Podcast Summary

New Books Network

Episode Title: Cynthia Paces, "Prague: The Heart of Europe" (Oxford UP, 2025)
Host: Caleb Zakarin
Guest: Cynthia Paces, Professor of History, The College of New Jersey
Date: September 8, 2025
Episode Theme:
A comprehensive discussion with Cynthia Paces about her new book, "Prague: The Heart of Europe," which traces Prague’s thousand-year history as a site of empire, migration, religious struggle, cultural innovation, and resilience.

Overview

This episode is a sweeping conversation tracing the history of Prague from its ancient Celtic roots to its present-day status as a vibrant European capital. The discussion explores the city’s unique role in continental transformations—across dynasties, religious upheavals, wars, and democratic shifts—contextualized by Paces’ deep personal and scholarly engagement with Prague.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Author’s Background and Motivation (01:07)

• Cynthia Paces’ family immigrated from Prague after the communist coup in 1948.

• Her upbringing was steeped in Czech culture, and her academic curiosity developed as the Cold War ended.

• The fall of the Berlin Wall allowed her to visit and study in Prague, shaping her broader understanding of Central Europe.

  “My journey to writing the book is both personal and academic...I just fell in love with the city.”
  — Cynthia Paces (01:07)

2. Early History: From Celts to Slavic Settlement (05:00–08:23)

• Early settlement by Celts (Boii), then Germanic groups, and eventually Slavic migration in the 6th-7th centuries CE.

• The region’s fertile river basin and strategic trade routes made it a natural hub.

  “Prague was one of the natural kind of stopping points. You get past the Tatra Mountains…then you’re in the river bed area…pretty rich soil…forest…river provided a lot of opportunities.”
  — Cynthia Paces (06:47)

3. Integration with the Holy Roman Empire (08:23–13:06)

• The Przemyslid dynasty’s gradual alliance with the Holy Roman Empire—becoming a kingdom within it in the 13th century.

• Prague’s transformation under Charles IV in the 14th century: capital of empire, new university, Gothic architecture.

  “Charles IV…makes Prague the capital of the Holy Roman Empire and brings a lot of architects, scholars, forms the university, builds the cathedral…really puts Prague truly on the map.”
  — Cynthia Paces (10:50)

4. Religious Diversity and Conflict (13:06–29:21)

Jewish Life

• Jews present since at least the 10th century; merchants, craftspeople, later bankers (13:06).
• Old-New Synagogue (1270) built with royal sanction—still in use today.

Hussite Movement

• Jan Hus’s reformist preaching at the heart of Prague’s religious radicalism (16:55–28:33).

• After Hus’s execution, his followers instigated the Hussite Wars, which became a foundational national myth.

  “It’s like a David and Goliath type of story and it becomes really part of the national mythology in the 19th century and Hus becomes this big hero.”
  — Cynthia Paces (28:14)

• Prague a unique hotbed for religious ideas, reform, and pluralism for centuries.

5. Habsburg Rule and Tides of Tolerance (29:21–43:15)

• Habsburg ascendancy in 1526 via dynastic marriages, sustained through religious wars and political shifts.

• Rulers ranged from tolerant (Rudolf II, Joseph II) to conservative (Maria Theresa).

• Maria Theresa implemented education reforms, expanded Prague’s bureaucracy, and reshaped the city architecturally, yet espoused antisemitism.

  “She was really the person that started elementary education…the Habsburg region was one of the most literate in Europe.”
  — Cynthia Paces (38:05)

6. Rise of Nationalism: 19th Century (43:15–51:23)

• Industrial revolution brought a demographic shift: more Czech speakers in Prague.

• Enlightenment intellectuals (like historian Frantisek Palacky), composers (Dvorak, Smetana), and authors shaped Czech identity.

• Sharp division between Czech and German culture; institutions (universities, clubs) split along linguistic/national lines.

  “By the end of the 19th century, the Czechs win control of the city government in Prague.”
  — Cynthia Paces (46:55)

7. Kafka’s Prague and Culture around 1900 (51:23–57:39)

• Kafka grew up bilingual as part of Prague’s Jewish-German intellectual scene.

• Vibrant café culture, literary circles (with Max Brod, Franz Werfel, Einstein’s presence).

• Kafka’s humor and inner anxieties highlighted; he witnessed the city’s modernization and destruction of its Jewish quarter.

  “We think of him as sad…but, you know, he also had a lot of friends…from what everyone says, he had a really good sense of humor.”
  — Cynthia Paces (54:39)

8. From Empire to Republic: World War I and Independence (57:39–64:33)

• Czechs sought cultural rights, not statehood, during most of Austria-Hungary.

• Thomas Masaryk, abroad during WWI, advocated for independence as the empire collapsed.

• Founding of Czechoslovakia more contingent than inevitable.

