Photo: Jiří Trnka’s family archive
A major exhibition dedicated to legendary Czech animator and illustrator Jiří Trnka opened this week at Prague’s Villa Pellé. It brings together both familiar and rarely seen works—from film puppets and book illustrations to paintings and sculptures— showcasing the full range of his creative genius.
Villa Pellé was brimming with visitors on Tuesday for the official opening of Jiří Trnka’s major retrospective.
See more here.
Author: Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Hana Řeháková, Radio Prague International
While Czechia prides itself on the quality of its beer, the experience of drinking the golden liquid is just as important as the product itself. Prague has no shortage of good pubs to visit, but as the summer sun shines, it’s more tempting to make the most of the weather and enjoy a glass or two outside.
First on my list is a Prague institution.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Jiří Klůc
We bring you another part of our series focusing on World War II war veterans, a story of a Belgian POW who found himself in Czechoslovakia in May 1945.
In Prague, the uprising has been raging for several days.
See more here.
Mark Watson, Pip Utton, Festival Indie and more – May 26-31, 2025 | Various venues in Lesser Town
Prague’s English-language theatre and comedy festival returns for its 24th year this May, and everything is shaping up to be an exceptional year. From May 26-31, Prague Fringe will once again transform the iconic venues of Lesser Town into a vibrant international stage full of theatre, comedy, storytelling, and spoken word.
With 42 productions and over 130 individual performances, the festival is proud to welcome back favorite Fringe regulars, including Pip Utton and Gareth Armstrong, whose critically acclaimed solo performance Shylock opened the first Prague Fringe in 2002. This year, they will be joined by brand new projects, international premieres, and talented new names from around the world.
One of the biggest names this year is British comedian Mark Watson, known for his sharp, lightning humor and appearances on BBC shows such as Mock the Week and Taskmaster. He will headline a rich comedy programme, created in collaboration with Prague’s Metro Comedy Club, which will transform into a center for stand-up and sketch comedy for a week.
Another big draw on the programme is the India Festival, which brings four unique productions from the world’s most populous country – a diverse mix of spoken word, comedy and theatre. Highlights include Love, Laughter & Longing, a moving performance by Priya Malik and Simar Singh on the themes of identity and desire, and The Chai Queens – A Tale of Love & Longing, a theatrical interpretation of love and expectation in a family, connecting stories that resonate across cultures.
This year’s Queer Fringe features bold, genre-defying works that explore identity, pleasure and protest. Don’t miss Fckboy, a raw and humorous look at gender dysphoria and the trans experience; Black Dress, an award-winning solo performance celebrating defiance and queer resilience; and Deeptime Atomic Waste Pleasure Party, a surreal, hedonistic journey into queer eco-futurism.
Whether you are a loyal Fringe fan or a curious newcomer, this year’s Prague Fringe invites you to venture onto the wild side of theatre.
Festival Director Steve Gove says:
“We are incredibly proud of what this year’s programme represents – a truly international celebration of creativity. From big names like Mark Watson, to powerful stories from India, to unforgettable Fringe classics – we are in for a week that will surprise, provoke, and entertain.”
For the full programme and tickets, visit: www.praguefringe.com/programme
Prague Zoo announced the details of the June transport of Przewalski’s horses to the Golden Steppe in central Kazakhstan at a press conference. This time too, it will be an extremely demanding operation.
“This year’s transport will begin on Monday, June 2nd – and just like last year, two Czech military CASA aircraft will fly, one from Prague and the other from Debrecen, Hungary. Each of them should have four Przewalski’s horses on board. This will be our eleventh transport of wild horses from Central Europe to Asia. However, I must admit that preparations have never been accompanied by so many complications,” says Prague Zoo Director Miroslav Bobek.
This year’s transport already knows the names of all the Przewalski’s horse candidates. They are selected mainly according to their character traits, health, age, and genetic suitability – so that they are as little related as possible. This year, two stallions and six mares should head to the Altyn Dala area, or the “Golden Steppe”.
The transport of four selected individuals, who will fly from Prague, will begin in the early morning hours of June 2nd at the breeding and acclimatization station in Dolní Dobřejov. Other horses from the Hortobágy National Park will fly from Debrecen on the same day.
The Prague CASA should take off at approximately 1:30 in the afternoon, and a little later, the plane from Debrecen will take off. There will be stopovers in Istanbul and Baku. The plane’s destination is the airport in Arkalyk. From there, the horses will continue by land to the Alibi reintroduction center. Upon arrival, they will first be released into acclimatization pens. There are also seven horses that Prague Zoo transported here last year in cooperation with the Czech Army. These days, they are already preparing to be released into the wild.
Prague Zoo plans to carry out transports to the Golden Steppe in Kazakhstan in the coming years, in order to ensure a viable and stable population. At the same time, however, it is also preparing a large return of Przewalski’s horses to eastern Mongolia, to the Valley of the Monasteries. Prague Zoo plays a crucial role in the story of the last wild horse. It maintains its International Stud Book and the European Breeding Program.
More details is Czech: (the PDF file)
Czech President Petr Pavel congratulated Nicușor Dan on his election as Romania’s new president.
See more here.
Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz
In a bid to attract new recruits, the Czech Army transformed Prague’s riverfront into a live demonstration of military prowess. The event featured soldiers rappelling from helicopters, armored vehicles on display, and interactive exhibits for the public.
The Czech Army recently took over Prague’s riverfront, presenting a vivid display of its capabilities to the public.
See more here.
Author: Vít Pohanka
It is the duty of today’s generation to compare Nazi lies and euphemisms with those of the present, Prime Minister Petr Fiala warned against propaganda during the memorial ceremony in Terezín.
See more here.
Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Photo: Hana Slavická, Radio Prague International
From Czech meadows and forests to tropical jungles, dry African steppes, and the mountainous slopes of Asia, Czechia is home to a wide array of botanical gardens. These gardens offer visitors the chance to admire plant species from around the world and serve as vital centres for nature conservation and ecological education.
Near Prague Zoo and the Baroque Troja Chateau lies one of the largest botanical gardens in Czechia.
See more here.
Photo: Ota Blahoušek, Palacký University Olomouc
A unique research project is currently underway at Palacký University in Olomouc. Chemists are studying residues—possibly the remnants of ancient medicines—on medieval medical manuscripts and printed books. The project carried out in collaboration with medical experts, aims to shed new light on historical medical practices.
Until now, most research into medieval prescriptions has focused solely on philological and historical analysis—studying text.
See more here.
Author: Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Markéta Lehečková, Olomouc Museum of Art
After seven years of research, scientists have confirmed the origin of human remains found in a mysterious chest in a church in Olomouc – they belonged to the city’s ancient Přemyslid rulers.
In the history of Bohemia and Moravia, ‘Přemyslid’ is a term that looms large.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Sanki2010, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
In January 1942, the Kohn family boarded a transport at the Pilsen railway station and never returned. Other tenants moved into their apartment and their belongings were gradually lost. Everything disappeared, except for the diary that twelve-year-old Věrka Kohnová wrote, documenting the last tragic year of her life.
Journalist and writer Jana Poncarová was so moved by the twelve-year-old’s diary that she decided to publish a book based on the entries in collaboration with historian Jiří Sankot.
