A replacement statue honoring former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson was unveiled in the Czech Republic's capital Wednesday, nearly 70 years after Nazis destroyed the original during World War II.
The first statue of Wilson was erected in front of Prague's Central Station in 1928. It was erected to thank Wilson for his contribution to the creation of independent Czechoslovakia in 1918 following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian empire.
However, the statue was destroyed in 1941 during the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia. The new statue will be placed near its original location, outside of Prague's main railway station.
Czech Republic President Vaclav Klaus, former President Vaclav Havel and former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright were among those taking part in the opening of the four-day commemoration. Klaus called the statue "a symbol of friendship between the United States and the Czech Republic."
Some information for this report was provided by AP.
