| Marianske Lazne | |||||||
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| Part of Second World War | |||||||
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 Czechoslovakia
|  Germany
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Mariánské Lázně (Czech pronunciation: [ˈmarɪjaːnskɛː ˈlaːzɲɛ]; German: Marienbad) is a spa town in the Karlovy Vary region of the Czech Republic. The town, surrounded by green mountains, is a mosaic of parks and noble houses. Most of its buildings come from the town's Golden Era in the second half of the 19th century, when many celebrities and top European rulers came to enjoy the curative carbon dioxide springs.
Marianske Lazne in The War That Came Early[]
Marianske Lazne was overrun almost immediately in September 1938, when Germany went to war with Czechoslovakia.
Marianske Lazne, which had always been a popular international tourist destination, was at the time hosting tourists from many countries. Many of them were killed or wounded during the German bombardment which considerably damaged the town. Though the town's many clinics were mainly designed to cater to people seeking water-cures rather than to serious wounds, the medical staff did their best to help.
Upon the town's falling into German hands, black-uniformed Nazi militias, which arrived along with the soldiers, subjected Jews in the town to random acts of humiliation and violence. The town's German name, Marienbad, was immediately restored in place of the Czech one.
Nationals of neutral countries, including Jews, were detained to await repatriation to their home countries; in practice, however, they found themselves caught up in the coils of Nazi bureaucracy. Czechoslovak nationals and those of other Allied nations made the acquaintance of German occupation policy.
Peggy Druce was among the tourists caught behind the lines when Marianske Lazne fell. Before leaving Philadelphia, her friends had suggested that she cancel her trip on account of the looming diplomatic crisis and likelihood of war. She dismissed these concerns with the belief that the great powers would step back from the brink and not allow a total war to break out while another war was still fairly fresh in memory. She was proven wrong.
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