See more here.
Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: HZS Olomouckého kraje
We all come into daily contact with a certain amount of industrially produced chemicals that are known to be harmful to our health. But some professions are more at risk than others. Researchers at Brno’s Masaryk University are conducting a study that indicates that firefighters are at increased risk of cardiovascular diseases due to “eternal chemicals”.
Eternal chemicals are a large group of widely used, industrially produced chemicals that are almost non-degradable by natural processes.
See more here.
Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: Ian Willoughby, Radio Prague International
Jiří Pehe is one of Czechia’s best-known political scientists, regularly sharing his insights with domestic and international media. But his own story is also noteworthy. After a dramatic 1981 escape to the West, he made a new life in the US. Following the fall of communism he returned to his native country and became a close advisor to President Václav Havel. Pehe then became director of New York University Prague, a position he is about to retire from after more than a quarter of a century.
What was your family background? Was yours a household where politics was discussed among the family?.
See more here.
Author: Ian Willoughby
The number of young people in Czechia who smoke classic cigarettes, drink alcohol or use cannabis substances continues to decline, according to the results of the Czech part of the 8th European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD).
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Katarzyna Czerwińska, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 PL
Former Slovak president, Andrej Kiska, gave an interview to Radio Prague International during his visit to the Czech capital, in which he expressed concern about his country’s future under Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government and about a possible Czech rapprochement with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán following this year’s general elections.
In late April, Slovakia’s president from 2014 to 2019, Andrej Kiska, visited the Anglo-American University in Prague to give a talk on “Democracy and Civic Duty.
See more here.
Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Source: MZV ČR
Eva Haňková is a Czechoslovak-born centenarian who lives in the United States. She is one of the few surviving people who met Czechoslovakia’s co-founder and first president T.G. Masaryk. The few seconds with the president made her an overnight celebrity. To this day philatelists know her as “the girl from the stamp with President Masaryk”.
When Eva was a little girl growing up in Žďár nad Sázavou her home town was feverishly preparing for a visit by Czechoslovakia’s beloved head of state – President T.
See more here.
Photo: Radio Prague International
New research carried out by Czech scientists has revealed that Říp, the country’s most iconic hill, was once a lava lake. The solitary peak formed over 26 million years ago during a powerful volcanic eruption, which sent molten lava into a deep underground crater.
At just over 460 meters above sea level, Říp isn’t the tallest mountain in the country—but its unmistakable shape makes it a dominant feature of the Central Bohemian Uplands, a volcanic landscape north of Prague.
See more here.
Author: Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Eva Musterová Marvanová, Czech Radio
Plans are going ahead for the construction of Via Silva Nortica – a cycling path that will connect the Highlands, South Bohemia and Lower Austria. After almost two years of effort, all the land where the path will run has been secured and construction work can begin along individual stretches.
The Via Silva Nortica will pass through the picturesque countryside of the Highlands through South Bohemia and end in Melk, known as one of the pearls of the Danube.
See more here.
Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: Tomáš Černý, Czech Radio
Visitors can see bears in castle moats across parts of Czechia in Český Krumlov, Točník, and, until recently, Konopiště and Náchod. But the 400-year tradition is increasingly under fire. Critics point to inadequate conditions, while supporters speak of tradition and regular inspections. So, can we expect bears to disappear from Czech castle moats?
The National Heritage Institute (NMI) plans to end animal breeding in castles and chateaus by 2030.
See more here.
Author: Jakub Ferenčík, Zdeňka Kuchyňová
Photo: Danny Bate, Radio Prague International
Once a year since 1966, thousands of Czechs have put on their walking shoes and set off through the Bohemian countryside to the small town of Prčice. Among the 24,500 walkers this year was RPI’s Danny Bate.
The annual Prague–Prčice March (Pochod Praha–Prčice) is a major milestone in the Czech hiker’s calendar.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Illustrative photo: Klára Škodová, Czech Radio
The skies overhead may be dark and cloudy, but the Czech land below is currently showing worrying signs of drought. What are the causes? And what do meteorologists forecast for the summer months? Danny Bate spoke to bio-climatologist Miroslav Trnka from the Intersucho project, which monitors drought in Czechia, to find out more.
We have some pretty serious analysis from the Intersucho project, with a very scary figure that a quarter of Czechia is experiencing extreme drought this year.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: BCSA British Czech and Slovak Association
Eighty years after the end of World War II, Czech and Slovak communities in London continue to reflect on its legacy. Jana Nahodilová from OKÉNKO and the British Czech and Slovak Association speaks about upcoming events, including a discussion on the Runciman Mission and a film screening of The Auschwitz Report. She also shares plans for a literature festival and summer gathering that celebrate Czech and Slovak life abroad today.
While the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II has already been commemorated in official ceremonies, the Czech and Slovak community in the United Kingdom isn’t finished remembering.
See more here.
Author: Vít Pohanka
Photo: ČTK
The most well-known Czech saints are likely Saint Ludmila and Saint Agnes, followed by Saint Wenceslas, Saint Jan of Nepomuk, and Saints Cyril and Methodius. Saint Jan Sarkander and Saint Zdislava were canonized on May 21, 1995, by Pope John Paul II in Olomouc.
Saint Zdislava of Lemberk was born around 1220 in Moravia, and her life was dedicated to helping those in need.
See more here.
Photo: Prague Spring Festival
For this week’s Sunday Music Show, we’re celebrating the pinnacle of the classical-music calendar in Czechia: the Prague Spring International Music Festival.
This year, the festival is marking its eightieth edition, which began on May 12th and runs until June 3rd.
See more here.
Photo: Hana Řeháková, Radio Prague International
In this new episode of Czechast, host Vít Pohanka meets Jean Svoboda and her partner Richard in person for the first time. Jean, an Australian with Czech and Latvian roots, is back in Czechia to continue piecing together her family history. Richard, who had never been to Europe before their first trip, joins her again and shares what this journey has meant to him. Together, they reflect on identity, heritage, and the enduring pull of ancestral memory.
“It’s like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
See more here.
Author: Vít Pohanka
Photo: Klára Stejskalová, Radio Prague International
With the success of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, there has been a substantial increase in tourists visiting the Czech city of Kutná Hora, located just one hour outside of Prague by train. But which locations stand out? Members of our team visited the city to speak with tour guide Lara Emig about the uniquely well-rendered buildings featured in the hit game.
The first game centers around towns like Rataje, Sázava, Talmberk, and other areas nearby.
See more here.
Author: Jakub Ferenčík
The countries of the Nordic and Baltic regions – Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden – hold their yearly joint National Days celebration together, and invited Ukraine to join them. Prague is the only place where this celebration has been arranged for many years. We fully agree with Ambassadors when they say that „our strength thrives not only in our economies and our alliances but above all in our values. Solidarity, justice, respect for human rights, and fundamental freedoms form the foundation of our societies. It works both inwards and outwards.“ We all stand for Ukraine together as great allies and partners.
This time, the celebration took place at the beautiful Fanta Hall at Prague’s main train station. One of the most beautiful Art Nouveau buildings in the capital.
The Honorable speaker was Mr. Miloš Vystrčil, President of the Senate.
