Discover Slavičín: A Unique Tribute to the 1944 Air Battle

The town of Slavičín is located in eastern Moravia, nestled in a valley by the Řík River. It is bordered by the White Carpathians to the south and the Vizovice Hills to the north. Unfortunately, during the end of World War II, this town became known for a tragic incident. On 29 August 1944, an aerial battle occurred near Slavičín. American aircraft were tasked with bombing the oil refinery in Přívoz and a train yard in Ostrava, but The Germans successfully shot down all the American planes. The burial site of twenty-eight American airmen at Slavičín Cemetery has grown to be the largest mass grave for American airmen in the Czech Republic.

In September 1946, the remains of these airmen were moved to the Central American Military Cemetery in Lorraine, France, as well as to otherCemeteries in the USA. Since 1994, the Slavičín Museum has set up a permanent exhibition about the air battle that occurred on August 29, 1944, in the skies over Slavičín and nearby areas.

In the display cases, visitors can view numerous parts and weapons from American and German planes that were directly involved in the battle. The exhibition features extensive photo documentation. Additionally, there is an original German aircraft engine from the Me 109 G6 and various personal items belonging to pilots from both sides.

81st anniversary of the air battle over the White Carpathians

This year’s 81st anniversary of the air battle over the White Carpathians will be remembered with special events taking place on 29 – 30 August 2025. On Friday, August 29, 2025, starting at 3:30 p.m., everyone is invited to attend a commemoration event in honor of the pilots of the downed American bomber in Liptal at Bařiny. At 5:00 p.m., there will be another event at the memorial dedicated to war victims and fallen American airmen at Kašov.

The main activities will occur on Saturday, 30 August 2025, beginning at 9:00 a.m. with a memorial service at the cemetery for American airmen’s graves in Rudice. This will be followed at 9:30 by a visit to the Rudice-America memorial site, and a commemorative event scheduled for 10:00 a.m. at Přečkovice. At 11:00, there will be a memorial service at the gravesite of the 28 fallen American airmen in Slavičín’s cemetery. The memorial acts will continue at 12:15 at the memorial above Šanov, then at 14:45 at the memorial above Krhov, followed by a remembrance event at 16:15 at the memorial at Vyškovci-Hribovňa, and finally at 5:15 p.m. at the cemetery in Nová Bošac, where the fallen American airmen are buried.