Operation Anthropoid in Detail with Lidice Village
Learn about Czechoslovak resistance stories and acts of bravery by a local enthusiast who is addicted to discovering off-the-beaten tracks and stories of known and unknown heroes of WW2 who brought the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. The tour takes you back to 1941 when Josef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš were dropped off at Nehvizdy and they were on an extremely dangerous mission- to assassinate the SS-Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich also called the Butcher of Prague, the architect of concentration camps or the blonde beast! Many young brave Czechoslovak soldiers decided to leave after the Munich betrayal in 1938 and after fighting in France after its capitulation left for the United Kingdom where Czechoslovak president Eduard Beneš established an exile government. His main aim was to re-establish Czechoslovakia within its pre-war borders and secure the future of the country. There was very much-needed local resistance to show the allies that the nation didn't surrender and accepted the Nazi regime. Unlike many other paragroups, the Operation Anthropoid was very fortunate to meet the right people and get the help they needed to plan a perfect assassination. Things didn’t go as planned, like they never do, however they completed their mission. The following retaliations by Nazis have shocked the whole world, and showed what they can do. Burning the village Lidice and then Ležáky, which were one of many villages, however these made it to the world news. The whole story of these superheroes ended up on the 18th of June 2024, after 21 days of hiding with 5 more other paratroopers in the crypt of the St. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral. They did not surrender to 700 Nazi soldiers, fought for almost 7 hours and committed suicides, rather than falling into hands of Nazi aggressor! They left us the most important message, which is to fight until the end for what you believe in and never surrender. Many of those who provided safe houses, or any kind help to resistance and paratroopers ended up executed at the Mauthausen concentration camp and just a little few from the Czechoslovak resistance survived... A pardon and awards were issued after the war, by the British intelligence saying: "In a society which lives by normal rules, assassination cannot be morally justified, but when a nation is enslaved by murderers and fanatics assassination may be the only means of destroying evil!" This tour takes you through off the beaten tracks that even some locals have not been to, and all is tailor-made to give you all details about this mind-blowing act of bravery.