Zánik pražského ghetta aneb Nezapomenutelný večer doktora Preiningera – Hrubý Dan (2019)

The book 'The Destruction of the Prague Ghetto' presents a novella by writer Josef Veselý. It begins with an almost domestic depiction of conditions in the former Jewish town, now the fifth district of Prague, but gradually transforms into a gripping narrative that offers excellent descriptions of the ghetto's demise and its often peculiar characters. 'The Destruction of the Prague Ghetto' was first published in 1917, and the similarity to Gustav Meyrink's famous novel 'The Golem' cannot be overlooked. Josef Veselý portrays houses and streets that no longer exist. His narrative alternates between images full of passion, alcohol, and prostitution. Everything culminates in the brutal and ruthless demolition of the old Jewish town as seen through the eyes of its residents. The second text, 'Bloody Tales from the Ghetto or The Unforgettable Evening of Doctor Preininger,' by contemporary author Dan Hrubý (among others, the 'Prague Stories' series), introduces readers to the conditions that prevailed in the ghetto and the debates surrounding the demolition. The author accompanies this with accounts of real crimes, often cruel and bloody, sometimes bizarre, that thrived in this environment. He describes the stories of murderers and their victims, as well as the course of the trials. All texts contain numerous detailed geographical references, which, when confronted with the rich visual material – including...