Historians from the P. Pitter and O. Fierz Archive, the Library of the National Pedagogical Museum and Library of J. A. Comenius (NPMK), and the Terezín Memorial have prepared a new exhibition at the National Pedagogical Museum and Library of J. A. Comenius devoted to childhood during the difficult years of the Protectorate and the immediate aftermath of the Second World War.
The authors sought to present this era through the eyes not only of Czech children, but also of Jewish and German children, and to highlight the weight of circumstances that profoundly affected them all. In addition to the historical context, the exhibition introduces the systems of education and upbringing shaped by the totalitarian regime, the leisure activities of young people of the time, the pervasive atmosphere of fear, the mechanisms of persecution, and the difficult process of returning to ordinary life after the war.
The exhibition culminates in a section dedicated to Přemysl Pitter and Operation Castles, which symbolically marks the end of wartime horrors and the hope for the restoration of faith in humanity and human decency. Visitors can look forward to period toys, everyday objects, school supplies, and authentic items from UNRRA. The exhibition is enriched with a range of interactive elements that allow visitors to better empathise with the experiences of children living through this difficult period.
