Military garrison in Vestec - history

At the end of 1956, the Czechoslovak Republic set up the Czechoslovakia. army in the villages around Prague firing positions, whose mission was the air defense of the capital. With these words begins the recollection of Mr. Bohuslav Mašek, who was at the birth of one of the so-called "fireposts". Other military garrisons located in Čestlice, Uhřiněves and Osnice provided a similar protective role. The military leadership was located in the castle in Dolní Břežany.

Originally, the palpost was to be built on the site of today's Ve Stromkách Street. However, the high groundwater level on the selected land decided to move the military facility to the site of today's Želivka water reservoir.

Until Christmas 1957 the soldiers were accommodated in field tents. They then built two brick buildings with kitchens, which they then moved into.

The palpost served in this way for approximately 6 years. After that, soldiers - dog handlers served there. The garrison was finally disbanded in the first quarter of 1966. Although the military unit ended its activity here, many soldiers remained in Vestec permanently after completing their compulsory military service. Somehow they forgot themselves here, some are still here today and only remember the war.

At the end of today's story we will make a short trip to these places and remember how this end of the village looked like when we were approaching Vestec by road from Hrnčíř. Anyway, we have to remember all the buildings, the water tower, the okals. Only the fields and flowerbeds remain before our eyes. The barracks buildings loomed in the background, hiding in their entrails (1.2 m deep trenches) netted cannons with long barrels. A magical place for boys. Around the other side was just a quarry filled with water, where small fish frolicked. Pheasants and partridges flew in the fields and hares ran about in confusion. The whole scenery was enhanced by rosehip bushes and cherry trees - birdbirds.

Blanka Pašková, chronicler