Watch the video from the event with the speech of :
H.E. Ms. Gita KALMET, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia
H.E. Mr. Fredrik JÖRGENSEN, Ambassador Sweden
H.E. Mr. Soren KELSTRUP, Ambassador of Kingdom of Denmark
H.E. Mr. Pasi Olavi TUOMINEN, Ambassador of the Republic of Finland
Mr. Kristian OEDEGAARD, Chargé d´Affaires of the Kingdom of Norway
H.E. Mr. Rolandas KAČINSKAS, Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania
H.E. Mr. Vilmars HENINŠ, Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia
H.E. Mr. Audunn ATLASON, Ambassador of Iceland
H.E. Mr. Vasyl ZVARYCH, ambassador of Ukraine
And Mr. Miloš Vystrčil, President of the Senate
On the occasion of the 77th Anniversary of the Independence of the State of Israel and the 35th year of renewal of the diplomatic relations between the Czech Republic and the State of Israel.
H.E. Ms. Anna AZARI, Ambassador of the State of Israel, hosted a reception at the beautiful garden of the Ambassador’s residence.
Mr. Tomáš Pojar – the Government National Security Adviser of the Czech Republic was the honored guest.
Watch the video with the speech of the Ambassador of the State of Israel, H.E. Ms. Anna Azari, and of Mr. Tomáš Pojar – the Government National Security Adviser of the Czech Republic.
Happy Independence Day, Israel
תחי מדינת ישראל
from left to right : Ms. Roni ABRAMSON PILTZ, Deputy Head of Mission; H.E. Ms. Anna AZARI, Ambassador; Colonel David ISRAELY, Defence Attaché; Ms. Iris Avital MALKA, Consular Affairs
On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Prague Castle, the President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, received the credentials of the new ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary:
photo: Tomas Fongus
Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz
Among the many warm tributes to Jiří Bartoška, who passed away last week at 78, has been one published by Variety from journalist Steven Gaydos. The Czech actor took the reins at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 1994 and that was also the first edition for Gaydos, who subsequently watched Bartoška and his team turn a moribund event into the vibrant, internationally renowned celebration of cinema it is today.
You first attended the Karlovy Vary festival in 1994.
See more here.
Author: Ian Willoughby
Photo: Tomáš Vodňanský, Czech Radio
Czechia is mourning star of stage and screen Jiří Bartoška, who passed away on May 8th at 78 years of age. Among his many achievements, the charismatic actor is most fondly remembered for reinvigorating the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and ensuring its lasting success.
Born in 1947 in Děčín, at that time in north-west Czechoslovakia, Bartoška learned his craft at the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Michal Kamaryt, ČTK
The Prague Spring International Music Festival, one of the highlights of the Czech cultural calendar, kicked off its eightieth edition on May 12th. As per tradition, the opening concert was a performance of Bedřich Smetana’s My Country, played by the Czech Philharmonic, and with President Pavel in attendance. The programme of music runs until June 3rd. To understand the ideas and planning behind such a big event, Danny Bate spoke to its programme director, Josef Třeštík.
How would you describe the status of the Prague Spring International Music Festival?.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Ľubomír Smatana, Czech Radio
In a new episode, Czechast speaks to Jan Trčka, a Czech citizen who left his civilian life behind to fight in Ukraine. In a wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation, Trčka explains his motivations, battlefield experiences, and the moral clarity that drives his commitment.
As Europe marks 80 years since the end of World War II, war is once again raging on the continent—this time in Ukraine.
See more here.
Author: Vít Pohanka
Photo: Zuzana Jarolímková, iROZHLAS.cz
The Foreign Ministry expects tens of thousands of voters abroad to participate in the autumn elections to the Chamber of Deputies. More than 600,000 Czechs are long-term residents abroad. For the first, time this year, they can vote by correspondence. In order to vote, Czechs from abroad must be registered on special electoral lists at embassies. They can do so now, no later than 40 calendar days before election day.
Czech President Petr Pavel announced that the elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of the Czech parliament, will be held on 2-3 October this year, the latest possible date.
See more here.
Illustrative photo: StockSnap, Pixabay, CC0 1.0 DEED
Brno scientists are developing a system for monitoring pilot fatigue or any kind of health problem. Based on a camera with artificial intelligence, the device monitors the pilot’s condition and, if necessary, responds with an alert or a more insistent wake-up call.
Long journeys –in the air and on the road-can get tedious and, after a few hours of monotonous activity, it is easy to nod off.
See more here.
Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: Klára Škodová, Czech Radio
Eurovision season is upon us, and Czechia is this year represented by Slovakia-born singer Adonxs (Adam Pavlovčin). Performing Kiss Kiss Goodbye, the singer will first appear before an international audience in the second semi-final on May 15th. But how will he do? Danny Bate spoke to journalist and Radio Wave broadcaster Miroslav Harant to discuss the Czech Eurovision entry.
Adonxs is a young musician originally from Myjava in Slovakia.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Patrik Uhlíř, ČTK
A team of Czech speleologists have successfully completed the longest possible cave traverse in the country—a route no one had managed until now. Over nearly two days, the trio navigated a challenging, seven-kilometre journey through the Amatérská caves system in the Moravian Karst.
It’s a feat Czech cavers have dreamt of since the 1980s.
See more here.
Author: Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Josef Vostárek, ČTK
A Museum of Survivors has opened near Brno, in the former factory of Oskar Schindler, the German industrialist credited with saving the lives of 1,200 Jews during World War II. Its official opening, held on May 10th, was planned to coincide with the celebrations marking eighty years since the end of WWII.
While the celebrated 1993 film Schindler’s List is set primarily in Poland, Oskar Schindler was himself a native of Svitavy, the town in Moravia known as Zwittau in German.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Vít Šimánek, ČTK
The 2025 Ice Hockey World Championship is in full swing and, after a good start for the Czechs, hockey fans at home are glued to their sets hoping for another medal.
See more here.
Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International
Long before GPS apps were common and smartphones ubiquitous, Pavel Novák was printing maps and decoding clues with his wife and two young children on the streets of Brussels. It was 2008, and what started as a simple weekend activity soon evolved into something much bigger: a cross-continental pursuit of hidden treasures. As geocaching celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, Novák reflects on how the hobby shaped his family life, his travels, and even his reporting.
“It was during our stay in Brussels in 2008,” Pavel Novák explains: “My wife was there with our two children, and she was looking for something to do with them, to get them outside.
See more here.
Author: Vít Pohanka
Photo: APF Czech Radio
Music played a crucial role in boosting the morale of both troops and civilians during World War Two. Songs from both sides of the Atlantic got people on the dance floor and rallied spirits through many dark days and nights of the war. Here are some of the iconic hits that resounded at the time.
The song Škoda lásky from 1927 is probably one of the most famous Czech songs worldwide.
See more here.
Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: Karel Kestner, ČTK
On May 13th 1935, twins Karel and Jan Saudek were born in Prague. Their life story is like something out of a dramatic film – from their early childhood during the Nazi occupation to their unique artistic careers that made them legends of Czech comics and photography.
Kája Saudek was a pioneer of Czech comics, and his style is still unmistakable today.
See more here.
