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History Daily

The Assassination of the Butcher of Prague

History Daily

Airship | Noiser | Wondery

History

4.42.1K Ratings

🗓️ 27 May 2025

⏱️ 20 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

May 27, 1942. Two Czechoslovakian operatives assassinate Reinhard Heydrich, a principal architect of the Holocaust.


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Transcript

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0:00.0

There are more ways than ever to listen to History Daily ad-free.

0:04.1

Listen with Wondry Plus in the Wondry app.

0:06.0

As a member of NoisorPlus at noisor.com or in Apple Podcasts,

0:10.6

or you can get all of History Daily plus other fantastic history podcasts at IntoHistory.com. It's the morning of May 27, 1942, in Prague in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia.

0:32.0

Reinhardt Hydrick scows in irritation as his open-top Mercedes speeds through the city streets.

0:38.6

Heidrich prides himself on his punctuality, but today he's running late.

0:43.0

When he glances at his watch, he tells his chauffeur to drive faster.

0:47.0

At the age of 38, Heidrich is already a high-ranking SS officer and part of Adolf Hitler's inner circle.

0:54.0

Recently, he's been promoted and given responsibility for the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia,

0:59.6

the Czech lands occupied by the Nazis.

1:02.7

Hyderick promised Hitler he would rule with an iron fist, and by the spring of 1942,

1:08.0

he has already declared martial law and ordered numerous mass arrests. His harsh

1:12.7

actions have earned him a new nickname, too. His enemies now call him the butcher of prong.

1:19.4

Hydrick's car approaches a streetcar ston, thronged with waiting passengers. Beyond that,

1:24.7

the road bends sharply, and the chauffeur slows down as he approaches.

1:28.6

But as the car glides around the corner, Heidrich spots a man on the sidewalk beside him.

1:34.1

The man drops his raincoat, revealing a submachine gun.

1:38.3

Hydric ducks down, but there's no gunfire. The man's weapon has jammed. Seizing his chance, Hydric pulls out his pistol.

1:46.8

His would-be assassin dives for cover, but Hydric is too good of a shot.

1:51.2

He shoots his assailant twice in the leg, and the man goes down.

1:55.0

But before Hydric can take aim again, a blast throws him backward.

2:00.0

Hydric feels a sharp pain in his side and sees blood seeping through his shirt.

...

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