In 1975, a British RAF Vulcan bomber exploded as it approached the runway of Malta’s airport. That few cilivians died is near-miraculous. This article describes what happened and the view on the ground.
On 11 September 1944, a massive, intense air battle took place over the mountains between Germany and what was then Czechoslovakia. The memory of this battle is still alive today.
Colonel Alfred Redl was chief of intelligence for Austro-Hungary at the beginning of the 20th century. He also was a double-agent for Russia, France and Italy. There is a direct connection between his actions and the start of World War I. This article is his story.
I’ve written lots about how Germany and German influences affected Bohemia and Czechia. This is what led to a backlash after World War II.
This article explores the little-known story of how Czechoslovakia expelled Germans after the war.
In Famagusta, Cyprus, there is a building that used to be a cathedral dedicated to St Nicholas. It saw major events of the country’s history and is now a mosque.
Prague is full of esoteric and exotic features, which makes a random walk around the city a magnificent way of spotting all that the City of a Hundred Spires has to offer. If you’re in Prague on the summer solstice, you can watch the sun set twice on the same day if you’re around the Charles Bridge.
Mentioning exiled Russians these days suggests pro-Ukrainian protesters or anti-Putin demonstrators. Malta’s reputation as a haven for Russians goes back more than 100 years before Putin’s antics.
In western Czechia, there is a grim reminder of how the Communists treated prisoners. This article explains what the Red Tower of Death is, and why it exists.
Europe is full of ruins that paint a delightful picture of its turbulent past. It’s not every day you can see ruins that are as artificial as a fast food joint. Prague’s ruins of Baba are one such fake ruin.
Accidents of geography have determined as much of world history and culture as anything else. Rivers and mountains became natural, then political, borders. The Czech town of Hranice used to be a meeting point between 3 countries.
