Prague according to Hitler: The dictator wanted to demolish the Petrin lookout tower and the Municipal House
Adolf Hitler had big plans with Prague.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Bundesarchiv, Image 183-2004-1202-505 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0
Can you imagine Prague without the Petrin Lookout Tower? Adolf Hitler wanted her demolished. With our capital, the leader had many plans that completely changed its unique appearance.
On March 15, 1939, the day the occupation of Czechoslovakia by German troops began, Adolf Hitler also arrived in Prague. His arrival was, so he surprised all the employees of Prague Castle with his presence. The Nazi leader was not embarrassed and immediately announced that he was taking over the seat. He arrived before Emil Hácha, who at the time was just a puppet in the hands of the Nazis, even though he was still officially president. Paradoxically, Hitler greeted him at Prague Castle. He was in his ultimate form. He managed to sign all the documents and attend various meetings in record time. In addition to matters concerning the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, he also dealt with what Prague would look like according to his ideas.
The leaders of the German Empire did not like the Petrin Tower, as well as its model, the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The lookout tower has been the dominant feature of the Petřín Mountains since 1891, and the construction of some buildings was planned so that they could be seen from Petřín. It is interesting that it was built by 60 fitters in less than a year. In addition to the tourist purpose, Petřín also served as a television signal transmitter in the 1950s. It also limited the lookout towers because it could only work to the first floor.
He remarked that he did not want the government of the Petrin Tower in Prague when he woke up on March 16 and enjoyed the view of the city from Prague Castle. The lookout tower allegedly spoiled his impression of the whole view. It was to be replaced by a large university campus. On the same day, the dictator left Prague and headed for Vienna.
What were Hitler’s other plans for Prague? He allegedly wanted to turn the Old Town into a Jewish reservation with a museum. Already during the war, he brought rare artifacts into it, which he then wanted to collect and exhibit. It was supposed to be a kind of demonstration for the people of the “pure Aryan race” so that they could imagine how the Jews once lived.
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The Nazis saw Prague as a future Germanic city. For example, they planned the reconstruction of the Old Town Hall or the construction of a huge pedestrian street named after Hitler. It was to lead through the city center to Vítkov. Hitler’s architect Albert Speer had the lion’s share of all ideas. It was also planned to build exclusively German parts of the city. Reinhard Heydrich planned to demolish the Municipal House. The Nazis wanted to destroy it mainly because it was said to be one of the main symbols of Slavism. Prague was to become a purely German city, and the Czechs had nothing to do with it.
Other plans of the Nazis were described by Miloš Hořejš in the book Protectorate Prague as a German city. The Germans planned many transport structures, such as the Zlíchov Bridge over the Vltava. The reconstruction of Střelecký Island was also to come, where a sports center with a boarding school and a palace was to be established.
However, not all the changes the Nazis wanted to make were implemented for economic reasons. They simply did not have the money for them due to high military costs.