A journey through key centres of Ukrainian academic, library, and memorial life in 1920s–1930s Prague: from Charles University halls to the Olšany necropolis.
In interwar Czechoslovakia the state Russian Relief Action (Ruská pomocná akce, R0100) ran from July 1921: it covered émigrés from the former Russian Empire, not only Ukrainians, and also supported Ukrainian institutions. Prague became one of the main centres of Ukrainian emigration: the Ukrainian Free University, opened in Vienna in January 1921, moved here in autumn 1921 (R0034), the Drahomanov Pedagogical Institute operated (R0036), the Liberation Museum worked (R0040), and the Slavonic Library has been housed in the Klementinum since 1929 (R0084).
The trail connects central Prague 1 with Žižkov and Smíchov districts. The distance depends on the order you choose; split the trail into two walks or use public transport if needed. Fixed time estimates are intentionally omitted.
Historic premises of Charles University. Oleh Kandyba (Olzhych) studied here in 1926–1929; the dossier does not establish his lecture hall. The UFU (R0034) is a separate institution: its Prague period began on 23 October 1921, but the dossier does not name the venue.
Charles University (Carolinum)
https://mostypameti.cz/en/d/R0085
The Slavonic Library was founded in 1924 and moved to the Klementinum in 1929 (KL01, KL03). Its holdings include Ukrainian émigré books, periodicals and manuscripts (KL04, KL05, KL09).
Klementinum & Slavonic Library
https://mostypameti.cz/en/d/R0084
A present-day school building: Rodná škola lists it for Ukrainian Saturday classes and a Czech School Inspectorate report (June 2025) documents the Minehava school here. The dossier contains no link to the interwar Ukrainian Pedagogical Institute; the building’s history is not established.
Havlíček Square 300/10 (school building)
https://mostypameti.cz/en/d/R0078
A necropolis tied to the memory of Ukrainian emigration. According to the UINP register, educator Sofiya Rusova is buried in sector 2ob (R0005); the dossiers do not establish the grave locations of Stepan Siropolko or Spyrydon Cherkasenko. Near the Dormition Church (1925) is the former burial site of Oleksandr Oles (1944–2017).
Olšany Cemeteries (Ukrainian Necropolis)
https://mostypameti.cz/en/d/R0070
Concluding stop at Malvazinky Cemetery, where, according to the official register (PU03), physicist and professor at Prague’s German technical university Ivan Puluj (1845–1918) is buried: sector AII, grave no. 25.
Malvazinky Cemetery (Ivan Puljuj Grave)
https://mostypameti.cz/en/d/R0073
