Mailbox

This week in Mailbox: the proposed exhumation of the remains of the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, the history of Charles University, a link to the latest edition of Czech Books, the government’s approval to sell the Czech national carrier. Listeners quoted: Swen Gummich, Klaus Jurascheck, Abigail Hirsch, Aloisie Krasny.

Part of Tycho Brahe's grave

Welcome to Mailbox, Radio Prague’s weekly programme that airs your views and tries to answer your questions.

Over the past week, we have received a couple of interesting questions regarding Czech history. The first one concerns the 16th-century Danish astronomer and alchemist Tycho Brahe who spent the final years of his life in Bohemia, at the invitation of Emperor Rudolph II. Tycho Brahe died in Prague in 1601 and is buried in the Týn Church in Prague’s Old Town Square. To this date the cause of his death remains shrouded in mystery. Swen Gummich from Germany asks:

“I have heard about a planned exhumation of Tycho Brahe in Prague. Do you know if this information is true? And if so, when will it take place and whom can I contact for further information?”

According to reports in the Czech media, the exhumation has been requested by Danish experts as, apparently, a document has been found suggesting the astronomer was murdered by a distant relative of his. In the past it was widely believed that the cause of Brahe’s death was a burst bladder but in recent years experts suggested kidney failure, possibly caused by mercury poisoning. The exhumation request is now being considered by Cardinal Miloslav Vlk as well as Prague’s authorities for the preservation of historic monuments. Radio Prague aired interviews with the Danish experts this past Wednesday and will bring you the whole story in Panorama on Thursday.

Charles University

Another history-related question came from Klaus Jurascheck from the United Kingdom:

“Looking at your excellent website and reading the history section, I am prompted by your mention of the ‘golden age at the time of Emperor Charles IV’ (who founded Prague University in 1348) to ask you a question. My family's papers include someone's old note stating that a Reinhardt Jurascheck was Professor iuris utriusque at Prague University in 1397. Do you know of any way I could find out if this is true? (Please forgive my asking, blame it on the inspiring nature of your website.)”

As a matter of fact the university has its own institution dealing with its history. It is called the Institute of the History of Charles University and it focuses mainly on the history of the university itself, but also on the history of education and schooling in the Czech lands in general. If your information is correct, its experts should be able to find record of it in the university archives they manage. The contact details can be found at http://udauk.cuni.cz/ARCHIVENG-1.html

Moving on to more recent history, Abigail Hirsch from Canada heard the latest edition of Czech Books by David Vaughan featuring an interview with historian Lisa Peschel who has written a book on the cultural life in the Terezín ghetto during WWII.

“Dear friends, thank you so much for your piece on the cabaret at Terezín. Please send me the link. We have a holocaust museum here in Montreal and I would like to forward this to them. So much depth in this little piece.”

Thank you very much for listening to the programme. It can be found both in sound and text at http://www.radio.cz/en/article/112308.

And finally back to the present, Aloisie Krasny from Australia reacts to the Czech government’s approval of the terms of the sale of the national carrier Czech Airlines earlier this week:

Ruzyne airport

“How could a government sell its own airline? … If there is an economic issue which I assume there is, you don't sell the whole airline but keep a part of it as was done with Skoda and Volkswagen. Can you imagine the Russians, particularly Aeroflot buying the Czech national airline? I hope a Czech backer comes into this deal and purchases it. I am completely astonished by this move, particularly on the part of the government.”

All we can say is the new owner should be known by the end of September and Radio Prague will keep you up-to-date on the developments.

And as we are running out of time, let me repeat our January competition question for one last time.

This month’s mystery person was born on January 5, 1931 in the eastern town of Loučná nad Desnou but has lived in other countries for most of his life. He is considered to be one of the world’s greatest classical pianists. Last month he gave his last public performance after a concert career of sixty years.

Please send us your answers by the end of the month to the usual addresses: [email protected] or Radio Prague, 12099 Prague. Thanks for tuning in today and please, keep those e-mails coming. See you next Sunday, same time, same frequency.