evangelický hřbitov ve Strašnicích Cemetery

Welcome. You have just entered a space that is a silent witness to ancient times and fates. You are standing at the gate of the Evangelical Cemetery in Scarecrow. Even if you are in the busy part of Prague, as soon as you cross this threshold, feel how the surrounding noise of Vinohradská Street begins to move away and retreats the calm that is a natural guest here. Feel this atmosphere. It's a place where history meets the present and where every tiny part of this complex tells its own, silent story.

Let's go back together to when this space began to exist. To understand the importance of this place, we have to look back to the end of the eighteenth century. It is the year of seventy-five, and throughout Europe and in our countries the spirit of enlightenment rules. There is a time of great reform, brought by Lord Joseph the second. It was during this period, in seventy-five, that this evangelical cemetery was founded. But it wasn't just a normal place to rest. This cemetery served mainly the people who lived and worked here and whose native language was German. It was a spiritual and social centre for German-speaking evangelists who created their own unique community in this part of town.

Now pay attention to how this space survived the storm of history. The history of this place wasn't always about peace and quiet. After World War II, the fate of the cemetery seemed uncertain. In a thousand and nine hundred and fifty years, the cemetery was officially closed. The decision to close it was taken with the consent of the then State Office for Religious Affairs. At that time, even plans for his complete destruction appeared. It was meant to cease to exist and its monuments will be removed. Fortunately, this did not happen. This space showed a stronger will to survive.

The break occurred in the year two thousand and two, when the cemetery was declared a cultural monument. This gave him new protection and ensured that his value was not forgotten. After a long time of waiting and gradual renewal, there was a significant milestone in two thousand fifteen. Thanks to the reconstruction financed by the Prague funeral home, the cemetery reopened to people. This renewal has enabled us to go through these paths again today and to perceive the beauty and sadness of this place, which has been driven back into life from the threat of extinction.

When you walk around, look around you now. Although space may seem to be large, its structure is very specific. There are over five hundred ninety-eight graves and fifty-four tombs in this area. Feel how these elements are distributed in space. Each tomb and every grave represent an individual story that was written here in history. Although some parts may seem abandoned, this is precisely their unmistakable character.

Now pay attention to the people who rest here. These places are not just about stone and soil, but especially about the people who left their trail. Those whose names are stored here include Johanna Buska or Oscar Dolch. You will also find names like Wilhelm Elsner, Moritz Gröbe or Ludwig Grünberger. In these tombs rest other personalities such as Angelo Neumann, Julius Morman, Hugo Rex or Carl Umrath. Each of these names belongs to someone who was part of the German-speaking community we talked about. Their lives were linked to the bloom of this place and its subsequent decline.

But now I want to reveal to you one mystery that gives this place an unusual touch. When you walk between the tombs, you can come across the tombs that seem abandoned, almost forgotten. It was in one of these abandoned tombs that there was a story in the past that should not happen, but that is incredibly human. There were lovers who had no other home. This unusual and sad story of people looking for shelter in a place for those who no longer live was so powerful that a documentary film was made about it. It is a reminder that the line between life and death, between home and another place, can sometimes be very thin.

Now let's move on slowly. Let the atmosphere of this place drift. Take a look at the details of the tombs that you can capture with your eyes, and feel the silence that rules here. This cemetery is not just a place of memory of the dead, it is living proof of how we can take care of our past and how we can preserve what is worth, even if it seems lost.

Thank you for taking the time to explore this important piece of Prague history. Continue your tour at your own pace. Let yourself be guided by your feelings and watch carefully what this place wants to reveal to you. We bid you farewell and wish you a peaceful and interesting passage through this historic monument.