PETR CHELČICKÝ AT VODŇANY

Petr Helczitzký was an important religious thinker of the 15th century living in the village of Helczitze near Vodnany. His religious principles included the fundamental equality of all Christians and emphasized that in conditions of secular coexistence, people must endure evil for the sake of eternal life. This stance set him apart from the Hussites, who defended their truth with weapons. Helczitzký treatises condemned violence in any form.

The painting relates to the event of 1420, when the feudal lord Oldrich of Rozmberk attacked the town of Vodnany and massacred or expelled its reform-oriented inhabitants sympathetic to Hussitism. In retaliation, the Hussite army then marched on Vodnany to brutally punish this injustice. In the background, smoke rises from the burning town, from which people flee to the pond, where they lay their dead and wounded. Despair, fear, and anxiety are visible on their faces. A little girl cries because she saved only some dishes and a bird in a cage. Next to her, a young woman mourns the loss of her loved ones. In the eyes of the inhabitants, an urge for revenge is expressed. Among the helpless people, Petr Helczitzký approaches with faith in the power of love, tolerance, and forgiveness. He restrains the threatening fist of a man and teaches him that it is not right to repay evil with evil, so it does not multiply.

Based on Petr Helczitzký ideas, the Unity of the Brethren was established in 1457.