Author: Klára Stejskalová
Photo: Magdalena Kašubová, Radio Prague International
The geopark in Český ráj (Bohemian Paradise) is in danger of losing its UNESCO status. According to auditors, it cooperates with institutions that sell precious stones of unclear origin such as “blood minerals” mined under highly problematic conditions in Africa.
The geopark is taking the matter very seriously and has ended its cooperation with the Bohemian Paradise Museum in Turnov over the dispute.
See more here.
Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: Post Bellum
Felix Kafka was born in Prague almost exactly a century ago and escaped the Holocaust after being placed on one of the “kindertransports” to the UK organised by Nicholas Winton. He talked to Radio Prague International’s Alex Rosenzweig from his home in England, where he has lived since 1939.
Felix Kafka, thank you very much for being with us.
See more here.
Author: Alexis Rosenzweig
Photo: David Steiner, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
What do Czechs and Czech historians think about Czech treatment of the Jewish community in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and Czechoslovakia in the 20th century? Jakub Ferenčík spoke to historian Ivan Puš to understand the shifting narratives surrounding Jewish belonging in Czechoslovakia.
So first, let’s get into some background.
See more here.
Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz
According to a 2025 survey published by GLOBSEC, Czechia is one of the countries in central and eastern Europe where most people would defend their homeland in the event of a foreign attack. But why? I spoke with Director for Policy and Programming at GLOBSEC Dominika Hajdu to delve into this research and what it says about Czechs.
In Czechia, up to 81 percent of respondents said they would defend their country if it were attacked.
See more here.
Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Photo: Archive of DPP
This year the Prague Transport Company is celebrating 150 years of public transport in the Czech capital. To mark the occasion, it has prepared a documentary series entitled “The secrets of the Prague tramlines”.
Most commuters on Prague trams these days are preoccupied with their mobile phones and few of them bother to look out of the tram windows at the changing scenery along the route.
See more here.
Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: Vít Pohanka, Radio Prague International
Rohanský ostrov, or Rohan Island, is a place many Prague residents pass without a second thought. Once a true island in the Vltava River, it later became a forgotten industrial zone. Today, it’s undergoing a transformation into a modern, sustainable neighborhood—with green parks, housing, and public spaces. In this episode of Prague Off the Beaten Track, we take a closer look at its layered past and ambitious future.
If you’ve ever taken the metro to Karlín, or crossed Libeňský Bridge by tram, chances are you passed right by it—without even knowing it was there.
See more here.
Author: Vít Pohanka
The President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, welcomed His Majesty the King of the Belgians at Prague Castle on Monday, May 5, 2025.
President Pavel awarded the head of the Kingdom of Belgium a state decoration – the Order of the White Lion, 1st Class, with a chain of the order. He thus recognized the significant contribution to strengthening friendly relations between the Kingdom of Belgium and the Czech Republic, in particular by supporting and strengthening historical awareness of the common fight for freedom, symbolized by the participation of the Belgian 17th Rifle Battalion in the liberation of Pilsen and Western Bohemia in May 1945.
Watch the video from the reception at Prague Castle.
The Ambassador of Malaysia, H.E. Ms. SUZILAH BINTI MOHD SIDEK, hosted a farewell reception at her beautiful residence.
The honoured speakers were Senator Pavel Fischer, the chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Security, and H.E. Most Reverend Jude Thaddeus OKOLO.
Here are selected sections of speeches of Senator Pavel Fischer, H.E. Most Reverend Jude Thaddeus OKOLO, and H.E. Ms. SUZILAH BINTI MOHD SIDEK at the reception.
The Ambassador of Sweden, H.E. Mr. Fredrik JÖRGENSEN, and the “Team Sweden” hosted the opening of the exhibition “Swedish stones” by Ivana Machackova. At the beautiful Embassy garden.
Ivana Machackova is a Czech-Swedish artist living in Sweden. She is fond of monoliths and works with artistic design of outdoor spaces: parks, streets, squares, and neighborhoods in Sweden. Her inspiration comes from the Swedish nature.
Ivana Machackova has made sculptures especially for this unique exhibition in the garden of the Swedish Embassy in Prague.
The sculptures can be viewed by appointment May 7 – June 6, 2025.
It was a great evening with live music by Matěj M. Štrunc and Jan Bradáč
On May 5, 2025, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová held talks in Prague with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. They discussed the situation in Ukraine in the current global context. The Speaker emphasized that the recognition of the occupied Ukrainian territories as part of the Russian Federation is completely unacceptable. She also expressed gratitude for the commitment and dedication that Ukrainians consistently demonstrate, and which keeps dictator Putin away from our borders.
“The President appreciated the support that his country, which is being tested, receives from us. In fact, on the contrary, we should thank our Ukrainian allies every day. It is only thanks to their incredible commitment and dedication that they manage to keep the armed forces of the unscrupulous dictator Putin from advancing further west and thus further from the borders of our country,” said the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová.
The two representatives also spoke about the current situation and prospects of Ukraine in the current dynamically changing geopolitical context.
“We do not and will never consider the occupied Ukrainian territories, including Crimea, to be part of the Russian Federation. Only Ukrainians have the right to decide on their future and geopolitical direction. Russia must not be rewarded for its unprovoked aggression with Ukrainian territorial concessions – such a move would mean the end of the international order as we know it. Our essential interest and long-term goal, therefore remains the achievement of a just and lasting peace,” added the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, after the meeting.
The Chamber of Deputies delegation also included all the deputy chairmen of the lower parliamentary chamber and the Chairman of the Security Committee, Pavel Žáček.
The Chamber of Deputies has already adopted several resolutions in support of Ukraine (including on the first day of the war, designating the Ukrainian famine as genocide, and designating the Russian regime as a terrorist). Czech-Ukrainian interparliamentary cooperation also takes place within the framework of the Crimean Platform, whose second parliamentary summit took place in Prague the year before last in the autumn at the initiative of the Speaker.
Strong jaws equipped with short, tile-like “stools” serve the dracaena as a nutcracker. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
Half aquatic, half arboreal, partly green, but also orange; but above all, uniquely snail-eating. Such are the crocodile-eating dracaenas, whose breeding at Prague Zoo has gained new blood. Five almost one-year-old lizards arrived in Prague from Basel with the aim of continuing the local successful tradition. In 1998, Prague Zoo was the first in the world to breed these sturdy reptiles. Visitors can see them in the Terrarium pavilion.
“I would compare it to polishing the family silver,” says reptile curator Petr Velenský. “In August, it will be exactly thirty years since we started breeding dracaenas. At that time, it was a creature known more from textbooks and museums, and there was little information about its life or even photographs. When we managed to breed it in 1998 and published the breeding methodology in the professional journal Zoo Prague Gazella, it was the first documented breeding of this species in human care and a real sensation. Our young went to India, for example, as part of an exchange for gharials.”
With their tongue, the dracaena skillfully turns its slippery bite several times and separates the sharp fragments of crushed shell, which they spit out. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
However, until recently, there was only one old female left at Zoo Prague, which the breeders had to peel from the snail shell and feed directly into its mouth. In order not to interrupt the important continuity of breeding, it was necessary to obtain young, unrelated individuals.
