Welcome to the immersive exhibition Behind the Wall
The immersive exhibition Behind the Wall tells in an innovative way the story of the former prison in Uherské Hradiště, a place with a very turbulent history. The exhibition takes the form of a mobile application for iOS and Android smart devices.
The app works with augmented reality (AR), an interactive experience that complements the real world with computer-generated information. The Behind the Wall app consists of six stations with unique content. Users will learn about the history of the prison, guided through it by an AR hologram of Uherské Hradiště-born actress Eva Podzimkova, see the prison grounds in AR from a bird's eye view, experience an interrogation or enter a cell – solitary confinement. You can download the app for iOS and Android anywhere, but you can only use it in the immediate vicinity of the closed prison in Uherské Hradiště. It takes about 40 minutes to complete the exhibition. The best way to enjoy it is with headphones.
Why the app was created
Behind the Wall is a virtual exhibition, with the ambition to replace the function of the classical museum, which according to current plans will be opened in part of the Hradiště prison in 2028 at the earliest; until then, the public is no longer allowed to enter the building.
The purpose of the work, which was undertaken by the non-profit organisations Historia Futurae and Memoria, is to share and communicate the history of the Hradiště prison and the fate of the victims of Nazi and Communist ideology persecuted there as an example of innovative commemoration of the repressed memory of society. In this way, we would like to support the development of a society that will have freer access to its cultural heritage thanks to digital technologies.
The project budget was CZK 738.000. It was largely filled by generous private donors, the amount of CZK 171,650 was raised through a campaign on Darujme.cz among small donors. The project was also financially supported by the town of Uherské Hradiště and the Zlín Region. The Historia Futurae and Memoria teams worked on the project free of charge.
Donors and partners
History of the prison
The prison in Uherské Hradiště is an area with a turbulent history. In the early days of the so-called First Republic, workers striving for better social rights were isolated here; during the Protectorate, many Czech patriots and anti-fascist fighters were imprisoned here. Executions did not begin here until after the Second World War, when retributive trials took place in the prison.
After the communist coup in February 1948, during the trials staged by the communist authorities, the Hradiště prison became a place of suffering for hundreds of people, especially from the ranks of the political and opinion opposition, clergy and intelligentsia. In the prison attached to the regional courthouse, people were tortured and interrogated in a way that was in no way comparable to the interrogation methods of the Gestapo.
The testimonies of those who went through the horror there, as well as the records of the official protocols, bear witness to this. According to some sources, up to 40 people were executed there. For more information about the history of the prison, visit the website veznicehradiste.cz.
There are things that need to be done. This is one of them.
— Memoria & Historia FuturaeAbout us
Memoria is an NGO that emerged from the Civic Initiative for the Decent Use of the Uherské Hradiště Prison, formed around 2009 when the former prison building could be sold at public auction to be used for any purpose. The NGO strives for a dignified and meaningful use of the site behind the wall separating it from the city centre. A strong historical narrative, a non-black and white vision, a theme of seeking justice, and striving for a fair future and a democratic society of citizens who are familiar with our shared past.
Historia Futurae is an NGO and platform where modern technologies such as augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) intersect with historical themes. Historia Futurae is built on the principles of openness, transparency, collaboration, and communicating history to the widest possible audience in an engaging, unprejudiced and unbiased way.
Anna has her roots in Moravian Slovakia and has been intensely interested in the Uherské Hradiště prison since her grammar school years. She graduated from the Theatre Faculty of the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts in Brno. As an arts manager, she is involved in several cultural projects. Her home theatre is HaDivadlo in Brno, part of the Centre for Experimental Theatre, where she works as stage manager. She is the chairwoman of the NGO Memoria.
Jakub is a researcher at the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, teaches museum studies at the Faculty of Education of Charles University and works as a freelance curator and consultant with his company Exponaut.cz. He is the organiser of numerous exhibitions and co-author of several books, including the 2020 publication "Museum in Discussion. How We Exhibit Contemporary History". He is a long-time member of the NGO Memoria.
Jan is the founder of the non-profit Historia Futurae and co-founder of the creative agency Little Greta and the AR and VR agency VRCØT. He is interested in 20th-century history. He is an eternal doubter about the meaning of marketing and therefore seeks self-fulfilment in the non-profit sector.
Václav studied history and makes his living as a marketing specialist with experience in the private, public and non-profit sectors. He is a consultant for the AR and VR agency VRCØT. He continues to study history and is currently working on his dissertation on the suppression of the left-wing resistance by the Gestapo in Brno, Czech Republic.
Tomáš is the co-founder of the creative agency Little Greta and the AR and VR agency VRCØT. He is a big fan of medieval history in particular. He is involved in the activities of Historia Futurae on the creative level and as a project manager.
Katka was responsible for project management.
• Dagmar Vacková - continuous undying support
• Daniel Pohuba - web build
• Eva Podzimková - application wizard
• Eva Šišková - web design
• Eva Trojanová - consultation, testing
• Ivan Palacký - music
• Jan Fiala - 3D
• Jan Pololáník - sound
• Josef Kubáník - role of the investigator
• Mat Slow - UX/UI, graphics, motion
• Matouš Marek - 3D
• Michal Stránský - expert consultation, research, texts
• Milan Nguyen – design
• Miroslav Zelinský - interrogation script
• Ondřej Vališ - development
• Pavel Rat - UX/UI, graphics, motion
• Radim Vaňous - film
• Štěpán Trčka - sound
• Tomas Matocha - development
• Zdeněk Homola - expert consultation
Thanks to Slovácké divadlo (Štěpán Goiš, Iva Šulajová) and SUPŠ Uherské Hradiště (Ivo Savara).
