Sokolov cemetery opens memorial for Svatavy camp women

A new memorial site has been established at the cemetery in Sokolov, Czech Republic, to honor the women from the Svatavy women's concentration camp. The women were buried in a mass grave behind the cemetery wall in 1945.

The memorial includes a commemorative book titled ‘Rodinné album’ (Family Album), which tells the stories of the women imprisoned in the camp. The site features seven stones, symbolizing completeness, and a stylized letter from 95-year-old Eva Erbenová, who traveled from Israel to attend the unveiling. Architect Jakub Chvojka designed the space, which is enclosed by a low metal fence and rough stone blocks.

The Svatavy camp served as a branch of the Flossenbürg concentration camp. Between 1943 and May 1945, up to 750 women from across occupied Europe were held there in a labor camp. The project to create the memorial site cost approximately 1.5 million CZK, as part of a larger 15.6 million CZK cemetery renovation project by the city.