Zprávy památkové péče 2013, 73(1):27-35

The development of national heritage care institutions as viewed over the past decade of the existence of a unified NPÚ

Aleš Krejčů

After the Second World War, the Czechoslovak Republic began taking steps to confirm the continuity of the state with the first Republic; one such step was renewing the function of the Heritage Care offices. Political and social developments, however, took a different direction following the Košice governmental program, and this was of course reflected in the role of the state in the field of heritage care. The article briefly describes the changes in the field and its institutions associated with the formation of new structures of national committees at the beginning of the 1950's. It also outlines the gradual measures taken by the government and ministries of education and culture prior to the passage of Act No. 22/1958 Coll. on cultural monuments. The interval between the effective date of this act and the new act No. 20/1987 Coll. is described in the article in more detail; in addition to the changes in the structure of institutional arrangements, a number of tasks that influenced the field of heritage care at the time is also mentioned.
The transition of the founding function of the central and regional heritage institutions towards the Ministry of Culture marked the main transformation which over a period of twelve years led to a merger of expert organizations into the National Heritage Institute, to which this article is dedicated on the occasion of its 10 years of existence. The closing passage therefore contains certain cases of the association of this institution with individual persons who influenced the character and form of the National Heritage Institute.

Keywords: heritage care; heritage institutions; Act No. 22, 1958 Coll.; Act No. 20, 1987 Coll.; NPÚ Statute

Published: March 1, 2013  Show citation