The “100 lindens – 100 celebrations” event marks the centennial of the birth of Czechoslovakia. Photo: linden // Pixabay
Brno, Apr 6 (BD) – One hundred new linden saplings will be planted at one hundred selected locations in the South Moravian Region to mark 100 years since the establishment of the independent Czechoslovak state.
The national tree of the Czech Republic is the lime tree, also known as the linden. Lindens are large, long-lived trees. In the context of 18th and 19th century Central Europe, the oak was increasingly associated with the German nation, while the lime tree became associated with Slavic peoples. According to Czech Radio (rozhlas.cz 18/7/2014), “everything culminated at the All Slavic Congress in Prague in 1848, where the lime tree became officially a tree of the Slavs. Since then, the Czechs have also considered it their national tree.”
The first of them was planted this week by the South Moravian governor Bohumil Šimek in Čejkovice in the park in front of the local elementary school, together with Mayor Pavel Novotný, local scouts, children, and seniors.
“…[Lindens] are symbols of democracy and also symbols of human solidarity and pride,” Šimek explained in the official press release.
The lindens were bought with funds from the regional budget. The students of Mendel University have created a special planting and care manual.
The lindens will be planted for example in Brno-Židenice, ZOO Brno, or Mikulov. The project is documented on the website www.100lip.cz.
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