Přemysl Pitter's plaque

Přemysl Pitter's memorial plaque is a modest yet meaningful marker in Prague, honoring one of the most remarkable Czechs of the twentieth century – an educator, humanist and pacifist who devoted his life to helping children in the most difficult of circumstances. For visitors interested in Prague's wartime and postwar history, this small plaque opens the door to a much larger and lesser-known story.

Who was Přemysl Pitter?

Přemysl Pitter (1895–1976) was a Czech educator, writer and social worker whose life's work centered on helping children in extreme distress, regardless of their nationality or religion. Before the war, he founded Milíč House (Milíčův dům) in Prague's Žižkov district, a functionalist-style building that opened on Christmas Eve 1933. The institution was dedicated to raising and educating the poorest children of Žižkov, a district then marked by poverty and neglect.

Why is he commemorated in Prague?

During the Second World War, Pitter supported Jewish families and children facing persecution, despite the personal risk this carried. After the war ended, he organized what became known as "Operation Castles" (Akce zámky), a program providing health and social care for children devastated by their time in concentration camps. Crucially, his help was not limited to Jewish children – it also extended to German children, a stance that required considerable moral courage in a postwar Czechoslovakia still deeply scarred by trauma. This unconditional humanitarian outlook is why Pitter is often placed alongside figures such as Oskar Schindler, even though his story remained far less known to the wider public for decades.

Where is the plaque located?

The memorial plaque dedicated to Pitter stands in Prague, in an area connected to his life and work. It is a modest but telling detail within the city's fabric – one of many small markers scattered across Prague that commemorate individuals who shaped the city's social history, rather than grand political events or architectural monuments.

What significance does this site hold today?

In 1995, on the hundredth anniversary of Pitter's birth, memorial plaques in his honor were ceremonially unveiled – among them at Štiřín Chateau on 29 June 1995, and in the village of Mýto near Rokycany on 4 November 1995. That anniversary was recognized by UNESCO as an event of worldwide cultural significance, reflecting the lasting impact that one man's work had on Czech and European social history.

What should visitors know before going?

The plaque is not a standalone tourist attraction in the conventional sense – there is no exhibition or museum on site. It functions instead as a point of quiet reflection, well suited to travelers curious about the layers of Prague's history that lie beyond the main tourist routes. It's worth pairing a visit with a walk through Žižkov, the district where Pitter carried out his most important work, and reading further into his life to fully appreciate the scale of his commitment to children affected by war.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Přemysl Pitter? A Czech educator and humanist who helped both Jewish and German children during and after the Second World War, and who founded Milíč House in Prague.

Why is he compared to Oskar Schindler? Because of the selfless help he extended to persecuted people during the war, despite the personal risk involved.

Are there other sites connected to Pitter nearby? Yes – the key site of his work was Milíč House in the Žižkov district.

Are there other plaques dedicated to Pitter? Yes, including ones at Štiřín Chateau and in Mýto near Rokycany, both unveiled in 1995 to mark the hundredth anniversary of his birth.