Five young dracaenas – three males and two females hatched last July – were acquired by Zoo Prague from colleagues from the Swiss Basel Zoo. The remaining female, who is now enjoying a peaceful old age in the garden’s backyard, has been replaced by this group of vital youngsters in a massive exhibit in the Terrarium pavilion. There, people can see their bizarre diet with their own eyes.
The massive orange head and large black eyes give the crocodile-like dracaenas an attractive appearance. The wide, dark tongue is also striking. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
“Dracaena crocodilia almost without exception seek out snails with shells. We usually feed them every other day with spotted snails, which are commonly bred on farms in our country for human consumption. They can eat up to five snails per sitting, which we provide thawed and warmed, whole, of course. The dracaenas then crack open the shells accompanied by loud cracking and slapping as they turn the morsel in their mouths, remove shell fragments with their tongues, and prepare the slippery body for swallowing,” says Velenský.
Dracaena crocodilia belongs to the family of lizards and, despite their Czech species name, they have very little in common with crocodiles, perhaps with the exception of a series of scales with low bumps and a fondness for water. They seek shelter from predators and food in the water. This species is found in the Amazon forests of South America. Due to their secretive lifestyle, relatively little is still known about them, and therefore the extent and status of the wild population cannot be well estimated.
A group of one-year-old lizards in the Terrarium pavilion in the lower part of Prague Zoo are now about 60 cm long, but as adults they can grow to twice that length and weigh around four kilograms. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
Photo: VHÚ
May 5th marks eighty years since the Prague Uprising, the daring efforts of the Czech Resistance to throw off Nazi rule. Having played a pivotal part in the uprising, Czech Radio holds annual acts of commemoration.
“Je sechs hodin”.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Terezín Memorial
On May 8th millions of people around Czechia rejoiced in the news that Germany had finally surrendered and the war was over. But for many inmates of the Terezín ghetto, the suffering was far from over. Many had nowhere to go and another 1,500 inmates succumbed to the typhus epidemic that spread through the camp.
Terezín was a military fortress that never served its original purpose.
See more here.
Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: Barbora Němcová, Radio Prague International
Politicians, veterans, and members of the public gathered outside Czech Radio’s Prague headquarters on Monday to mark the 80th anniversary of the Prague Uprising against Nazi rule. The uprising began on 5 May 1945, near the end of the Second World War, and the ceremony honoured those who fought and died in the final days of the occupation.
The Czech Radio building, a symbol of national resistance, was the epicentre of the uprising and the site of one of the fiercest battles against Nazi forces.
See more here.
Author: Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Czech Television
For the first time in years, American veterans are once again taking part in commemorative events marking the end of World War II. What are the stories of the last surviving liberators of the Plzeň region and southwest Bohemia?
They’re eager to make the journey – for many, it will be their first time back in Europe since 1945.
See more here.
Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz
The plan to build two new nuclear units at the Dukovany power plant in the Vysočina Region has now been stalled, as the Regional Court in Brno on Tuesday blocked the signing of the final contract with a preliminary injunction. This was done in response to a lawsuit by the French energy company EDF, who unsuccessfully bid for the tender.
The construction of two new nuclear units for the Dukovany power plant is a major project of the Czech state.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
The company Elektrárna Dukovany II (EDU II), which oversees the nuclear tender for the Dukovany project, will file a cassation complaint with the Supreme Administrative Court in response to a preliminary injunction issued by the Brno Regional Court.
See more here.
Author: Ruth Fraňková
The sale of fireworks in markets and stalls will likely be banned.
See more here.
Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Photo: Pavel Novák, Czech Radio
Czech tramping, a unique cultural tradition born over a century ago, is still going strong—even across the Atlantic. Recently, Czech expatriates gathered at the Czech Embassy in Ottawa to sing their favourite tramping songs, including the legendary Rosa na kolejích—Dew on the Tracks—by Wabi Daněk.
The Czech Embassy regularly hosts events showcasing Czech culture, literature, and classical music.
See more here.
Author: Pavel Novák, Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Anifilm 2025
The annual Anifilm Festival of animated films kicks off this Tuesday in the northern Bohemian town of Liberec. Over the course of six days, audiences can look forward to dozens of screenings, but also exhibitions, concerts and workshops, across various venues throughout the town. I spoke with programme coordinator Radek Hosenseidl to find out more:
This year’s main theme is science fiction in animation.
See more here.
Author: Ruth Fraňková
Raised on science, trained in biology, and now a project coordinator in Austria—Hana Huszár combines expertise and empathy to shape the future of research. As part of the Czexpats in Science network, she also supports Czech scientists abroad who dream of returning home.Find out how she’s turning experience into impact in the latest Science Without Borders interview.
Watch the new series, Science Without Borders, from Radio Prague International and the Czech Centre Vienna in collaboration with Czexpats in Science and Tschechisches Zentrum Wien.
See more here.
Author: Barbora Navrátilová, Vít Pohanka
Illustrative photo: Petr Kološ, Czech Radio
141% more new electric passenger cars were registered in Czechia in the first quarter of 2025, compared with the same period last year, according to statistics from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association. This put the country in first place across the European Union. To understand this recent uptake, Danny Bate spoke to demographer, researcher and electric-car owner Tomáš Sobotka.
You are in the minority in Czechia in having an electric car.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
Photo: Agáta Nezbedová, Czech Radio
Writer and artist Martina Skála grew up in Prague’s picturesque Malá Strana district before leaving for France in the mid-1980s and eventually settling in California. Skála, who studied history and set design, has also had an unusually broad range of jobs, from acting as an advisor to the female leads on The Unbearable Lightness of Being to literally dancing with horses.
You grew up in Malá Strana in Prague.
See more here.
Author: Ian Willoughby
Photo: Martina Schneibergová, Radio Prague International
In May 1945, World War II came to an end in Czechoslovakia with scenes of liberation and chaos. While most of western Bohemia was freed by the American army under General George S. Patton, Soviet forces took control of Prague and much of the rest of the country.
The days leading up to the German surrender were marked by the Prague Uprising and violent retribution against German soldiers and civilians.
See more here.
Author: Vít Pohanka
Photo: Michal Kamaryt, ČTK
For the first time in thirty years, the same runner won the Prague Marathon as in the previous year. Lemi Berhanu Hayle from Ethiopia crossed the finish line in 2:05:14. The race, in which more than 10,000 runners took part, also produced a new national champion. Yann Havlena earned the title even at the cost of total exhaustion as he crossed the finish line.
See more here.
Photo: René Volfík, iROZHLAS.cz
Experts have argued over the exact origins of Czech’s distinctive word for ‘elephant’. It shares this word with other Slavic languages (for example, Polish słoń, Russian слон), but where Slavic as a whole got it from is a linguistic puzzle.
The prevailing theory seems to be that Slavic adopted it from one of a group of languages known as the Turkic family.
See more here.
Photo: Tomáš Vodňanský, Czech Radio
The renowned Czech opera singer Adam Plachetka celebrates his 40th birthday this weekend. The popular bass-baritone is the only Czech artist to have performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York before the age of 30. He has been a member of the Vienna State Opera for nearly 15 years and has appeared on leading opera stages in New York, Vienna, London, Milan, and beyond. To mark the occasion, we’ll be listening to a selection from his 2015 album Arias, recorded with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra.
