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Coins and banknotes that we use every day often feature portraits of prominent figures, historic buildings, or state symbols. Few, however, suspect that behind these seemingly impersonal objects there can be hidden stories full of human destinies and dramas. One such story lies behind the likeness of the girl who was depicted on the Czechoslovak koruna and whose fate for a long time was known to only a few.
The Story of Bedřiška Synková
The girl who became the model for the one-Czechoslovak-koruna coin was named Bedřiška Synková. At the time she was chosen as the model for the coin, she was 19 years old and led a Scout troop. However, this activity was at odds with the then-communist ideology, which regarded Scouting as hostile and bourgeois. Bedřiška was forced by the communist regime to end her Scouting activities, but she refused to comply and continued them anyway. For that she was arrested and sentenced to ten years for treason.
Marie Uchytilová and Her Tribute
Her story also reached Marie Uchytilová, a sculptor and an employee of the art school where Bedřiška’s mother had told of her daughter’s fate. Marie Uchytilová, who harbored the same opposition to the regime, decided to pay tribute not only to Bedřiška but to all who suffered under communist rule. She entered the competition to design the new koruna coin and created the image of a girl planting a linden tree, which was inspired by photographs of Bedřiška Synková.
The Design and the Final Selection
Although Marie Uchytilová’s design was not originally selected, it appealed so much to the then Minister of Finance that he pushed it through despite the jury’s objections. The koruna coin with this likeness was then issued and became the longest-running legal tender in the history of Czechoslovak minting. The coin remained in circulation until 1992, so people unknowingly carried in their pockets a symbol of courage and resistance against injustice.
Revelation and Memory
Bedřiška Synková was eventually released from prison in 1959 and later learned of her being immortalized on the coin. Her story, however, remained hidden until long after the Velvet Revolution, when it finally came to light. The story of Bedřiška Synková and Marie Uchytilová is a reminder that even in the darkest times there is courage and a desire for justice that can survive even in a small relief on a coin that passes through many hands every day.
