A photo of Einstein's bust - Prague, Czechia

Einstein in Prague

Albert Einstein developed key aspects of relativity during his 1911-1912 stay in Prague, lecturing at the local university.

A photo of the town hall - San Sebastián, Spain

The 1923 Spanish gambling ban

The town hall building in San Sebastian, built in the 1880s, has a rich history including the gambling ban in 1923. The ban led to the building’s closure for almost 20 years before it was revived as a Town Hall in 1943. Today, it stands as a grand Belle Epoque landmark.

A photo of Leopold Hilsner (1918)

The Hilsner Affair

Anti-Jewish sentiment has long been a problem – even before the Nazis. This article describes the infamous Hilsner affair from Bohemia.

A photo of Jan Kefer and his wife

The occult plot to kill Hitler

Before World War II, Czechoslovak occultists tried to use black magic to kill Hitler. It sounds like the plot to a Hollywood B-movie, and in some ways it is. But it also is 100% true.

A photo of St Peter's basilica in the Vatican, as seen from Fort St Angelo - Rome, Italy

Why did the Pope want to move to Malta?

In the 19th century, various states on the Italian peninsula united to become a single, new country. While some papal states merged with the others, the Vatican refused to be under the control of an earthly ruler. It even considered moving the seat of the Holy See to Malta.

A photo of the Central Bank - Valletta, Malta

The powerful Anglo-Egyptian Bank in Malta

In the 19th century an offshore British bank in Malta issued its own banknotes. It’s unusual to think of a private company issuing banknotes, more so in a small country like Malta. This article explains why this bank did so and why it was in Malta.

A photo of Misrah Ghar il-Kbir

Malta’s mysterious cart ruts

One of the great mysteries of this world is the Maltese cart ruts. They appear all over the islands. We still don’t know what they are, or what they were used for. This article explains what we do know about them, and the current hypothesis.

A photo of Milada Horáková at her trial

Milada Horáková: Czech resistance fighter

People who speak out against a regime ? are targeted. We think this happens in dictatorships but a democratic society can face the wrath of an angry administration. Under communist rule, Czechoslovakia targeted the resistance fighter Milada Horáková as brutally as possible.