Tip for VE Day visit? Czechia’s Army Museum on Vítkov Hill
Located just below Prague’s Vítkov Hill, the Czech Army Museum is one of the places to check out if you are into military history, thinking of honouring Victory Day, or just generally into great exhibitions. It features more than 7,000 exhibits displayed in various fashion. The largest exhibition hall covers the period encompassing the Second World War, including the Prague Uprising.
Czech military history is divided into seven segments within the four-floor museum. These range from prehistoric times, through the Habsburg period and the world wars, all the way to the present.
I met with historian Tomáš Plesl who works in the museum specialising in the period around the time of the Prague Uprising in May 1945. The exhibits covering this specific period of the Second World War are located in the upper part of a large hall that he says was originally used to store documents.
“This whole space is extremely interesting because it is where the country’s archive relating to the liberation period was originally stored. This is where documentation relating to the Czechoslovak Legions was kept.
“This is also the largest exhibition space that we have in the museum and it is dedicated precisely to the years 1938 to 1948, especially the Second World War.”
He says that despite being the largest battle of its kind on Czech territory at the time, the Prague Uprising was ultimately just a part of a wider series of uprisings that that took place when the Czechs rose up in May 1945.
“The way in which the liberation of the Czech lands was portrayed after the war was significantly skewed by placing huge emphasis on the role of the Red Army. This also led to consequences like the fact that even today we don’t have accurate documentation regarding the number of people who died during the May uprising.
“When it comes to the Prague Uprising, we have made some significant advances. However, it needs to be kept in mind that the losses were much greater if we take all of the battles that were part of the uprising on Czech territory into account.”
Historian Plesl says this while standing next to an authentic map detailing the barricades that were set up across the Czech capital by the resistance during the Prague Uprising. Created shortly after the war, the map was part of the initial post-war effort to document the battle. However, this attempt to provide an accurate history was halted after the Communist Coup in 1948 and only restarted during the 1980s.
Now it is historians such as Tomáš Plesl who are piecing together the story, much of which is now on display to visitors. I asked him what he considers to be the most important thing to remember about the event.
“I think that the most important thing to keep in mind when talking about the uprising is that it broke out on May 5 across the whole of Czech territory that was occupied by Germany at the time.
“In this regard, it is also necessary to highlight the role of Czechoslovak Radio whose call for help basically provided the spark that let the Czech population know that something along the lines of an uprising had begun.
“It was a signal for the resistance structures, by this I mean the Revolutionary National Councils and the military resistance that had been in place to come out of hiding and create local commands.
“It was therefore possible to rise up at the same moment across the Czech lands and thus prevent Nazi commanders from defending this area, just as had been originally envisaged in the relevant plan that was formulated in 1939.”
The German plan counted on having their forces gradually retreat to the west by May 20th and then surrender to the Allies, thus avoiding Siberian prison camps in Soviet Russia. This had to be altered however, precisely as a consequence of the Czechs rising up in the rear of their lines.
Among the exhibits detailing the period are also improvised rifles made by the resistance fighters in specially set up logistics depots that were located across Prague. Visitors are free to try out some of these weapons, as there are several replicas located next to the exhibits.
This is not just the case in the hall detailing Czech military history from 1938 to 1948. The hall dedicated to the First World War, for example, has an immersive replica trench which visitors can pass through, filled with figurines representing Czechoslovak Legionaries and phenomena such as smoke and sound effects. Among the exhibits is also a very special flag, says Mr Plesl.
“We can see here the original flag of the Czech squadron which was consecrated in Kyiv in 1914. You can also see above the screening of the film that was shot on the occasion.”
The Czech squadron was the first Czechoslovak Legionnaire unit set up on the Eastern Front. The location where this took place - Sophia Square in Kyiv – was visited last week by Czech President Petr Pavel during his official trip to Ukraine.
A large section is also dedicated to the evolution of military technology during the war. This includes exhibits related to aircraft, tanks and ships.
Those looking to get a taste of the glamour of Bohemia’s medieval history are also in for a treat. The museum features a special hall dedicated largely to this purpose.
“We can see archaeological exhibits here that document medieval warfare. We have, for example, an audio-visual exhibition that focuses on the development of warfare during this period on the territories of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia.
“One of the oldest exhibits here is a Roman spatha sword that dates back to the second or third century AD and was found on Czech territory.”
Just as in the other hall, replica weapons, ranging from swords and spears to halberds and maces are lined up along one of the walls for visitors to try out. A life-size replica Hussite wagon fort is also among the exhibits, detailing perhaps the proudest moment in Bohemia’s medieval history when the followers of Jan Hus fought off multiple large crusades and even launched raids into neighbouring states.
However, perhaps the most prominent feature is the life-size statue of John of Luxembourg. The 14th century blind king of Bohemia is depicted sitting on his horse, accompanied by two soldiers just ahead of the famous Battle of Crecy, which saw a major victory for the English against France. King John was among those who fell in the clash, fighting on the French side.
Aside from weapons, uniforms, military technology and machines, the museum also features many statues and paintings that depict key moments and figures in the country’s history. These are often displayed along the monumental marble staircases of the building. I asked Tomáš Plesl to tell me about its history.
“The origins of the culture of Czech military museums stretch back to the First World War, when the Czechoslovak Legions started the first collections, aiming to document their activities for the future.
“After the war, there were provisional army museums, such as the one located in Troja Chateau. At the turn of the 1920s and 1930s a large liberation memorial was built here at Vítkov.
“Aside from the pantheon on Vítkov Hill, it also features the building at the foot of the hill that is now our museum. The museum recently went through a major reconstruction, the first in its century-long history.”
This recent renovation has made the building arguably one of the most impressive museums in contemporary Czechia, featuring a 360 degree overview of the country’s military history in a space that aesthetically embodies much of the ambition and energy that characterised the First Czechoslovak Republic.
Those thinking of checking it out should probably dedicate at least half-a-day of their time. The museum is open daily, except for Monday, from 10 AM to 6 PM.
More information can be found on the museum’s website: https://www.vhu.cz/en/english-summary/
