Prague: Pankrac Prison

While we were in Prague Dallan and I had a unique glimpse of our family history.  Seventy three years ago Dallan's grandpa served an LDS mission in Czechoslovakia.  It was a neat experience to know that Grandpa had walked many of the same streets that we were walking.  In 1939 Dallan's grandpa was put into Pankrac Prison, a large prison on the outskirts of Prague.  Dallan and I spent an afternoon using the metro and maps to find the prison where Grandpa was held.  You can read more about the prison here and here.

While Grandpa was serving his mission tensions began to heat up between Germany and the rest of Europe.  Soon the Nazis took over Czechoslovakia, and Grandpa was in the city of Brno when Hitler came in as part of a military parade.  He took several pictures and was so close that Hitler's mustache is easily visible in the photographs.  

Because tensions were so high, many of the Jewish people were trying to flee the country.  They commonly asked the missionaries to change their Czech money for American money because American money would help them to flee the country easier.  This practice was eventually declared illegal by the German government.  However, a lady who the missionaries thought was a sincere investigator of the church asked the missionaries if they would make a money exchange for her.  When the missionaries went to meet her to see if there were other ways they could help, the women turned out to be a Gestapo informant.  The missionaries were met by Gestapo agents and their room was ransacked and searched.  They were detained for hours while they were interrogated because the Germans assumed they were helping the Jewish people to escape.  Grandpa and 3 other missionaries were incarcerated  while the Germans tried to find evidence and extort the church for money.  

They were each placed in different cells.  In Grandpa's cell there was Englishman and a member of the Austrian underground resistance.  They were not allowed to shower or shave.  The food was terrible, and they even made chess pieces out of their bread because it was so hard and impossible to eat.  They had one small window in their cell that they weren't supposed to look out, but they were still able to sneak  an occasional glimpse.  

Grandpa was in prison for 6 weeks before the church was able to negotiate the release of the 4 missionaries.  They were evacuated with the rest of the missionaries and traveled through Germany on their way home.  They were in Berlin on September 1, 1939- the day World War 2 was officially declared. 

They continued to travel through Denmark and embarked across the Atlantic with 200 other passengers on a boat meant for 12.

The prison experience was difficult and Grandpa suffered the effects of malnutrition for the rest of his life. However, his testimony of the gospel was always strong.  He served twice as a bishop and was in the stake presidency for almost 20 years.  He even went on another mission with Grandma Bishop where he continued to share his love of the Gospel.  

What a wonderful example he is of remaining faithful even in difficult circumstances.

(Pictures taken by grandpa in Brno)