Věrka Kohnová was a young Czech girl who sadly lived the last of her life in fear. During this time, she kept a diary she wrote into, giving future readers into a glimpse into the life of Czechoslovakians under Nazism, similar to how Anne Frank kept and wrote in her diary. One of her most poignant thoughts were about whether Jews like her would ever see their stuff or return to their old lives again. It was in 2006 that her diary was published.
The Life of Zuzana Růžičková
Zuzana Růžičková was a prominent pianist and musician. Although her life began with sickness, learning the piano and the harpsichord provided Růžičková with a passion to pursue throughout her life. The occupation of the Nazis in Czechoslovakia interrupted her life, like the lives of others, but her passion for music remained indefinitely throughout. Throughout her adult life, Zuzana Růžičková would proceed to win accolades and perform around the world, remaining a part of the Czech musical community until her death in 2017.
Epidemiologist Ervin Adam helped eradicate polio in Czechoslovakia
Ervin Adam, a world-renowned Czech epidemiologist, died on March 21, 2023, at the age of 101 in Houston, Texas. The doctor, who was instrumental in Czechoslovakia being the first country in the world to eradicate polio, went through several concentration camps during World War II because of his Jewish origin and survived a death march. From 1968, he lived in exile – first in Canada and later in the United States. In 2013, he received the prestigious Czech Head Award.
Mordecai Maisel: Jewish Influence in Prague
Mordechai Ben Šemuel Maisel was a businessman, philanthropist, Jewish community head, and builder of Prague’s Jewish town during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He established a successful banking business and several silver and gold mines in Bohemia. Maisel’s financial success was instrumental to the tactical success of the Holy Roman Emperor’s forces during the Turkish Wars, which allowed him more financial freedoms and decisions that made him wealthier.
Milena Jesenska (10 August 1896 - 17 May 1944)
Milena Jesenska life was rather adventurous, including her commitment to a mental hospital for nine months, due to her father and his dislike for her then-boyfriend, Ernst Pollak. After her marriage to and divorce from Ernst, she remarried to Jaromír Krejcar and had a daughter with him. Between both marriages, she was dedicated to journalism, which she engaged in as she document the activities of Nazi Germany over Czechoslovakia. Unfortunately, in her efforts to help those negatively affected, she was arrested and deported to a concentration camp.
Assassination of Reinhard Heydrich
"The Butcher of Prague" Reinhard Heydrich established himself as a ruthless authority among the Nazis, terrorizing Eastern Europe. Czechoslovakian president Eduardo Bene ordered a team of assassins to kill Heydrich. These assassins were Josef Gabcik, a former blacksmith and locksmith, and Jan Kubis, both of whom rose up the ranks in the Czech military. Of course there were others, 7, in fact, and if they were successful is written.
Charles IV and the New Town
For his time in the 14th century, King of Bohemia Charles IV was one of the most progressive rulers in his time. His greatest contribution to Czech culture is his urban plan for Prague, entitled New Town, or Nové Město. He centered the people of the town in his plans and centralized the working class members of society into New Town, which made it a hub for business and merchant activity. His establishment of Charles University also brought about many major institutional changes throughout Bohemia’s history.