See more here.
Photo: Český rozhlas Plzeň
Eighty years ago, on May 5, 1945, the first words of freedom rang out over the airwaves in Plzeň. Resistance fighters captured a German transmitter and launched a revolutionary broadcast, laying the foundation for what would become local radio.
No Czechoslovak radio station began broadcasting at the end of World War II as dramatically as Plzeň did.
See more here.
Photo: Barbora Hakenová, Radio Prague International
Freedom Celebrations kick off in the West Bohemian city of Plzeň on Friday, marking 80 years since its liberation by US troops. This year the city has planned the biggest celebration in decades – with the traditional Convoy of Liberty, a period war camp, a flyby of historical planes and meetings with the families of the veterans who liberated parts of western and southern Bohemia.
The West Bohemian city of Plzeň has pulled out all the stops for the 2025 Freedom Celebrations marking 80 years since its liberation by General Patton’s troops.
See more here.
Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: Adam Trachtman, archive of Maya Kvetny
Maya Kvetny is a successful casting director based in Prague and the founder of the agency Myrnyx Tyrnyx. She has become a key figure in international productions filmed in the Czech Republic, with credits including Jojo Rabbit, Spiderman: Far From Home, Nosferatu and Blade Runner 2099. I caught up with her in her studio to talk about her career and the craft of casting.
Could you talk to us about how you got started in the film industry?.
See more here.
In commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the establishment of Diplomatic relations between Mongolia and the Czech Republic, H.E. Mr. Gansukh Khashkhan DAMDIN, Ambassador of Mongolia to the Czech Republic, and Mrs. Enkhtuvshin Molom hosted a reception at the Congress Hall, Grand Hotel International Prague.
The honoree speaker was Mr. Jan Lipavsky, the Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic.
Watch the video with the speech of H.E. Mr. Gansukh Khashkhan DAMDIN, Ambassador of Mongolia to the Czech Republic, and of Mr. Jan Lipavsky, the Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic. And part of the culture program.
A half century has passed since the end of the American War in Vietnam. The sense of national pride as well as the values of benevolence, peace, and reconciliation remain intact when the country celebrates the 50th anniversary of 30 April, officially known as
The Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day.
The burning desire for peace, national independence, and reconciliation of the Vietnamese people is well reflected in Ho Chi Minh’s immortal sayings: “We would rather sacrifice everything than lose our country, than live as slaves. Dear fellow countrymen! We must rise up!” and “Vietnam is one, the Vietnamese people are one. Rivers may dry up, mountains may erode, but that truth will never change.”
To have a better understanding of the indomitable will of the Vietnamese people and of how far Vietnam has moved beyond war consequences and adversities to become a middle-income country today, the Embassy of the S.R. of Vietnam in Czechia has a pleasure to introduce to readers of the Czech & Slovak Leaders magazine an artilce written by H.E. Mr. To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, namely “Vietnam is one, the Vietnamese people are one” and his remarks at the national celebration of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification.
An article written by H.E. Mr. Hoai Nam DUONG – Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the Czech Republic, about this historic event, will be published in our upcoming Summer Magazine ( June 2025)
The name for the first-born offspring of the female Diri was chosen by the breeders last year from almost two thousand suggestions from the public. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
Every day, he becomes bolder and more active – that is the one-year-old Sumatran orangutan Harapan, the youngest ape at Prague Zoo. Thanks to his ancestors from the wild, he is a great genetic asset for the preservation of his critically endangered species. On Friday, May 2, “Hari” will be exactly one year old. The Prague Zoo will celebrate its first birthday a day later, on Saturday, May 3, in the Indonesian Jungle Pavilion.
Little Harapan still spends most of his time near his mother Diri, who takes exemplary care of her firstborn cub, and visitors are thus witnesses of her tender care every day. “Diri had already gained experience earlier when she helped her mother Mawar with raising her now four-year-old brother Kawi, whom she liked to carry in her arms,” explains chief primate keeper Martin Vojáček. But he is also interested in his father. “We are happy that Pagy is showing himself as a calm male and letting the cub actively explore him. Male orangutans do not normally get involved in their upbringing,” adds Vojáček.
Harapan means “hope” in Indonesian. He is the grandson of the famous Kama, whose parents came directly from the Sumatran forests, which are disappearing at a dizzying rate today. Photo Oliver Le Que, Prague Zoo
Although the one-year-old “Hari” practices his climbing skills every day, he will have to wait some time for bigger acrobatic feats. “Mother Diri is still watching him closely, and when her cub embarks on a too-risky adventure, she does not hesitate to intervene. She offers him a helping hand or pulls him into her arms,” describes Vojáček.
Harapan will be breastfed by his mother until he is approximately four years old, but he already has developed baby teeth and is eager to try fruits, vegetables, and even granules for leaf-eating primates.
Prague Zoo will celebrate Harapan’s birthday all day on Saturday in the Indonesian Jungle pavilion. At 3:00 p.m., the one-year-old orangutan will receive special enrichment – mixed fruit in a termite mound. Every full hour from 10:00 to 16:00, visitors can look forward to commented meetings at the orangutan islands. Young visitors can learn more about these largest tree mammals at the game station Into the Jungle for Orangutans.
Little Harapan is one of the most popular residents of Prague Zoo and is also one of the most important cubs in terms of breeding. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
Orangutans can be seen every day not only on the upper floor of the Indonesian Jungle pavilion, but also in the adjacent outdoor enclosure in good weather. They are active throughout the entire opening hours, which will be extended by an hour from May 1st – the gates of the Prague Zoo will now close at 19:00.
Przewalski’s horse mare Gruhne and her two-day-old foal at Prague’s Maiden’s Castles. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
The breeding of Převalsky horses at Prague Zoo is experiencing an unprecedented baby boom. Today, the third April foal was born at Prague’s Dívčé hrady. Another foal was also born today at the Převalsky horse breeding and acclimatization station in Dolní Dobřejov. In addition, people can see the foal directly on the Prague Zoo grounds. The two-month-old mare Dagina, named by the Mongolian president in March, can be found by visitors in the Gobi exhibit near the upper cable car station. This year, the Prague Zoo has added a total of five young of these last wild horses on the planet.
“The baby boom of foals has its reason, of course, and that is our planned project to reintroduce Przewalski’s horses to eastern Mongolia, to the Valley of the Monasteries. We will start transporting the foals there as soon as there are enough of them in the Golden Steppe in central Kazakhstan,” says Prague Zoo Director Miroslav Bobek.
In the huge enclosure at Dívčí hrady above Prague’s Smíchov, a total of eight horses can now be seen: a stallion, four mares and three foals of unknown sex. One foal was born to the mare Vereda last Saturday, April 26, another followed on Monday, April 28, with the mother being the mare Gruhne. The third foal gave birth today to a mare named Khamina. People can see them, for example, from the lookouts there.
