In an exciting blend of history, charity, and community spirit, Prague’s District 3 is auctioning off street signs from the former Koněvova Street, recently renamed Hartigova. This unique online auction proceeds will fund aid for children with disabilities.
The signs, which once marked Koněvova Street in Žižkov, are heading to a charitable online auction beginning this week. The district has two original signs for bidding, one from a house at Tachovského Square and the other from Ohrada. The starting bid for each sign is a symbolic 333 crown.
This initiative is not just about raising funds. It also represents a significant shift in the district’s history. The renaming of Koněvova Street to Hartigova has notably changed the map of Žižkov. The name of Ivan Stepanovich Konev, a symbol of Soviet imperialism, has disappeared from the area after more than 76 years.
The funds raised will be used for the purchase of rehabilitation aids, such as weight sensory blankets, which help calm the nervous system of clients at the Integration Center Garden. This institution provides holistic care to children with autism, cerebral palsy, Rett syndrome, and other serious diagnoses.
The former Koněvova received its new name on October 1st. It now carries the name of the first mayor of Žižkov, Karel Hartig, who built over sixty houses, including a school at Komenského Square, named the first streets, and played a significant role in the independence of Bohemia within Austria-Hungary.
The unusual auction and its story serve as a reminder of how even the most minor pieces of a city’s history can be used for good, bringing together past, present, and future in a way that benefits the community.