Liberation Day is a national holiday celebrated in the Czech Republic on 8 May each year.
This is the same date as the celebration known as V-E Day, VE Day or Victory in Europe Day that is celebrated across much of Europe.
As the names suggest, the day signifies the victory of the Allied forces against the Axis forces at the end of World War II in 1945. In particular, the Czech Republic celebrates Liberation Day as the day its people were freed from Nazi rule.
The day was originally celebrated on 9 May, but this was changed in 1989 to 8 May. Some people call the holiday Liberation from Fascism Day.
On May 8, with Allied troops approaching from west and east, the Czechs negotiated a cease-fire with the Germans. The situation was now critical; the Czechs lacked the machinery and the weaponry to continue fighting the Germans, and the city’s Old Town was in flames.
Part of the cease-fire was a guarantee, from the Germans, that the city would not be harmed further. The Czechs knew that, with help on the way, the cease-fire would be far more beneficial to them than it seemed on the surface.
“To the unknown fighter”
Visitors to Prague can see plaques everywhere, but especially in the city center, bearing names and dates. These plaques commemorate the men and women of the city who lost their lives in the Prague Uprising, and are placed at the locations where the deaths occurred.
The dates of the person’s birth and death, if known, are engraved on the plaques. A few of them simply read, “To the unknown fighter”.
Seventy-eight years ago, in the final days of World War II in Europe, Czech citizens and members of its resistance launched a final assault against the Nazis. The Prague Uprising lasted for five days and came to represent a symbol of Czech resistance in World War II.
Czech police officers burst into the radio station at Vinohradská Street and battled with the SS soldiers who were already occupying the building.
At 12:33 Prague radio called on all Czechs to take up arms in the organized resistance: it was the beginning of five days of fierce fighting that would see thousands lose their lives.
With the sound of combat as a backdrop, the announcer asked for public support with the following message: “Calling all Czechs. Come to our help at once. Come and defend Czech Radio. The SS are murdering Czech people here. Come and help us. You can still get through the Balbínova Street entrance…”
Resistance fighters in other parts of the city took over the Gestapo and SiPo headquarters. Civilians finally removed the hated German signs and began to attack and disarm the Germans. Barricades were built in the streets.
Antonin Sum, a teenager at the time, was involved in the resistance. “The uprising started in Prague,” he said. “You could see in the streets, as I saw myself, people with guns, which was absolutely impossible before. They were guns that had been hidden away somewhere underground in caves.… It was just the start, but nobody knew what was practically going on.”
In scenes reminiscent of European uprisings in the 19th century, cobblestones were torn from the streets to form the foundations of barricades. Carts, vehicles, and trolleys were overturned to block key intersections, and snipers took to the rooftops overlooking choke points.
By May 6, over 1,600 barricades had been constructed by thousands of citizens overnight. German reinforcements made their way to Prague and the fighting continued to escalate.
The Luftwaffe began to bomb areas of the city, hitting the radio broadcasting building, barricades, and civilian apartments. A battalion of the Russian Liberation Army (ROA), a German army unit made up of Soviet POWs, defected and came to the aid of Czech defenders, successfully disarming thousands of German troops.
On May 7, while German leaders were signing their unconditional surrender to the Allied forces in France, German forces in Prague launched a massive attack on the city.
Upon hearing the news of Germany’s surrender, the ROA, who had been successful in slowing the German advance on the city, left Prague to surrender to the US Army. With a majority of the ROA gone, the ill-equipped resistance fighters suffered against the reinforced German units and lost much of the territory they gained over the first days of the uprising.
Though the Nazis surrendered on May 7, the fighting continued in Prague. On May 8, the Germans launched an air raid that was followed by an infantry attack. SS forces recaptured positions in the city, including the Masaryk rail station, where SS troops murdered roughly 50 captured resistance fighters.
With Allied help still not there and with both sides facing critical military situations, Czech and German leaders began negotiations, and a ceasefire was reached. German forces could pass west through Prague in exchange for disarming themselves.
On the morning of May 9, German forces exited Prague. Later that day, the Soviet Red Army arrived in Prague and put down any remaining German units in the city. Czech citizens flooded the streets to welcome the Red Army and celebrate their liberation.
The most prestigious Czech sporting event is almost here, as the 27th Prague International Marathon will take place on May 7.
And the organizers have great news about this year‘s edition: Thousands of runners will set off on the world’s most beautiful 42 kilometres from the Wenceslas Square.
“Compared to previous years, when the race start was at the Old Town Square, we have now managed to arrange with Prague representatives to start in the lower part of Wenceslas Square, at Můstek, which brings several advantages. The main ones are the strategic location and even more space and comfort for our runners,” said Carlo Capalbo, President of the RunCzech organizing committee, which has risen to first place in the number of races awarded with World Athletics Labels.
