Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The author deals with the institution of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier / Warrior in historical borders of Czech Republic. It focuses on its centuries-old development, its influences on creating national identity and its uses as a tool for a political campaign. First part of the thesis deals the period until 1938. The second part follows the development of the institution during World War II and its transformation after 1948. The final part maps the last decade of its reconstruction and its advantages to contemporary society with an aim for the teenage generation and last but not least as a place of tradition and bounds with current Army of the Czech Republic. This thesis works with available archive materials of the Central Military Archives in Prague, National Archives of the National Museum, period press, proceedings and monographs related to the National Memorial in Vítkov. Key Words Czechoslovak legion, tomb, republic, Unknown soldier, protectorate, Unknown warrior, piety, communism, Vítkov