Prague Revisited: From World War II to the Velvet Revolution

This book of over 200 photographs by Bernis and Peter von zur Muehlen covers the sweep of Prague’s history from World War II to the “Velvet Revolution.” The first chapter, illustrated by his mother’s black and white snapshots of the city, is an account of Peter’s life in Prague as a young boy during the months leading up to the end of World War II and of his family’s narrow escape days before the Red Army entered the city. The following chapters describe four visits by Bernis and Peter between 1985 and 1992, an epoch that saw Czechoslovakia’s transformation from Communist dictatorship to the restoration of democracy. The images reveal not only a glorious city, but also the many less prominent sites that give Prague its unique charm. Haunting images of the Old Jewish Cemetery remind the reader of the turbulent history of the Jews, nearly exterminated by the Nazis. One chapter traces the evolution of the Lennon Wall, a famous symbol of Prague’s long struggle for freedom. Lively accounts of the photographers’ travel experiences document a city slowly coming to terms with its own history. An afterword by Ori Z. Soltes, noted lecturer and author of twenty books, illuminates the city’s Judaeo-Christian history.