RunCzech has been organizing marathon runs in Prague for over a quarter of a century. Due to this, the Czech capital has risen among the top 10 cities in the world in terms of race quality and popularity among people. And it is no wonder.
A well-prepared event, a beautiful course and spectacular performances have become commonplace at the Prague International Marathon.
This time the prestigious event will break out at the second-largest square in the Czech Republic. “We have already received a lot of reactions, and it is obvious that the competitors and our fans have responded to this news very positively. By starting from the Wenceslas Square we will offer them a slightly different but still unique experience,” said Carlo Capalbo.
The Marathon Festival will begin on May 4 at the Prague Exhibition Center, where Marathon Expo, the largest sports fair in the Czech Republic, returns after four years.
Visitors will be able to enter Pavilions B, C and D free of charge and will be able to find out about new products in the field of running equipment and accessories, healthy nutrition, prevention and regeneration and enjoy a varied accompanying program. Runners can also pick up their bibs there.
After the sold-out Prague Half Marathon, there are left the last registrations for the biggest race of the season (www.runczech.cz/registrace).
Those who do not feel ready for the challenging 42 km can sign up for the 2Run, in which each of the pair will run a distance of 21 km.
The famous event also includes the National Marathon Championship and the dm family mile.
During a ceremony at NASA Headquarters in Washington Wednesday, the Czech Republic became the 24th country to sign the Artemis Accords.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson participated in the signing ceremony for the agency and Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of the Czech Republic.
The Artemis Accords establish a practical set of principles to guide space exploration cooperation among nations, including those participating in NASA’s Artemis program.
“We are living through a golden age of exploration. Gone are the days of one nation exploring the cosmos alone,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Along with our fellow Artemis Accords signatories, the United States and Czech Republic are setting a standard for 21st century exploration and use of space. As we explore together, we will explore peacefully, safely, and transparently.”
Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Jennifer R. Littlejohn and Czech Ambassador to the United States Miloslav Stašek also took part in the ceremony
“I see it as a historic signature. We are joining our likeminded partners in advancing peaceful, cooperative, and sustainable exploration of space,” said Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský. “Czechia’s space ecosystem has a lot to offer. We believe that this signature will kick-start the development of an institutional and industrial cooperation within the Artemis community, as well as directly between Czechia and the U.S., in the field of space activities.”
NASA, in coordination with the U.S. Department of State, established the Artemis Accords in 2020 along with the other eight original signatories. The Artemis Accords reinforce and implement the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.
They also reinforce the commitment by the United States and partner nations to the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices and norms of responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data.
“The Artemis Accords guide us towards a future of optimism and promise,” stated Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Jennifer R. Littlejohn. “They encourage cooperation and responsible behavior in space. This is a vital foundation for space exploration. Congratulations to the Czech Republic!”
- The Czech Republic has improved its position in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) media freedom index, now ranking 14th out of the 180 monitored countries, up from 20th last year. The report released today was the 21st annual study of its kind from RSF.
- Czechs still have the most positive view of Slovaks out of all national groups living in the country, according to the latest poll by CVVM released yesterday. Their stance on Russians has become more negative since 2020, while the view of Ukrainians remains almost unchanged. A total of 79% of respondents expressed a liking for Slovaks, followed at some distance by the Vietnamese (50%), Poles (47%) and Hungarians (33%).
- Retired footballer Petr Čech has been inducted into the Hall of Fame of England’s Premier League. The Czech, who is now 40, is one of the most successful goalkeepers in the league’s history, notching up 202 clean sheets in the competition, most of them with Chelsea.
- The first post-1989 rector of Palacký University in Olomouc, Josef Jařab, has died at the age of 85. Mr. Jařab was appointed in 1990 and remained in the post until 1997. He was an expert on US and UK literature and renowned translator and was a guest lecturer at Harvard University shortly before the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia.
- President Petr Pavel will name two new ministers on Thursday, he said after a meeting with Prime Minister Petr Fiala. The head of state will appoint Mikuláš Bek minister of education, in place of Vladimír Balaš, who is standing down citing health reasons.
On May 4- 6, the Czech gastronomy will witness a new chapter.
The Makro Czech Gastro Fest will take place in Prague’s O2 universe, and it is the most massive event of its kind in the Czech Republic.
The event aims to take Czech gastronomy to new heights of excellence. The O2 universe’s four floors will host the national round of the prestigious cooking competition, Bocuse d’Or, expert congresses on current gastronomic topics, and much more.