Prague’s Maiden’s Castles now offer unique views of wild Przewalski’s horses with their foals and the city skyline. On the left is the mare Vereda with her foal, on the right is the mare Gruhne with hers. Photo Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
The foal was also born at the Prague Zoo’s breeding and acclimatization station in Dolní Dobřejov. In the area of the so-called The largest breeding herd of the Prague Zoo lives in the Bohemian Siberia in the south of Bohemia, which currently numbers three dozen horses. The horses are also being prepared there for demanding transports to the wilds of Mongolia and Kazakhstan. Coincidentally, the mare Yara gave birth to today’s offspring on her tenth birthday.
The oldest of this year’s foals was born directly in the Troja area of the Prague Zoo. On February 27, the mare Victoria II gave birth to a female named Dagina in the Gobi exhibition, which opened last year. She was personally baptized in March by the Mongolian President Uchnágín Chürelsüch. The name Dagina means “Heavenly Fairy” in Mongolian. The president said at the time that if Dagina were to be transported to the Valley of the Monasteries, she could be renamed “Eastern Fairy”.
Prague Zoo plays a crucial role in the story of the last wild horse. It manages its International Stud Book and the European Breeding Program and is actively returning Przewalski’s horses to the wild. Between 2011 and 2019, it carried out a total of nine transports to western Mongolia together with the Czech Army. While it is preparing a project to return them to the east of the country, last year it launched a reintroduction project in central Kazakhstan, where Przewalski’s horses became extinct hundreds of years ago. It transported the first seven horses there last year at the beginning of June.
People will see the mare Dagina in the Mongolian Gobi exhibit at Prague Zoo. Photo Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo
The next transport to Kazakhstan is also planned for the first week of June this year. Eight horses – two stallions and six mares – should head to the Altyn Dala area, i.e. the “Golden Steppe”, this year by CASA military aircraft. One will fly from Prague with horses from Dolní Dobřejov and the other from Debrecen in Hungary with horses from the Hortobágy National Park, which is a partner of Prague Zoo for this project.
Czech female members of parliament from all political parties and movements face psychological and sexualised violence.
See more here.
Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Photo: National Museum – Czech Museum of Music
Nearly 50 photographs of Antonín Dvořák, one of Czechia’s most famous composers, are now on display at the Antonín Dvořák Museum in Prague. Captured by both well-known photographers and amateurs, these images offer a rare glimpse into the composer’s life.
The great Czech composer Antonín Dvořák was born in 1842, just two years after the invention of photography.
See more here.
Author: Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Adam Bejšovec, Czech Radio
The reconstruction of Jiřího z Poděbrad Square in Prague could be completed as early as next spring. Workers have already planted most of the trees, the special irrigation system is complete, and the fountain, which has not worked for years, is partially ready. The entire park will be adapted for leisure activities, including grassy areas.
The entire area is surrounded by barriers, excavators, machines, and construction workers.
See more here.
Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Photo: ralf82, Pixabay, Pixabay License
Beavers in Czechia recently made international headlines after a colony in the Brdy region built a series of dams faster than local authorities could finish the planning phase—highlighting just how quickly these animals can reshape their environment. But the attention also points to a broader trend: these once-rare animals are now spreading rapidly across the country. Not long ago, beavers had completely disappeared from the Czech landscape and were only reintroduced in the 1970s. So what helped them return? And how is it that they have even settled in parts of Prague? I discussed these questions with Aleš Vorel, a scientist from the Faculty of Environmental Sciences at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague.
“In the Czech Republic, beavers were extinct in the past.
See more here.
Author: Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Vít Pohanka, Radio Prague International
Just a short walk from the center of Prague rises Vítkov Hill—a quiet, unassuming ridge that separates the districts of Žižkov and Karlín. Though technically part of Žižkov, it’s visible from much of the city and offers some of the best panoramic views of Prague. Still, it remains surprisingly uncrowded, a perfect candidate for those seeking a different kind of city experience.
Climbing up from the Žižkov side in late April or early May, you’re greeted by a lush park in full bloom.
See more here.
Author: Vít Pohanka
Photo: Archive of Jiří Klůc
Among the lesser-known stories of World War II are those of American soldiers captured after the D-Day landings in Normandy. In June 1944, hundreds of American paratroopers who had jumped behind enemy lines on D-Day, ended up in German captivity. Surprisingly, many of them would later have unexpected connections to Czechoslovakia.
Leonard Gaj currently lives in New York State and recently celebrated his 100th birthday.
See more here.
Photo: Hana Řeháková, Radio Prague International
Alois Ullmann was a key figure in the Sudeten German social democratic movement. He fled to Great Britain during the Nazi regime but later returned to Prague. After being imprisoned in concentration camps, he worked to rebuild his party, Seliger Gemeinde, but was thwarted by the expulsion of Sudeten Germans. He later organized the resettlement of Sudeten German anti-fascists, known as “Aktion Ullmann.”
Thomas Oellermann: “When we talk about Czechoslovakia and the Czechoslovak Republic during the interwar period, we are talking about a state with significant minorities, the largest of which was the German minority, known as the Sudeten Germans.
See more here.
Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Michal Lukeš, Director General of the National Museum, said that museums need to seek out new themes and innovative ways to present their collections so that visitors enjoy their experience and find information that is interesting and relevant to them.
See more here.
Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Photo: Mathis Elias-Jean, Radio Prague International
In response to the Czech Railway Administration’s proposal to replace the famous railway bridge over the Vltava at Vyšehrad, an advisory mission of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the International Council on Monuments and Sites visited Prague last December to review the plans themselves. Their report, now published and submitted to the Ministry of Culture, has instead recommended the reconstruction of the listed bridge.
You were previously involved another report about the Vyšehrad bridge.
See more here.
Author: Danny Bate
How do plants know how to shape themselves without anyone telling them how? Lukáš Fiedler thinks the answer lies in a powerful plant hormone called auxin. From collecting beetles in a small South Bohemian village to conducting cutting-edge research at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), his journey is fuelled by curiosity about how plant cells communicate, self-organize, and respond to signals.
Watch the new series, Science Without Borders, from Radio Prague International and the Czech Centre Vienna in collaboration with Czexpats in Science and Tschechisches Zentrum Wien.
See more here.
Author: Vít Pohanka, Barbora Navrátilová
Photo: Archive of Jan Trčka
As Europe commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, another fierce conflict rages at its borders. Ukraine continues to resist Russian aggression, fighting a war that many see as pivotal for the future of European democracy. Among those defending the West’s ideals on Ukrainian soil are Czech volunteers, including Jan Trčka, a legionnaire widely known by his nom de guerre, “Santa.”
Jan Trčka arrived in Ukraine on the third day of the invasion, making him the longest-serving Czech volunteer currently on the frontline.
See more here.
Author: Vít Pohanka
Photo: Ian Willoughby, Radio Prague International
Antonín Kokeš is the man behind Antonínovo pekařství, a successful chain of bakeries. The Moravian-born entrepreneur is also the owner of Albi, a company best-known for the board games that can be found in many Czech homes. We discussed both those businesses and much more at Kokeš’s latest venture, a new branch of Antonín’s Bakery due to open on May 1 in a grand building on Prague’s Náměstí Míru.
You’ve said in the past that your grandfather was your role model in business.
See more here.
