Supermarket Checkouts and Historical Assassinations
I was in the checkout line at the grocery store the other day.
Grabbing a few things for dinner, I was left to deal with the ‘checkout’ when my wife needed to rush back to the car. The checkout is by far my least favorite part of this weekly ritual. I was proudly sporting my new ‘History Nerd’ T-shirt, and certainly not expecting any questions from the young man bagging our items.
“What’s your favorite historical event?”
I was taken aback, partially from the genuine nature of his question, but also because I wasn’t prepared for interaction in the checkout. Now on the spot, I stuttered, “Gosh, that’s a tough question.”
I thought for a second, determined to drop him something I always found interesting myself because he was interested enough to ask. I told him, “I’m not sure of my favorite, but I will tell you what I am geeking out on right now. The Czech Resistance and the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich.”
He had not heard of it. I told him that not only had they made it into Nazi Occupied Prague and assassinated the Nazi, but then held off hundreds of Germans while under siege. His eyes got big. I said, “Operation Anthropoid, look it up.”
Greetings and gratitude exchanged, away I went with my Cuban sandwiches and veggies. The fact is, there are too many moments in history for me to have a favorite. But I certainly have a favorite ‘scenario.’ That is, when people stand up to evil and fight against injustice and wrongdoing. I love the underdog story, when a few brave souls put it all on the line for something bigger than themselves: the good of mankind.
Operation Anthropoid was the assassination plan for High-Ranking Nazi Reinhard Heinrich, who was at the time operating out of Prague. Czech fighters parachuted into the occupied country a short time before they carried out the attack on May 27, 1942. Armed with grenades and small weapons, they sought to kill Heinrich as he moved from his residence to Prague Castle. Heinrich was not killed immediately, but he died a short time later in a nearby hospital.
A manhunt ensued and eventually the seven perpetrators were confined to the crypt under the Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral. The seven men held off over 700 Nazi troops for hours despite having only pistols and small caliber weapons. The Nazis used everything: grenades, machineguns, and even flooding of the crypt by way of the local fire department. All seven men died. Today, the church has a small museum and busts in the crypt as a tribute to the heroes.
Holy ground indeed.