The event will also feature cooking and bartending shows, new food tastings, pop-up restaurants, institutional catering sections, and a fresh market.
Makro ČR wholesale company, which is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary of entering the domestic market, will organize the Makro Czech Gastro Fest festival, together with the Czech Gastronomic Institute.
The first two days are intended for professionals from the gastronomy sector, while the third day is open to all food enthusiasts.
On the last day, there will be an announcement of the winner of the national round of the Bocuse d’Or competition, who will then compete in the European round in Trondheim in 2024.
The congresses during the festival aim to promote and acknowledge traditional domestic crops in Czech food culture.
For the full festival programme, bonus information and ticket sales for the event, visit www.makroczechgastrofest.cz
Through this event, visitors will get insightful information on the latest trends, practical recommendations on how to save time and costs, or proven cooking tips.
Renowned personalities of the domestic gastronomy scene will share their valuable professional experience, including Patrik Jaroš, the youngest Michelin-starred chef, Zdeněk Pohlreich, chef, and owner of Café Imperial, Klára Kollárová, the national sommelier of the Czech Republic, and Miluše Makó, the chef at Green Table Prague.
This event is an opportunity to experience the diverse and delicious Czech culinary culture and learn all about the latest breakthroughs in the gastronomic industry.
Nearly all the spas in the Czech Republic will hold a celebration to open the spa season in May.
This is usually linked to a number of cultural events and special programmes for visitors.
Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary will be holding a ceremonial opening of the season from 5 to 7 May. The busy programme is dominated by the Parade of Czech King Charles IV on Saturday, with a tournament of knights, acrobats and dancers.
Visitors can also look forward to famous film melodies performed by the Karlovy Vary Symphonic Orchestra or the Craft Fair for example. Fans of porcelain will be able to admire and also purchase products by the famous THUN 1794 porcelain factory at the Porcelain Fair in front of the Thermal Hotel.
The Bishop Emeritus of Pilsen will perform the traditional blessing of the springs. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. at Mill Colonnade and will culminate at Hot Spring Colonnade. Sunday afternoon will belong to the Sinatra Festival, during which visitors will hear famous ragtime, swing and popular melodies.
Františkovy Lázně
Františkovy Lázně will open its 230th spa season on 20 May. The town has prepared a varied cultural programme, which will take place in the music gazebo by František Spring. The so-called Awakening of the Town will take place during the morning, don’t miss the Mass and the parade through the town.
Teplice
The Beethoven Festival will begin on the evening before the celebrations at Teplice Spa. Beethoven’s best work (according to his words), the Missa solemnis, will be performed here on 25 May.
Music stages of various genres will also be present at the ceremonial opening of the 869th spa season. Lázeňská ulička will be newly introduced as an unexpected outing into the history of Teplice Spa during the Historic Market. An entire parade of kings and emperors, who were partial to ruling from the thermal baths at Teplice, will look down on you from the Royal Gallery of Guests, and the emblems of the greatest figures of music, who found inspiration in Teplice, will fly above your heads.
Mariánské Lázně
The spa season in Mariánské Lázně will open with a concert by the West Bohemian Symphonic Orchestra on Friday 12 May in the Casino Social Building. The official part will continue on Saturday 13 May with a Mass in the Church of the Virgin Mary Assumption, which is located near the colonnade. The ceremony on the colonnade after the Mass will include church officials blessing the springs of Mariánské Lázně.
Jáchymov
Cultural performances will take place throughout the day on Saturday 27 May at Jáchymov Spa and the spa town will dance to the rhythm of swing. A blessing of the springs ceremony will take place and visitors to the spa are invited on a free tour of the Astoria Mine Gallery.
Konstantinovy lázně
Konstantinovy lázně will launch the season on Friday 19 May with an exhibition vernissage in Švihák Pavilion. The next day, the Bishop of Plzeň will bless Prusík Spring and then you will be able to see a Beautiful Ride of Veteran Cars, an exhibition of costume jewellery from Jablonec and the actual ceremony of the opening of the season with two concerts and an evening fire show. Visitors will also be able to enjoy a promenade concert on Sunday after lunch.
Luhačovice
The start of the season and the coming of spring are traditionally celebrated at Luhačovice Spa with the Festival of the Opening of the Springs, which takes place on 12- 14 May. You can look forward to a parade in historic costumes and a music and dance programme. The traditional blessing of the springs will also be held.
