Criminals came to power and enacted criminal laws. On September 15, 1935, German Nazis issued the so-called Nuremberg Laws. Citizens became "racially" undesirable people. It's not just about the past. It's about preventing such selection of people from happening again. Photo: ancient steps, Jerusalem. (translated)
The New York church of St. Paul from the end of the 18th century has almost miraculously survived the terrorist attacks 25 years ago. When I accompanied the solidarity mission of Czech rescuers in the spring of 2002, there was a memorial for 9/11 here. It was heart-wrenching moments to see the search for the remains of the victims of this tragedy back then. R.i.P. (translated)
For 60 years now, the cultural world has been commemorating International Literacy Day on September 8. Basic literacy is still lacking for hundreds of millions of people in many parts of the world. As I watch the election forecasts and results both here and in neighboring countries, I wonder if this is also our problem? Photo Liechtenstein library Vienna. (translated)
On September 3, '39, Great Britain and France declared war on Nazi Germany. At that time, Europe understood that one cannot endlessly yield to aggression. Peace is not weakness or passivity; it requires courage, fidelity to values, and a willingness to stand up against evil. Illustration: Biblical Samson overcoming the lion. (translated)
The official end of WW2 occurred after 6 years of terrible suffering and devastation with the signing of the unconditional Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945, on the American battleship USS Missouri. Let us hope that no similar world conflict will occur again. We also hope that the time of Russian surrender is approaching. (translated)
A week after the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact between Hitler's Third Reich and the USSR, German troops attacked Poland on September 1, '39. World War II broke out. On September 17, '39, Soviet troops invaded Poland. While Berlin learned from its crimes, Moscow is again attacking westward, against Ukraine. (translated)
This is an unbearable tragedy and my heart goes out to the children and everyone who loved them — grief and anger are understandable. But reading the piece, I’m struck by how the conversation keeps circling between “monster” rhetoric and purely punitive instincts instead of asking why a new mother could reach the point of postpartum psychosis without adequate intervention. The prosecution even admits she was mentally ill; the dispute is about severity and culpability. If our goal is to prevent future horrors, we need to treat severe perinatal mental illness as a public-health crisis: universal postpartum screening, guaranteed paid parental leave, accessible mental-health care and emergency supports, and training for first responders and clinicians to spot and act on psychosis early. That doesn’t erase the need for accountability or for justice for the victims, but criminalization alone won’t fix the systemic gaps that leave parents isolated and untreated. We should push for both compassionate, evidence-based treatment pathways when illness drives tragic acts, and policy changes that make these crises far less likely to happen in the first place.
On August 30, 1980, agreements were signed in Polish Szczecin between striking workers and the communist authorities. The following day, agreements were made in Gdańsk. Solidarity was born—a movement that showed that even an apparently all-powerful totalitarian regime can yield to courage and truth. (translated)
The battle of Mohács was of fundamental importance for our history, which took place exactly 500 years ago, on August 29, 1526. The Ottoman Sultan Suleiman defeated the army of Czech King Louis Jagellonian, who perished here. In October, the Czech estates then elected Ferdinand I of Habsburg as the King of Bohemia. (translated)
The anniversary of Ukraine's independence is once again taking place under the bombardment of Russian drones. In 1991, Ukraine freed itself from the grip of Moscow. It clearly has not learned from its own dark history. It is important not to forget the shameful Ribbentrop-Molotov pact of August 23, 1939, by which the Nazis and Bolsheviks divided Europe. (translated)
On the night of August 20 to 21, 1968, the cage fell. The Warsaw Pact army, led by the USSR, stopped the reform process of the "Prague Spring." The order to occupy our country came from Moscow at that time, just as the orders for the bombing of Kyiv and the war killings throughout Ukraine today. R.i.P. to all the victims. (translated)
While today the borders look like this (photo: CZ/D border in Šumava), 65 years ago the Berlin Wall was built. A world divided by walls and barbed wire cost many lives of people who longed for freedom. Let's appreciate what we have within the EU and not ruin it. R.i.P. to all victims of evil. (translated)
There are people who can create heaven even in hell on earth. Among them is the Polish priest, laureate of humanity and saint, Maximilian Kolbe, who 85 years ago voluntarily offered his life for that of a fellow prisoner in the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz, thereby saving him. August 14, the day of his death, is also his feast day. (translated)
Today is dedicated to Jewish monuments. Persecution from antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the efforts of Nazis and communists have left scars, but did not destroy the deep biblical faith from which our entire culture and civilization grow. The strength of this identity is an impulse to reflect on what persists and what passes away. (translated)
The Great War (WW1) is a fundamental turning point in the history of Europe. The so-called long 19th century ended, as did the quarter-century of "belle epoque". Hundreds of memorials in our towns and villages warn against the destruction of human lives. It took only 20 years for the world to plunge into a new war. And today... Will we ever learn? (translated)
On the night of July 16 to 17, 1918, the Bolsheviks murdered the last Russian Tsar Nicholas II, his family, and closest servants. This brutal murder marked the culmination of the coup that the Bolsheviks took power in Russia in the autumn of 1917. There was a total disruption of the state, rights, morality, and the economy. (translated)
12. 7. marks 94 years since the air disaster in which probably the most significant Czech businessman of all time, Tomáš Baťa (56), tragically perished near Otrokovice. "Don’t build a company, first build yourself" was one of his principles, similarly to caring for "his" people. Thank you for the example and R.i.P. (translated)
When I was in government, some criticized me for talking to everyone. During one of my meetings with former Pope Benedict XVI, I asked for his opinion. The Pope said that people can only convey something to each other when they communicate. I am convinced that this simple truth still holds. (translated)
The NATO summit in Ankara is an opportunity to increase security in the world. Our accession in 1999 is one of the most significant steps in modern history. It is important that no relevant political force questions this step. It is also great that a brave man who knows NATO well leads our country. (translated)
"The Night of the Long Knives" was a ruthless purge in the Nazi ranks. It was a massacre of the SA leadership and Hitler's opponents in the NSDAP, which began on June 30, 1934. This significantly strengthened the power of the SS. Just as brutally as the Nazis, the communists settled scores among themselves, the two worst regimes of the 20th century. (translated)
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