renovation as we removed the symbol that was only covered by the billboard. We would be happy if it disappeared," said Schiller.

The building of the current seat of the regional office was built for the regional committee of the Communist Party in the mid-1980s, which is reminiscent of a giant sculpture. At that time, the construction significantly disrupted the appearance of the Ústí nad Labem center. Due to the oversized building, part of the houses on Mírové náměstí were demolished several years before its completion. The Communists wanted their headquarters to be clearly visible. After 1989, there was a discussion about what should happen to the colossus. The premises were rented by various private entities, there was also a disco.

The hammer and sickle is a symbol meant to represent proletarian solidarity – a union between the peasantry and working-class. It was first adapted during the Russian Revolution, the hammer representing the workers and the sickle representing the peasants.

The new Governor Schiller (YES) became the head of the Ústí Region in mid-November. He replaced Oldřich Bubeníček (KSČM), who led the region for eight years. The YES movement won the autumn regional elections in the Ústí Region. The coalition was agreed with the second ODS and the Allies for the region. In a 55-member council, the coalition has 29 votes.