Opening of the 2023 spa season in the Czech Republic overview:
Františkovy Lázně: 20 May
Karlovy Vary: 5 – 7 May
Konstantinovy Lázně: 19 – 21 May
Lázně Bělohrad: 20 May
Hodonín Spa: 6 May
Jáchymov Spa: 27 May
Klimkovice Spa: 6 May
Lázně Kynžvart: 27 May or 3 June
Lednice Spa: 20 May
Lázně Libverda: 27 May
Luhačovice Spa: 12 – 14 May
Náchod Spa: 20 May
Poděbrady Spa: 13 May
Slatinice Spa: 25 March 2023
Teplice Spa: 26 – 28 May
Mariánské Lázně: 12 – 14 May
Mšené Lázně: 6 May
Like most countries, the people of the Czech Republic descend from multiple genetic groups, and about 90% of Czechs can be traced to other ethnic groups that migrated into the country.
Genomac, a Czech firm specializing in genetic analysis, found that their country was about “half Slavic”, otherwise the Czech genome was a very colourful mix of different genes. They found that 20% of people they tested had relatives in another country they had no idea existed, and that some common genetic traits were rooted beyond the middle ages.
It’s believed that the people of the Czech Republic are made up of:
-37% Slavic peoples
-25% Western Europeans, mostly French, German, and northern Italy.
-9% Balkans
-9% Semitic, (arabs and jews)
-7% Germans and Scandinavians
-3% from other random parts of the world
-10% are “purebred” Czechs whose genetics are almost exclusively found in the northern Czech Basin (české kotlině.)
The first known people in recorded history to inhabit the Czech Republic were in fact Celts, who have left behind a visible genetic legacy on the Czech people today.
A genetic mutation called G551D which causes cystic fibrosis in Czechs and Austrians can be traced back to Celts.
But the distant history of Czech genetics gets even more convoluted and interesting.
When British Egyptologist Howard Carter discovered King Tutankhamun’s 3000-year-old mummy in 1922, geneticists assessed his entire genome structure and found that he had a direct descendantliving in Kopřivnice named Josef. Although we can safely assume that Tutankhamun never had a chance to learn Slovak or Czech, and never even visited, this interesting piece of trivia shows how interconnected we all are.
The study of Czech genetics isn’t just for fun, firms like Genomac can use their information to make important progress in medical research, like testing people’s DNA to decipher which diseases they are prone to, and which treatment they will best respond to.
- Over the past four years, more than 1,300 pubs have disappeared in Czech villages, almost fifteen percent of the original number. According to data from Plzeňský Prazdroj, which classifies villages with less than 5,000 inhabitants as rural communities, over 250 rural pubs closed down last year alone.
- Sugar prices in the EU have increased by 61% YoY, making it one of the most expensive food items. The Czech Republic saw the highest YoY increase of 98%. Experts attribute it to multiple factors, including a decrease in sugar production in Brazil and disruptions in global supply chains due to the pandemic.
- Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský met with his American counterpart Antony Blinken on Tuesday, the first day of Mr Lipavský’s diplomatic trip to the United States. The pair discussed strengthening bilateral relations, support for Ukraine, cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, energy security, and defence cooperation.
- The Czech pension insurance system ended the first quarter of this year with a deficit of 25.7 billion crowns, the biggest ever Q1 pension system deficit in Czechia. The government has stated that the current pension system is unsustainable and wants to present proposals for its reform this month.
- A monument commemorating the crash of an American military aircraft in December 1944 in the town of Polná has been spray-painted with graffiti of a white letter Z, the symbol of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Czech News Agency reports. Police are investigating the matter.
The Czech Republic is recognized as one of the least religious countries in Europe and potentially the world.
The reason for this is commonly explained as the result of Communism. Suppressing religion is a tactic for the Communist regime, which was intended to fight against any organized power that could challenge them, such as the Catholic Church.
However, the Czech Republic is a leader in secularism and non-religion among its neighboring countries, many of whom were also under Communist rule.
Take, for example, our next-door neighbor Poland, which remains largely Catholic beyond the fall of Soviet influence. The only nearby country that comes close to the Czech indifference to religion is Estonia.
While Estonia did fall under the Communist regime like Czechoslovakia, it is a sizeable distance away and has a vastly different history. Consequently, it is logical to conclude that you cannot merely point to Communism as the answer to why Czechs are not religious.
So, what is the answer?
As might be expected, there is not simply one event that changed the country’s religious views. Rather, many historians believe that a long history of anti-Catholic sentiments and rejection of organized religion led to the prominent atheism seen in the Czech Republic today.
One definable moment in the Czech Republic’s religious history was in 1415 when Jan Hus was burned at the stake for heresy by the Catholic Church.
Jan Hus was a Catholic priest who had a large following known as the Hussites in what was then Bohemia. His death only led to a further uprising of the Hussites’ influence and rejection of the Catholic Church.
