Silent heroism
Currently, at the Institute of National Remembrance Brno, you can choose between two historical eras - World War II and the 1950s. In each era, you can choose from two unique stories of our heroes.
Second World War Stories
Jaryna Mlchová: The Hepatitis that Saved Lives
When the Second World War broke out, Jaryna Mlchová turned her knowledge of chemistry into a weapon. She joined the PVVZ resistance group and, by night, prepared what were known as “hepatitis packages”. These were mixtures of picric and citric acid which, once ingested, produced symptoms resembling hepatitis.
Thanks to this, dozens of Jewish people were able to remain in Prague and avoid deportation. The risk of such sabotage was huge. Her flat was searched several times by the Gestapo. Was she ever discovered? Find out in the interactive exhibition Silent Heroism!
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Tomáš Sedláček: From Europe to Asia in the Fight Against Nazism
When Hitler invaded, young officer Tomáš Sedláček knew he had to stand up to Nazism. He travelled through Slovakia, Hungary, Turkey and Syria to Beirut, from where he continued on to France. But instead of the battle he had expected, he was met with disappointment at the passivity of the French.
He therefore welcomed his transfer to England, where he trained for further deployment. In 1944, he was sent to the Eastern Front – first to the Dukla Pass. Snow-covered Low Tatras. Frost, wind, and battle. The Slovak National Uprising. Follow in the footsteps of General Tomáš Sedláček and experience his journey!
1950s Stories
Milena Blatná: Underground Letters
In 1952, Milena found herself working in the Jáchymov mines – a place forever remembered as a symbol of suffering. She first worked in the accounting office and later transitioned to technical inspection, where she met prisoners daily.
It was there that she discovered not only love, but also courage. She began smuggling out prisoners’ letters – tiny sparks of hope sent to their families. Each letter was a risk. And one day, she was caught. She expected to end up behind bars herself, but fate took a different turn – Stalin and Gottwald died. How did her story end? Come and experience Milena’s journey.
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Leopold Färber: The Man with the Glass Eye
Leopold’s father was Jewish and his mother Catholic. It was this “mixed marriage” that saved the family from being deported to a concentration camp.
As a boy nicknamed Hurvínek, he carried messages between resistance groups and learned early that evil must never be obeyed. After the war, his spirit of defiance remained. Together with the Mark brothers, he decided to resist yet another regime – this time the communists. They gathered explosives and planned an attack on a police training school.
But everything went terribly wrong. How did Leopold lose his eye? You will find the answers in the interactive exhibition Silent Heroism.
