About the VÁCLAV DRBOLA exhibition, including a video
20.08.2021
On the 15th of August 2021, a permanent exhibition dedicated to the priest Václav Drbola a victim of the communist regime, was ceremoniously opened.
The exhibition was ceremoniously opened on the day of the 70th anniversary of the death of priest Václav Drbola.
There was a solemn Mass followed by a blessing of the exhibition and a commentary on the beatification of the priest Václav Drbola. The exhibition "Babice, P. Drbola and P. Bula" opened in the afternoon with a vernissage and a discussion with the authors of the Babice exhibition.
Video - Grand opening of the exposition
About the exhibition
A permanent reminder of the priest Václav Drbola, who was an important figure in the parish and the town of Bučovice, was created in the entrance area of the Bučovice church. Vaclav Drbola worked as a chaplain in the parish and was actively involved in local associations and in the Czechoslovak People's Party. In 1951 he was illegally executed during so called Babice trials. He was judicially rehabilitated in 1990 and is now in the process of his beatification. The opening ceremony took place on Sunday the 15th of August 2021, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the priest's death.
"The exhibition has an unusual architectural solution. There is a lowered wrought-metal half-cylinder hanging from the top of the vault in the hall of the church, which serves as a document carrier." described Luděk Navara from the PAMĚŤ Civic Association. The association, as a project partner, participated in the preparation of the exhibition.
"The parish approached us with the idea that they would like to set up a permanent exhibition about Václav Drbola in the church hall. He always wanted to do the right thing, even when it was difficult, and he always fought for the truth and paid the biggest price. He was unjustly executed, therefore it is made of raw sheet hand-forged metal, as he suffered, so that the object expresses tension, his fate and the weight of the event. That is what tried to get into the work, to bring some tension into the space. Fr. Fránek and I agreed that it should also act as a place of reverence when entering the church, it should make people think, not be an exhibition at first glance, so when people enter the church they see an expressive object first and secondarily from the other side there is the exposition itself, where the individual dates of Václav Drdola's life are with photo documentation. ” explained Architect Jan Říčný his design.
"I am very happy that today was the day when we officially opened this exhibition, it has many symbolic elements, one of those elements is the use of sheet metal as a material that was used in the 50s of the 20th century, it is hand-forged which represents the end of V. Drbola's life marked by the violence and anger against him, but at the same time the vertical direction of his life is represented here on the timeline. I am grateful that this day took place as a celebration, and I believe that it will continue to serve others who will learn about the fate of priests and the history of our country in general through this exhibition. ”Said Tomáš Fránek, Parish priest of Bučovice.
On this occasion, thanks to the PAMĚŤ Civic Association, a traveling exhibition containing 3 parts is installed in the church. Two parts prepared by the Brno Diocese, dedicated to Priests Václav Drbola and Jan Bula, and a part created by the PAMĚŤ Civic Association describing events in Babice. During the opening with a discussion, present students were introduced to personal experiences in connection with the Babice case and memories of the priest Václav Drbola.
Many thanks to all the organizers, performers and helpers, as well as to all the people who came and lived this day with us.
The exposition, its ceremonial opening and the exhibition are part of the project "Organ Restoration and Revitalization of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Bučovice" funded by the EEA Funds 2014-2021.
Information on the EEA and Norway Grants