Over two hundred years later, the Thirty Years War came to an end, and the Catholic Austro-Hungarian Empire ruled over what would become the Czech Republic.
The people of Bohemia were forced to adopt a religion they had not agreed with for centuries.
Unsurprisingly, this did not lead to positive feelings towards the Catholic Church. The distaste for Catholicism lasted for generations and only grew throughout World War I.
It was not until the war was won and Czechoslovakia became its own country that the people were finally free from Catholicism in the very recent year of 1918.
Therefore, Communism did not bring its rejection of religion until centuries of disfavor for Catholicism in Czech culture.
From then, it was not difficult for atheism to become solidified in the nation’s beliefs. The fall of Communism did lead to a short spike in the people’s interest in organized religions, but it did not endure.
In modern times, Czech people primarily identify as atheist, agnostic, or personally spiritual.
A majority believe in spiritual concepts such as fate or miracles, but in a recent Pew Research Center survey, 72% of Czechs said they do not identify with any particular religion.
As with most historical questions, the non-religious Czech cultural phenomenon is the result of centuries of experiences.
The Czech economy probably pulled out of recession in the first quarter with slight growth driven by trade, preliminary data indicated, although high inflation continued to bite.
Gross domestic product in the Czech Republic increased by 0.1% quarter-on-quarter, defying a Reuters poll forecast for a 0.1% drop. GDP shrank by a less-than-expected 0.2% year-on-year, the data showed.
The Czech Republic is the first economy in central Europe to report first-quarter GDP data, but all have felt the strain of high inflation, driven by steep energy price rises last year.
At the end of 2022, the Czech and Hungarian economies slipped into technical recession, defined as two consecutive quarters of declining quarter-on-quarter GDP.
“So it is confirmed, the recession really ended (last quarter),” Komercni Banka economist Jan Vejmelek said in a Twitter post after the data.
The Czech statistics office did not give details of the preliminary data but said external demand buoyed the economy while household consumption decreased. Updated data is due on May 30.
Inflation has surged to double-digit rates across central Europe but looks to have passed a peak. Interest rates remain elevated and central banks are not in a hurry to ease policy until price growth is under control.
Industrial output figures in the region mostly showed declines in January and February, and activity is likely to remain sluggish.
Activity in Poland’s manufacturing sector deteriorated in April, according to S&P Global’s Polish Purchasing Managers’ Index, released on Tuesday.
The index fell to 46.6 from 48.3 in March, staying below the 50.0 line that separates growth from contraction.
For the first time in history, more than one million Czechs may visit Croatia on vacation this year.
In 2o22, slightly less than 850,000 people visited, the second highest number after 2017.
Domestic travel agencies are already reporting a fifth to a quarter increase in interest in visits to the seaside country.
Although prices in Croatia have risen significantly since last year, they remain lower than in the Czech Republic. Food costs, for example, jumped by almost 17 percent year on year in March, compared to 24 percent in the Czech Republic.
Furthermore, the Czech koruna has strengthened significantly against the euro in the last year, which Croatia switched to this year.
The koruna is at its strongest against the euro since 2008, making shopping in Croatia far more inexpensive than last year. The exchange rate against the euro was around 24.50 last summer, and it could be around 23.30 this summer.
When we consider the aforementioned lower inflation in Croatia, it is more expensive than last year from the Czech perspective, but the year-on-year increase is notably lower than what the Czechs are used to from their home country.
In March, Croatia’s annual inflation rate was approximately ten percent, while the Czech rate was fifteen percent, which is substantially higher.
Croatia tours have become more expensive
Czechs seem don’t mind that vacations to Croatia are now more expensive than tours to any other popular locations, including Egypt, Greece, and Turkey.
The main reasons are price of air tickets, i.e. air fuel, ergo energy.
However, direct train connections from the Czech Republic are also becoming significantly more expensive due to more expensive energy.
Night Trains to Operate Again From Mid-June to September 30
Night trains between Prague and Rijeka will run again this summer three times per week, starting from June 16 to the end of September.
The return of the connection offered by RegioJet comes following the successful operation of the same line last year, which in particular has attracted great interest amongst Czech and Slovak tourists.
RegioJet is also offering summer bus services to another two cities in Croatia – Split and Ogulin, though only until August 31. In total, the same provider offers services through either bus or train to a total of 56 destinations in Croatia.
Regarding the night train to Rijeka, the same will start its journey in Prague to Rijeka, will pass through Břeclav and Bratislava in Slovakia to its final destination in Celje in Slovenia.
The train from Prague will operate every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday from 4.45 pm, the while the train from Rijeka will depart on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 2.55 pm.