Author: Ian Willoughby
Photo: Muzeum východních Čech Hradec Králové
Archaeologists in Eastern Bohemia have announced the chance discovery of a rare treasure near the north-eastern town of Trutnov. Hidden in a forest, the 7-kilogram hoard includes nearly four kilos of gold coins, worth over CZK 7.5 million.
The sensational discovery took place in early February when two hikers were walking on the southwest slopes of Zvičina Hill, located at the foothills of the Krkonoše Mountains.
See more here.
Author: Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Vít Šimánek, ČTK
The Kbely Aviation Museum is one of the best in Europe thanks to the quality of its collections and the number of exhibits. This year, visitors will see for the first time, among others, the Aero L-29 Delfín, the Mil Mi-8P “Hip” medium multi-role helicopter and the Avia Av-14FG twin-engine propeller aircraft.
See more here.
Source: Světozor 22. 5. 1874
U Apolináře Hospital, originally known as the Royal Provincial Maternity Hospital, first opened its doors on April 22, 1875. Designed by renowned architect Josef Hlávka, its iconic red-brick building is one of the oldest maternity hospitals in Europe. Hlávka, known for his attention to detail, designed the facility to be not only functional but also aesthetically striking. The red brick façade lends the building its distinctive historic character.
At the time of its opening, the hospital was designed to handle up to 3,000 births annually.
See more here.
Photo: Petr Horník, SOČR
Close to the age of 50, Antonín Dvořák embarked upon a music testimony of his relationship with God and an attempt to answer the most fundamental issues of human existence.
Given the emotional depth of this work, it is somewhat surprising that Dvořák’s decision to write a mass for the dead was not motivated by the death of someone close to him, or by a premonition of his own demise.
See more here.
Author: Daniela Lazarová
Photo: Josef Kopecký, Czech Radio
Celtic symbols and festivals remain surprisingly popular in Czechia. But how much did 19th-century historians really know about the ancient Boii who once lived here? František Palacký’s classic history offers a revealing glimpse into early efforts to understand the region’s pre-Slavic past.
The journey begins in the rolling hills near Nasavrky, where a reconstructed Celtic oppidum now stands.
See more here.
Author: Vít Pohanka
Source: T Hansen, Pixabay, Pixabay License
With the rise of AI, the European Union introduced regulations to standardize some rules for its use. The so-called Artificial Intelligence Act introduces significant changes for all companies and employers using AI systems across the EU. So, what does this new legislation seek to accomplish, and what is Czechia doing to implement it?
Under the AI Act, it is completely forbidden to use artificial intelligence to manipulate public opinion or to create databases with biometric data, such as people’s facial features.
See more here.
Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Photo: Škoda Museum
April 1945 marked the final month of Allied bombing raids on Czechoslovakia. Among the targeted cities were Kladno, Chomutov, Karlovy Vary, and most notably Plzeň. In today’s episode of our series How did WWII end in the Czech lands?, we recall the last bombing raids on this West Bohemian city with historian Karel Foud.
Plzeň had been a consistent target of Allied attacks throughout the war due to the presence of the Škoda Works.
See more here.
Author: Klára Stejskalová, Ruth Fraňková
Photo: Masaryk University Model United Nations
From April 11–13, one of the largest Model UN (MUN) conferences in the Czech Republic was held in Brno. The event saw approximately 200 participants this year. While there, I spoke with one of the invited speakers, former Slovak ambassador to NATO, Peter Bátor. Acting as the former advisor to the former Slovak president Zuzana Čaputová, among other Slovak presidents, Bátor has years of experience engaging with both Czech and Slovak youth. But how has that changed over the years?
First, let’s talk about the place for young people in politics.
See more here.
Author: Jakub Ferenčík
Photo: Sekyra Group
Rohan City, a planned neighbourhood east of Prague city centre, is set to include a series of streets that honour both nationally and internationally famous thinkers.
Located on a big bend of the river Vltava, Rohan Island is today an island only in name.
See more here.
Author: Magdalena Hrozínková, Danny Bate
The President of the Republic, Petr Pavel, sent a telegram of condolence to the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, on the death of His Holiness Pope Francis.
Your Eminence,
It is with deep emotion and sorrow that I received the news of the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis.
Pope Francis was a figure of fundamental influence not only for the Catholic Church but for the entire world. His kindness, unwavering commitment to truth, and boundless love for people were a gift to all. He was a respected spiritual leader whose sincerity, strength of spirit, and natural humility touched countless people.
Your Eminence, on behalf of the citizens of the Czech Republic, on my own behalf and on behalf of my wife, I would like to express my most sincere and deepest condolences.
In respect
Petr Pavel
President of the Czech Republic
African brush piglet piglets stand out with their stripes, as is the case with other pig species. Photo Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo
For the first time in the history of Prague Zoo, African bushpigs were born here. A total of three piglets of these Central African forest pigs can be seen in the Dja Reservation pavilion. Eight-year-old female Jasna is taking exemplary care of her young ones born yesterday and regularly breastfeeds them. However, it should be remembered that the piglets have not yet overcome the critical period.
“We promoted African bushpigs as ‘golden piglets’ at Christmas, and now we have their young; for the first time ever at our zoo,” says Prague Zoo Director Miroslav Bobek. “The three ‘golden piglets’ are very active, even digging in the substrate, and arouse extraordinary interest among visitors, which even turns into enthusiasm.”
African bush pigs were bred at Prague Zoo from 2001 to 2016 in the African House, but they were always only males. Breeding was resumed in the Dja Reservation pavilion at the end of 2022, while the Prague Zoo only acquired the female last summer.
Brush piglet piglets often stay close to the exhibition glass, so they can be observed in the Dja Reservation pavilion from a distance of just a few centimeters. Photo Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo
“The male Štěpán and the female Jasna did not hesitate and during their first day together last September, we observed their mating. Thanks to regular weighing, we then discovered that Jasna was continuously gaining weight,” says curator Jan Mengr, adding that the piglets were born directly in the exhibition yesterday shortly after midnight. “The birth went smoothly and we saw them sucking their mother’s milk on the night-time camera footage,” he adds.
Although it is natural for female bush pigs to chase away males before giving birth and to be aggressive towards them, this situation did not occur here. Jasna, on the other hand, tolerates three-year-old Štěpán for now and remains calm even in his presence. Visitors will therefore see the entire family of baboons in the exhibit. The sex of the three cubs is not yet known.
The only change compared to the usual regime is the separation of the troop of Brazza’s monkeys, who normally share the exhibit with the baboons. The monkeys will temporarily use only the outdoor enclosure.
The little “golden piglets” were born at Prague Zoo for the first time. The female gave birth directly in the exhibition and, due to her calm nature, the breeders do not disturb her at all and let the breeding process proceed as naturally as possible. Photo Monika Dolejšová, Prague Zoo
African baboons can be found in the wild in West and Central Africa from Senegal to Uganda in the east and Angola in the south. These brightly colored even-toed ungulates mainly inhabit deciduous and mixed forests up to an altitude of 4,000 m above sea level. They got their name from their elongated earlobes topped with a brush of longer hairs. Although this species is considered relatively abundant, it is also a favorite target of bushmeat hunters. In some countries, it is also persecuted by farmers because it damages their crops. Among other things, the brush pig is also threatened by the loss of natural habitat due to logging and the expansion of human settlement.
