Prague - Germany allowed its original of the so-called
Munich Agreement, under which European powers gave Hitler parts of
then-Czechoslovakia 70 years ago, to be shown in Prague for the first
time, officials confirmed Thursday.
The document will be on display at Prague's National Museum
between October 28 and March 15 as part of a sweeping exhibit
commemorating 90 years of the Czech Republic's history of
independence, museum historian Marek Junek said.
'The German original has never crossed the borders of Germany,'
Junek said.
The talks to bring the document to Prague began a year ago, he
said.
'Our colleagues feared that we could misrepresent the agreement,
show it in a negative light,' Junek explained, adding that German
archivists also worried that the pact could be damaged.
Czechs have seen the deal signed by Britain, Germany, Italy and
France on September 30, 1938 as a betrayal by Western European allies
who failed to honour military obligations to the young Central
European republic.
The trauma shapes the Czech national psyche to this day. 'Munich
has cemented' the view of Czechs as 'victims of world powers who have
no influence,' said political scientist Jiri Pehe.
The museum also plans to show the British original and hopes to
bring the Italian and French versions, the latter of which has been
lost since World War II.
'French colleagues promised that they will look for it but do not
guarantee that they will find it,' Junek said.
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