From 1962 until his death, the prominent Czech historian and conservationist Václav Mencl (January 16, 1905 – July 28, 1978) and his wife Dobroslava (January 2, 1904 – November 19, 1978).

Newly unveiled memorial plaque

He was an outstanding architectural historian, art historian, graduate engineer from the Czech Technical University, Doctor of Philosophy, director of the State Heritage Institute, and above all, author of dozens of professional articles and publications. His encyclopedia "Folk Architecture in Czechoslovakia," which remains an unsurpassed work in its field, was published posthumously.

She was also an art historian, architect, and archaeologist. She was born in Přerov, and her father was the academic painter Miroslav Vavrouška. She therefore first studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, as she had inherited a certain artistic talent. She illustrated all her works herself. Her lifelong and timeless work is the two-volume encyclopedia "Czech Castles," which was published in 1972.

As a true native of Pilsen (his father was a builder there), Mencl had an exceptionally warm relationship with the Šumava Mountains and always remembered them fondly, even though his professional life took him far from home. He and his beloved "Slávičková" had their dream wedding on April 6, 1930, in the Church of Our Lady Victorious in Bílá Hora. They lived nearby in Malý Břevnov. They also lived in Bratislava for almost nine years, as the Heritage Institute sent them to Slovakia to map "that unplowed field." They were the first experts to professionally examine Slovak monuments and lay the foundations for modern Slovak monument protection and care.

After February 1948, Professor Mencl was labeled a bourgeois intellectual from the First Republic and had to leave Charles University. He worked for the Ministry of Education as a field worker in the field of monument preservation. In Klatovy, he "fought" with Comrade Rojík, chairman of the Municipal National Committee, to preserve the late Romanesque building "U Červeného vola" (At the Red Ox) in the Prague suburbs. Unfortunately, his voice and expert opinion were only advisory. From a political point of view, Comrade Rojík and his vision of housing construction prevailed. The entire building was demolished in early 1956.

Because there were not many leading experts in the field of monuments in socialist Czechoslovakia, the Mencls were allowed to return to Prague in 1958. Their first project was the republic-wide protection of historic city centers, which, in essence, is still viable, active, and functional today in the form of "urban conservation areas."

The two were spiritually connected, perhaps because they had no children. Unfortunately. The Mencls were also friends with the local Velhartice priest, Ladislav Janeček. One fateful day, the priest was going to Sušice to run some errands and took Dr. Mencl with him. That was reportedly on Thursday, July 27, 1978. Mencl was sitting next to the priest as a passenger when an unfortunate accident occurred at the intersection near Velhartice in an area called "Na Zahálce." The priest was driving onto the main road between Klatovy and Sušice and failed to give way to a passing motorcycle. The motorcyclist, who was traveling at the speed limit, was unable to brake and crashed into the right door of the car. Unfortunately, by coincidence, this was where Dr. Mencl was sitting. The metal panels caused him internal injuries, from which he died the following day in Sušice. His wife Dobroslava was unable to "come to terms" with the situation, and she died of grief shortly thereafter.

On Sunday, July 7, 2024, a memorial plaque dedicated to both spouses was ceremoniously unveiled in cooperation with the Friends of Czech History Association in Klatovy. This memorial, located on part of the restored facade of Nemilkov Castle, now "welcomes" every visitor at the entrance to the grounds.

However, Mr. and Mrs. Mencl, for all their honest, painstaking work in the field of Czech history, deserve it with full rights and our respect.