Velké dny hradecké pevnosti za války 1866 – Dvořák Jaroslav (2021)

Jaroslav Dvořák's book provides a unique, chronologically coherent description of events in the city and fortress of Hradec Králové during the war year of 1866. The author based his work on both specialized military literature and numerous memoirs published in the contemporary regional press. Thanks to this, the book maintains its readability despite the abundance of factual information. The incorporation of authentic memories and stories enriches the text and helps the reader evoke the atmosphere of that time, drawing them into the events in the city and allowing them to empathize with the experiences of the townspeople who remained in the besieged fortress. Detailed comments help the reader navigate the historical context. The publication presents several new and groundbreaking pieces of information that have not been published in either Czech or foreign literature to date. The author also attempts to address the widespread and often repeated cliché about the insignificance and obsolescence of the fortress during the war. He rejects the claim that the fortress caused the disaster of the retreating Austrian army when it became an obstacle on their way from the battlefield, as well as debunking the legend of the Hradec drownings, according to which a large number of retreating soldiers drowned in the fortress inundations...