Prague 1939-1945 under German Occupation

After the invasion of German troops in 1939, Prague became the capital of the newly established Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. The Reich Protector established his official residence at Prague Castle. Consequently, the city became a central location for events during the Nazi occupation as well as for the Czech resistance (Heydrich assassination). The detailed and richly illustrated reference work by Jiří Padevět about the city on the Vltava River during the German occupation until May 1945 was awarded the Czech literary prize "Magnesia Litera" in 2014 and is now available in German translation. It is organized topographically, following the current districts of Prague and is chronologically structured within the respective locations. The main focus is on the suppression of any disobedience by the occupying power, the persecution of Jewish citizens, and the resistant behavior of the Czech population. It unfolds a mosaic that makes the immediate effects of the occupation palpable, particularly the heavy toll in blood that Czechs and Jews paid during this time. Padevět's book fills many gaps in the research on the Protectorate and provides a foundation for historical as well as current societal debates. It also serves as a guide for history enthusiasts.