Brno, Oct 30 (CTK) – The Czech foundation Partnerstvi has been looking for the so-called Trees of Freedom that were planted in honour of the independent Czechoslovakia founded in 1918 and as a reminder of freedom and democracy, Adela Mrackova, from the foundation, writes in a press release.
According to historical mentions, these trees were planted in almost all Czech municipalities and there may be thousands of them.
Within the project marking the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the independent state that will be celebrated next year, the foundation wants to find and tell the stories of 1918 Freedom Trees, a symbolic number.
Shortly after the establishment of Czechoslovakia on October 28, 1918, municipalities received a call to plant lime trees of freedom as symbols of the newly acquired freedom.
The lime tree is the Czech national tree and lime twigs are part of the Czech presidential flag.
The foundation writes that mayors, teachers with students, members of the Sokol gymnastic movement and other associations promoting patriotism took part in the planting ceremonies held in 1918 and 1919. The participants sang the national anthem, adorned the site with Czechoslovak flags and buried commemorative documents at the roots of the lime trees.
Trees of Freedom were planted even later on: in 1928, on the 10th anniversary of the independent state; in 1945, after the end of World War Two; and in 1968, within the Prague Spring reform movement that the occupation by the Soviet army suppressed.
“Unfortunately, most of these significant trees were gradually forgotten, some were even chopped down. It is a great pity because the trees are symbols that can remind us and the future generations of the history and the roots of our country,” said TV moderator Vladimir Koren, one of the patrons of the Trees of Freedom campaign.
The foundation wants all the revealed Trees of Freedom to be declared a part of the country’s heritage. It also wants to raise funds to take care of the trees next spring. A national event of lime tree planting is planned for October 27, 2018.
