The concrete wall around the window is fractured and there are bullet holes around it.
Bullet-scarred window of the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Prague where the attackers were cornered.
He was a ruthless Nazi whom Hitler himself described as “the man with the iron heart”.
Thousands of people were arrested and executed.
Others were sent to concentration camps.
His eventual goal was to deport up to two-thirds of the Czechs to regions in Russia or exterminate them.
His brutal policies practically paralyzed the Czech resistance.
It wasnt long before the Czechoslovak government-in-exile in London began plotting for Heydrichs assassination.
The operation was codenamed Anthropoid.
The plan was to ambush Heydrich while he commuted to work in his open-topped Mercedes convertible.
Instead of speeding away, Heydrich ordered his driver to stop, stood up and returned fire.
Kubis managed to intervene by throwing a modified anti-tank grenade at the car, which exploded wounding Heydrich.
Heydrich’s car after the attack
Kubis and Gabcik fled from the scene convinced the assassination had failed.
The assassination of a top-level Nazi triggered a violent reprisal.
Thousands of suspected traitors and sympathizers were arrested, hundreds of them executed without trial.
Atouching memorialto the murdered children of Lidice still stands there.
They were concealed there for three weeks, until one of their own associates betrayed them.
The gun battle lasted for several hours but they were unable to take the paratroopers alive.
At one point they even tried to flood the crypt with water in an attempt to force them out.
If you havent already watched it, I suggest you do.
Today, the Cyril and Methodius Cathedral is colloquially known as the Parachutist Church or the Operation Anthropoid church.
The crypt where the paratroopers sought refugee now contains bronze busts of the men who gave their lives there.
The bullet holes were never repaired.
SS troops attempting to flood the basement of the church.
The Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius.
Photo credit:Ludek/Wikimedia
Photo credit:Mark Healey/Flickr
Photo credit:Blanicky/Wikimedia
Sources:Wikipedia/Dark Tourism/BBC/Wikipedia