  “It wasn’t necessarily seen as a contradiction to be, like, in favor of Austria and to be a Czech nationalist.”
  — Cynthia Paces (59:20)

9. Interwar Experiment: Challenges of Czechoslovakia (64:33–70:19)

• Masaryk’s democracy admired but troubled: one-third German population, Slovak-Czech tensions, “Czechoslovak” national identity as compromise.

• Economically advanced, culturally experimental, but beset by minority grievances.

  “To hear that…your ancestors have lived for centuries…you’re now a guest in this country, that really stung the Germans.”
  — Cynthia Paces (65:54)

10. Nazi Occupation, Collaboration, and Resistance (70:19–77:38)

• Initial collaboration by political conservatives (Emil Hacha); limited resistance due to both repression and adaptability.

• Jewish population deported; the city largely preserved physically.

• After Heydrich’s assassination in 1942, mass reprisals; elsewhere, daily life continued under threat.

  “You don’t play the game with Hitler. Right? And you know that’s what happened.”
  — Cynthia Paces (72:57)

11. Communism and the Prague Spring (78:49–86:43)

• Communist era (1948–1989): harsh Stalinism transitions to relative liberalization and cultural achievements, e.g., award-winning cinema, experimental arts.

• The Prague Spring (1968): "socialism with a human face" under Alexander Dubček, crushed by Soviet invasion.

• “Normalization” era: everyday life was stable for non-dissidents, but intellectual/artistic voices suppressed or exiled (e.g., Václav Havel, Milan Kundera).

  “If you’re an everyday person that isn’t necessarily a believer in communism…but isn’t so ideologically opposed, you probably could have a good life.”
  — Cynthia Paces (82:34)

12. Velvet Revolution and Post-Communist Present (86:43–99:06)

• 1989’s Velvet Revolution: swift, largely peaceful, encouraged by regional changes and Soviet retreat from intervention.

• Leadership’s quick capitulation reflected regime fatigue and regional dominos.

  “It wasn’t inaccurate…once things started to go, they went faster than anybody expected.”
  — Cynthia Paces quoting Timothy Garton Ash (87:29)

• Modern Prague: tourist magnet, strong EU identity, wrestling with memory through public monuments.

• President Petr Pavel (former NATO general) symbolizes full integration into Europe.

• Ongoing debates: identity, loss and restoration of historic sites, commemoration of trauma and resilience.

  “You see that a lot in Prague…groups of people saying, I need to mark this city…memorial to the victims of communism…and I think that’s a…unique Prague thing.”
  — Cynthia Paces (97:05, 98:35)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On personal and historical intertwining:
  “He never moved more than about a half an hour from where he was born, but he was a citizen of…something like seven entities.”
  — Cynthia Paces (58:40)

• On Prague’s identity:
  “It’s been a capital of empires…of nations…a place that’s attracted writers and, you know, musicians…there’s still some pride in that.”
  — Cynthia Paces (99:02)

• On the pace of historical change:
  “People were constantly astonished that it was happening.”
  — Cynthia Paces (90:00)

• On the challenge of city history:
  “It’s so hard to cover every single detail of it…[Prague] is just such a, you know, a wonderful history…and a great model for anyone interested in the history of cities.”
  — Caleb Zakarin (99:29)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Description | Timestamp | |---------|-------------|-----------| | Introduction & Author’s Background | Cynthia’s family and motivation | 01:07 | | Early Settlement | From Celts to Slavs | 05:00–08:23 | | Holy Roman Empire | Prague’s rise under Charles IV | 08:23–13:06 | | Religious Diversity | Jewish community, Hussite Reformation | 13:06–29:21 | | Habsburg Rule | Shifting empires, Maria Theresa, tolerance | 29:21–43:15 | | Nationalism | 19th-century Czech identity & urban culture | 43:15–51:23 | | Kafka & Culture | Kafka’s world and the twilight of empire | 51:23–57:39 | | 20th Century Transformations | WWI, Czechoslovakia, interwar challenges | 57:39–70:19 | | Nazi Occupation | Collaboration, resistance, WWII memory | 70:19–77:38 | | Communism & Prague Spring | Political shifts, daily life, repression | 78:49–86:43 | | Velvet Revolution | Fall of communism, path to EU identity | 86:43–99:06 | | Present-Day Prague | Monuments, identity, modern challenges | 93:52–99:06 |

Closing Thoughts

The episode delivers a vivid, accessible journey through Prague’s storied past, illuminating how a single city reflects the broader currents of European change. Cynthia Paces blends personal history with academic rigor, offering a nuanced, empathetic portrait of Prague’s endurance, diversity, and evolving identity.

Both the book and interview serve as an invitation to engage more deeply with urban history—an approach valuable for history enthusiasts and city-lovers alike.