Remains of Germans found in mass grave buried in Czech town

After a service was held in the St James´ Church the coffin with the remains of the people who were allegedly murdered by Revolutionary Guards at the end of World War Two were taken to the central cemetery and placed in a grave.

The service was said in German by Dieter Lang, the main sermon was also said in Czech.

Lang, whose family comes from Stonarov in the Jihlava vicinity, called for reconciliation "over the open Budinka grave."

He recalled the violence in wartime [when the Czech Lands were occupied by Nazi Germany], including the burning of Lidice, central Bohemia, to the ground.

The funeral was also attended by writer Herma Kennel who described the post-war events at Dobronin in her book Bergersdorf.

The bone remains of the 12 Germans were found in a mass grave in the Budinka meadow two years ago.

According to some reports, the Germans were killed with shovels and hoes, but anthropologists did not confirm this. The police have not closed the case as yet.

The Germans´ remains were identified according to DNA.

Their names are written on a cross from Mrakotin granite at the grave together with an inscription in German and Czech: "Seventeen men died in the vicinity of Dobronin in the post-war chaos at the end of may 1945."

A 13th body, also found in Budinka, whose identity has not been determined, will be buried by the Dobronin authority at the same cemetery, but in an independent grave that is close to the one hired by the Germans. The date has not been set as yet.

Johann Niebler, who represents the survivors, said the men were held in a temporary prison in Dobronin and then they went missing. Two of them are buried in Polna, elsewhere in south Moravia. Another three have not yet been found, he said.

Author: ČTK
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