On this Day, in 1969: Czech student Jan Palach self-immolated in Prague
On January 16, 1969, 20-year-old Czech student Jan Palach self-immolated on Prague’s Wenceslas Square to protest against the crushing ofContinue Reading
Tag: History
Unveiling the dark secrets of Central Europe
“From obscure Christian sects and mainstream fundamentalists, to Talmudic mysticism, Islamic invasion and the ever-present hidden hand of paganism, thisContinue Reading
CineClub: Dark Blue World (2001), by Jan Svěrák
Revisiting old classics, discovering hidden gems and exploring the contemporary movie scene: every month, Kafkadesk’s CineClub brings you new insightsContinue Reading
Statue of “British Schindler” Sir Nicholas Winton vandalised in Prague
Prague, Czech Republic – The statue of British broker, humanitarian and Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton, located at Prague’s mainContinue Reading
On this Day, in 1977: Charter 77 was published in Czechoslovakia
On January 6, 1977, motivated by the arrest of members of the psychedelic band Plastic People of the Universe, theContinue Reading
On this Day, in 1968: the Prague Spring began with the election of Alexander Dubček
On January 5, 1968, Slovak reformist Alexander Dubček was elected First Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ), andContinue Reading
On this Day, in 1610: the gruesome crimes of Elizabeth Báthory were uncovered
On December 30, 1610, the gruesome crimes and serial murders of the Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Báthory were uncovered by CountContinue Reading
On this Day, in 1918: the Greater Poland Uprising broke out against German rule
On December 27, 1918, after a patriotic speech by the famous composer Ignacy Paderewski, an uprising broke out in PoznańContinue Reading
On this Day, in 1000: Stephen I was crowned as the first King of Hungary
On December 25, 1000 (or possibly on January 1, 1001), the last Grand Prince of the Hungarians, Stephen I, assertedContinue Reading
On this Day, in 1990: Lech Wałęsa became Poland’s first freely elected president in 64 years
On December 22, 1990, the leader of the Solidarity movement, Lech Wałęsa, became Poland’s first freely elected president since 1926Continue Reading
On this Day, in 1922: Poland’s first president Gabriel Narutowicz was assassinated
On December 16, 1922, five days after taking office, the first president of the Republic of Poland Gabriel Narutowicz wasContinue Reading
On this Day, in 1981: martial law was imposed in Poland
On December 13, 1981, in a televised speech addressed to the entire nation, General Wojciech Jaruzelski announced the introduction of martialContinue Reading
On this Day, in 1942: Raczynski’s Note first officially reported on the Holocaust
On December 10, 1942, the Polish government-in-exile sent an official diplomatic note, signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Raczynski,Continue Reading
On this Day, in 1956: the ‘Blood in the Water’ match between Hungary and the USSR ended in chaos
On December 6, 1956, political tension between Hungary and the Soviet Union boiled over during a hard-fought water polo OlympicContinue Reading
On this Day, in 1805: Napoleon decimated the Russian and Austrian armies at the Battle of Austerlitz
On December 2, 1805, the Grande Armée of Napoleon defeated a larger Russian and Austrian army led by Tsar AlexanderContinue Reading