Jiří Hampl

"Marie told me that she visited Lidice on her own once, and that she got the idea to make sculptures of the eighty-two children who who were executed there. She said they'd symbolize the expected 10-12 million children victims of WW II all around the world. The idea was for all children of the world to have a memorial here in the heart of Europe. Some mocked it and said it was nonsense. And nobody came to see it. We were working on it and were ignored because the official artists were against it, fearing it could become a renowned work of art. But, others were in favor. Even communist PM Štrougal said: 'Why not? Let them make it there'."

"They invited us to the ministry, telling us we couldn't force Lidice to accept it. The sculptor Svoboda was there, representing the fine artists. He said there was no way. They suggested to buy out the unfinished thing, and exhibit it in the Central Bohemian Gallery in Nelahozeves, and asked us to name its price. So, we went to a commission which gathered in Mánes. But, we didn't go there to sell it for two million. Some philosopher said that dreams are not for sale. So, I told them no. But, we still went there, because we expected someone to say it should be placed in Lidice. Only later, had we learned that Müller told each member that if they disagreed they would get in trouble. And so, it was about the artists' well-being. It was a commission composed of sculptors and an architect. And obviously, they proposed to buy the unfinished thing. We said we had to finish it. And under these conditions, Marie passed away. It was dramatic."