National Wiretapping Monument near Lipnice nad Sázavou

The memorial consists of four parts and was created gradually since 2005. The first of the three reliefs of the memorial, which can be found in the quarries about 1 km west of Lipnice, bears the name of a secret policeman from Hašek's famous work. Bretschneider's ear is carved into one of the rock walls. In September of the following year, another part of the monument was unveiled. This time it was the Mouth of Truth. The work is inspired by the Roman sculpture La Bocca Della Veritá, depicting the mask of an ancient god, which was said to have been used to reveal liars. A year later, in September 2007, the Golden Eyes saw the light of day, the third relief part of the monument. Eyes framed by a triangle symbolize God's omnipresence.

The trio of reliefs is loosely followed by a statue called Chapter XXII. It was unveiled in 2013 on the occasion of the 130th anniversary of the birth of Jaroslav Hašek. It is named after Heller's novel, which is the American equivalent of The Fates of the Good Soldier Švejk. You can find an 18-ton head with a carved quote from Švejk at the crossroads between Dolní Město and Lipnice nad Sázavou.

The author of the memorial is the sculptor Radomír Dvořák, and the pupils of the local stone sculpture center also took part in the realization of the work.

In Lipnice, you can also see another interesting stone sculpture, Jednohubka a la Jurajda. If it reminds you that you are hungry, you can try what good the descendants of Jaroslav Hašek cooked in their restaurant under the castle. You can end your visit to Lipnice in a completely Švejk spirit if you go for a drink with Hašek himself. There is still a bottle of beer on his grave in the local cemetery.

Author: Ivana Dondová