Tag: Czechia

A photo of an old "No entry" sign at the Czechoslovak border

The fake and fatal border crossing

The way a communist state handles border control is key to handling internal dissidents. It's always about tracking who goes out, as well as who goes in. Operation Border Stone in Czechoslovakia took this policy to another level.
A photo of the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress

Air Battle over the Ore Mountains

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.
A photo of Malostranské Náměstí (The Lesser town square) from above - Prague, Czechia

Double agent Colonel Alfred Redl

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.
A photo of ethnic Germans awaiting trains to take them to Germany - Strossmayerovo Namesti, Prague, Czechia

The German expulsion

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.
A photo of the second sunset - Prague, Czechia

The solstice and the double-sunset

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.
A photo of the old labour camp

The Red Tower of Death

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.
A photo of the fake ruins - Dejvice, Prague

The fake ruins of Baba

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.
A photo of a street in Hranice

The Czech-German tri-point

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.
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.