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.
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.
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.
The Maltese chapel of bones
I’ve written about Czech ossuaries before, and I’ve visited the one in Paris, but few know there is a Maltese chapel of bones. Well, there used to be one anyway.
The ultimate story of Czech heros
Many countries have memorials to fallen heros, and stories of bravery from wartime. Czechia is unusual in that it has heros from both sides of World War II.
Operation NEPTUNE
You may think 'fake news' is a modern invention, but you'd be wrong. One of Czechoslovakia's most famous disinformation campaigns was Operation NEPTUNE.
This article explains why Czechoslovak spies carried out such a nefarious plot.
Father Toufar – tortured by communists
Czechoslovak communists tortured Czech priest Josef Toufar in 1949 for a miracle which may or may not have happened. This article describes the story and the tragic ending of Father Toufar's life.
Prague’s Invalidovna
If you ask many people in Prague about 'Invalidovna' they'd be more likely to direct you to the metro stop of that name. Few know of the magnificent Baroque building which is the real Invalidovna.
The Soviets wanted to ‘protect’ Czechoslovakia
Following the fall of the Iron Curtain Soviet troops started to leave Europe. Czechoslovakia, as it then still was, was happy that the ‘temporary deployment’ of Soviet troops was coming to an end.
This article looks at the intent behind the occupation, and the events leading up to the Soviet's departure.
The results of a nuclear incident in Czechoslovakia
I don't think there's anyone who hasn't heard of the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe. The recent Sky drama reanimated people's memories of those days. Few are aware there almost was a similar disaster in Bohunice, in what was then Czechoslovakia.