John and I went into Prague first and again had breakfast at Yvette’s restaurant. Today there were no queues for security at the castle although the area was busy when we did go through. We were here mainly for 2 caches and some photos, which was lucky as it was both cold in the wind (I had 2 jackets and John didn’t) and the Cathedral was not open until midday. I did suggest he buy an extra layer but we didn’t find anything suitable. We did get good photos of the Golden Gate at the Cathedral.

Once we walked down from the Castle it was warmer as we were out of the wind. We headed for a cache near the Royal Route and stopped to take photos of the street leading to the castle and then for a coffee. The street is full of what were called burgher houses. The cache was around the corner at the alchemist museum. It was a quiet and attractive spot with a café inside and was part of a hostel. The cache had over 1000 favourite points so we waited while some people passed in order to get it. Luckily we could wander into the café area while waiting.

We went a different way towards the town centre and found ourselves outside the US Embassy. We had already realised this as we saw the flag. John then noticed the policeman or security person on the street with a mirror. Cars were stopping, opening their engines and the underneath of the cars was checked using the mirror.

We had decided to do an afternoon tour and met the guide at the Powder Tower. This was a paid ‘WW2 Occupation’ tour and there were 10 of us on it. The guide was Czech, and very knowledgeable.

He began showing us photos and, as with Cesky Krumlov, the significance then dawned. We were first looking at the building where the Czech Ministers accepted the terms of the Munich Agreement (“Peace in our time” - Chamberlain). The guide was very considered. He had come to a personal conclusion that the Munch Agreement (which had reduced the size of the Republic) had been wisely accepted as it had saved the city and country from devastation. Other people in the Republic call it the Munich Betrayal so his view in not held by everyone. He showed us on maps the areas lost then, which were mainly those with significant German, Hungarian and Polish majorities, however, they also lost most of their border defences as well.

Of course, we know now that Hitler did not keep his word when he said that would be it – and he then showed us the photos of the German troops entering Prague a few months later. I had not realised that the Czech leader had been called to meet with Hitler at midnight to be told either tell your army not to resist or we bomb Prague. The Czech leader had a heart attack but Hitler’s physician gave him treatment and he survived to accept the ‘offer’ and for the land to became a Protectorate of the Reich.

The Czech army was disarmed, but became the core of the local resistance, while others left the area and fought with French and British troops as the free Czech army. We next saw an apartment that had been the base for a resistance group. The resistance had been reasonably successful and had managed to sabotage vehicles and disorient troops until the German authorities lost patience. At that stage a lot of spying happened and tracking of radio signals from unmarked cars. Students also lead protests which led to the universities being closed and 1209 students sent to concentration camps.

The resistance was operating under the leadership of the exiled President Benes. The next part of the tour related to the assassination of the SS coomander Reinhard Heydrick. The tour guide said that the local Resistance were initially opposed to the action as they both feared reprisals and also they felt he was the devil they knew. The Czech authorities in Britain insisted that it was required to show that the Czechs deserved to have their nation back. Apparently Churchill had told Benes that his country did not exist so he was, with respect, just an individual.

We heard first about life in the Protectorate. After the German authorities got annoyed with the Czech people’s passive resistance, Heydrick was sent to sort things out. He was a musician who would play when he had time with the Prague orchestra but that was his only soft side it appears. The guides mother was a child at the time and he told us a story from her youth.

Prior to Heydrick arriving there, farmers had been able to kill animals to sell. He instituted a rule that everything had to be sold to the German army. His mother’s family were farmers and had killed a pig. The army arrived and searched the house for evidence. When they left without finding anything, they said if the family killed another animal and kept its meat, the family would all be killed. Our guide said that his uncle had processed the meat a number of metres from the house to avoid any traces and managed to just avoid evidence being found. They never took that risk again.

Heydrick was also clever. His first action was to increase the food allowances and other perks for the workers. Those who worked very hard for the Reich were rewarded and this induced loyalty. It was cost free as the extra allowances were taken from the Jews and Gypsies.

We were taken underground and told that the original settlements were now buried under the new buildings, but some were still accessible. The part we went to was under the Town Hall and used really to help us imagine the next part of the story. John knew most of it but I didn’t.

In brief, 2 soldiers, one Czech and one Slovak were offered the job of assassinating Heydrick. One was injured when they parachuted in and they were nearly caught then as the ‘friendly’ forester who helped them was an agent for the Germans. They killed him and made contact, after some delays, with the local resistance. They managed to blow up Heydrick’s car on about the last possible day although a Sten Gun misfired and the bomb was not as destructive as they hoped. Heydrick died in hospital as a result of his wounds and infection. The 2 agents were betrayed by one of their support group who was concerned about reprisals to his family and their village.  This followed the total destruction of a village because of false information that the people there had supported the assassins. The assassins were hiding in a crypt under a church with helpers and all killed themselves before they could be captured having been surrounded by 700 troops.

Mention was made of the plight of the Jews at this time although it was not the main focus of the tour. On our way to the last spot, our guide pointed out a memorial plaque on the footpath. When a person is identified as having lived in a specific place, a small plaque record their details. There are many of these in the area, all equally inconspicuous but still significant.

We did not have time to go to the actual underground crypt. Although it was not far away from where the tour ended, it was due to close at 5pm and would not be open the next day. It was a little disappointing but the tour overall had been very worthwhile.

We walked back alongside the river and stopped for a drink in a pub (rich hot chocolates) before we climbed the tower at Charles Bridge for both photos in all directions and a rather cheeky cache which is on the top level as well.

We had dinner at the place we had discovered on the first day near our base. Then we found a cache at a nearby Stadium and John learned a bit about a famous Czech footballer (Josef Masopust) whose statue was on display. Katherine and Jess arrived back ‘home’ not long after us, and plans were finalised for tomorrow. It was then time for bed.