Manětín

On May 8 and 9, 2026, the town of Manětín will commemorate 81 years since its liberation at the end of World War II. The two-day program will offer acts of remembrance, historical reconstructions, a military camp, and a rich cultural program for the public of all generations. The celebrations will begin on Friday morning with a series of acts of remembrance at the memorials to the victims of World War I and II. Visitors will thus remember not only the heroism of the soldiers, but also the suffering of the civilian population. Wreath-laying ceremonies will take place at several locations in Manětín and its surroundings, including Rabštejn nad Strělou. From 9 a.m., a period military camp of the American 97th Infantry Division will open in the castle park, offering an authentic atmosphere of the end of the war, demonstrations of equipment, and the daily lives of soldiers. In the afternoon, the program will culminate with a reconstruction of the arrival of the American army in the city, which will bring the dramatic moments of May 1945 closer. The second day of the celebration will offer a full-day program again in the castle park, where the military camp will continue with displays of American army weapons and equipment. In the afternoon, the program will move to the castle premises, where special theatrical tours will take place called Manětín in times of trials and hope. In the costumed tour, you will meet the count family, local residents and get a glimpse into the world as captured in his diary by the Manětín dean František Wonka. In the background, a name that history carries as a symbol of betrayal - Karel Čurda - also flashes.