Our Heritage, Our Treasure: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of the Lidice Memorial in Phillips, Wisconsin

Abstract

The Lidice Memorial in Phillips, Wisconsin is a place of both memory and identity for the Czechoslovak community. Built in 1944, the monument initially represented the memory of the victims of the Lidice Massacre in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia while simultaneously symbolizing the patriotic efforts of the Phillips community during World War II. After the memorial’s rededication in 1984 the meaning of the monument to the community shifted. While still commemorating Lidice, the annual commemorations gave rise to the Phillips Czechoslovakian Community Festival held each year. The memorial became a site of cultural identity for the Phillips community and is used as the basis for exploring the wider Czech and Slovak heritage of the community. Remembering Lidice has become part of what it means to be have Czech or Slovak heritage and be from Phillips, Wisconsin.