Pankrác Prison is a Czech prison located in Prague that has been in use since the late 19th century. Originally built in 1889 to replace the St. Wenceslas prison —which had since become obsolete due to its horrific conditions— Pankrác Prison possessed faculties considered modern amenities for its day. The prison had central heating, running water for individual cells, gas-powered lights, and even baths. It had an original capacity of 800 and those imprisoned were required to learn work skills while incarcerated so that they could find work upon release, something that was not very common for the time. Following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the independence of Czechoslovakia, Pankrác Prison became the main prison for the country and its capacity was expanded to 1,169.
With Nazi Germany's take-over of Czechoslovakia and occupation of Prague in 1939, Pankrác Prison took on a more sinister role. The Nazi Gestapo increased the capacity of the prison to 2,200 and turned it into a remand prison to house those who they considered enemies of the state. After being imprisoned, they would be sent off to shooting ranges or death camps for execution. The prison was not used as an extermination center, yet many executions were carried out by hanging or using a guillotine installed by the Nazis.
Between April 1943 and April 1945, 1,176 prisoners were beheaded with the guillotine. Shortly before Prague was liberated in May 1945, the last execution was carried out. The Nazis then dismantled the guillotine and threw it into the Vltava River. However, the guillotine was saved by the Czechs and is now part of a small museum and memorial in the prison complex. After the communist takeover of Czechoslovakia in 1948, Pankrác prison continued to be used to execute political prisoners, such as Milada Horkova and Rudolf Slansky, who were hanged at the gallows.
Recently, archeologists discovered cremated remains beneath the courtyard of the prison. The remains are thought to be that of 80 or more political prisoners who died or were executed at the prison between 1948 and 1965 during the communist rule. The cremated bodies had been originally placed in urns and stored at the prison. According to a document from 1961, the remains were ordered to be discarded by mixing them with the soil at the prison courtyard.
Today, Pankrác prison houses both male and female inmates awaiting trial or serving sentences. Returning to its original innovation, the prison has a hospital, social services, a psychology department, space for religious worship, educational and workplace programs, and sports/hobby activities with a focus on social integration of the prisoners and reducing the recidivism rate.
Written by James Travis
Sources:
“Bartolomejska and Pankrac Prisons in Prague (October 25, 1955).” CIA.gov. Approved for release on January 14, 2008. https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP80-00810A008100010001-3.pdf.
Johnstone, Chris. “The Inside Story of the History of Prague’s Pankrac Prison.” Radio Prague International. September 25, 2012. https://english.radio.cz/inside-story-history-pragues-pankrac-prison-8550930.
Langhamerova, Miroslava. “German Remand Prison Prague – Pankrac in Terezin 1945.” Terezin Memorial. https://www.pamatnik-terezin.cz/prisoner/pankrac.
Miller, Roderick. “Pankrac Prison.” Frank Falla Archive. 2024. https://www.frankfallaarchive.org/prisons/pankrac-prison/.
“Pankrac Prison, From Past to Present.” Prague Morning. August 15, 2021. https://praguemorning.cz/pankrac-prison-from-past-to-present/.
“Possible Remains of Political Prisoners Recovered in Prague.” Archaeology. June 13, 2023. https://www.archaeology.org/news/11531-230613-prague-political-prisoners .
Rynecki, Elizabeth. Chasing Portraits: A Great Granddaughter’s Quest for Her Lost Art Legacy. Penguin, 2016.
Willoughby, Ian. “Remains of Dozens of Communist-era Political Prisoners Found at Prague Prison.” Radio Prague International. June 13, 2023. https://english.radio.cz/remains-dozens-communist-era-political-prisoners-found-prague-prison-8785823