The Memoirs of a Prague Executioner: A Historical Novel Based on Actual Events, Paperback

A young man is about to graduate from medical school when a sudden shift of fate changes his life forever. He becomes stuck in the most detested profession for the rest of his life, and he is on his way to becoming the most well-known executioner in the history of Bohemia. Master Jan finds himself in the center of the historical events of the time. The religious and political turmoil of Bohemia culminates in the 1621 White Mountain Battle. Czech Protestant rebels are defeated by Catholic forces, and Master Jan is to execute 27 men who are his fellow Protestants... The Old Town Executioner gives the reader a first hand account about how justice was carried out by the medieval law. While his memoirs offer an intriguing account of the manners and values of late medieval society, his observations about human nature may come as a surprise. The law and society have changed since the 17th century, but people have changed very little.

Josef Svátek (1835-1897) was a Czech journalist, writer, and historian. He graduated from a technical college but decided to pursue a career in journalism. He was the chief editor of the Prager Zeitung. Collecting valuable material in historical archives, he used it in his writing. Svátek's area of interest was the historical period of the 16th, 17th, and 18th century. He wrote about the times of Emperor Rudolf II in Prague, the history of the postal service, Prague legends, etc. The Memoirs of the Prague Executioner Mydlar Family was his most successful book.