Josef Menčík: The Last Knight of Strakonice
“Today the real knights are no more… The last one died in 1945."
In a world increasingly shaped by industrialisation and modern warfare, the tale of Josef Menčík stands as a testament to an age-old spirit of defiance, chivalry, and love for history. Menčík, often dubbed "the Last Knight," defied the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1938, not through traditional warfare, but through an act so symbolic and courageous that it captured the hearts of many who came to hear his story.
Early Life and Love of History
Josef Menčík was born in 1870 in the Böhmerwald (Bohemian Forest) region of Czechoslovakia, a mountainous area that today forms part of the border between Germany and the Czech Republic. His childhood and early life were not well-documented, but it is known that Menčík was the eldest of four siblings, and his passion for history shaped much of his later years.
At the heart of Menčík’s life was his deep love for medieval history. In 1911, he acquired the Tvrz Dobrš, a 13th-century Gothic fortress located in the Czech town of Dobrš. The castle had a storied history itself, originally built by local nobility, later modified in the Baroque period, and eventually falling into disrepair. It was used variously as housing for the poor, a granary, and then a school. In 1911, a fire destroyed the fortress, and it was on the verge of demolition when Menčík stepped in to save it.
Menčík was no ordinary man. Described by locals as an "adventurer" with a penchant for rum and anchovies, he was a local councilor who devoted much of his life to restoring and living in the fortress. Over the next 30 years, Menčík worked tirelessly to renovate the castle, aiming to bring it back to its medieval grandeur. He filled it with relics, antiques, and curiosities from the Middle Ages, even smuggling some from France. Menčík lived in the fortress without electricity, using candles and torches for light, and rejecting modern conveniences to immerse himself in the chivalric life.
Menčík’s love for the Middle Ages was not merely aesthetic. He fully embraced the ideals of knighthood—honour, courage, and hospitality. Known to locals as "Fousatý táta" ("Bearded Tata") or "Poslední rytíř" ("The Last Knight"), Menčík became a beloved figure in his community. He often donned a suit of medieval armour, purchased in France, and would ride his horse through the countryside, giving history lessons to anyone willing to listen. Schoolchildren visited his castle on field trips, where Menčík would guide them through medieval history, sometimes dressing his wife Ema and his children in period costumes to add to the experience.
The Sudeten Crisis and Menčík’s Act of Defiance
Though he was deeply committed to his medieval re-enactments, Menčík’s most significant act of chivalry came in 1938 when Czechoslovakia found itself in the crosshairs of Nazi expansion. Following the annexation of Austria in March of that year, Adolf Hitler turned his attention to the Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia populated by ethnic Germans.
The Sudetenland Crisis marked a crucial moment in European history. Hitler claimed that ethnic Germans were being oppressed in Czechoslovakia and demanded that the territory be handed over to Germany. European leaders, wary of another catastrophic conflict so soon after World War I, convened in Munich and, without consulting the Czechs, agreed to allow Germany to annex the Sudetenland in an effort to appease Hitler.
For many Czechs, this was an unforgivable betrayal, but resistance was limited as the spectre of Nazi tanks rolled into their country. In early October 1938, German armoured columns began advancing into Czechoslovakia. Yet, amid the largely peaceful occupation, one man stood in solitary defiance: Josef Menčík.
Dressed in full medieval armour, mounted on horseback, and armed with a sword and halberd, Menčík rode out to confront a column of German tanks as they crossed the border at Bučina. It was an act that could only be described as quixotic—a lone knight from a bygone age standing against the mechanised might of the 20th century. According to reports, the Germans were so stunned by the sight of this armoured man on horseback that they weren't sure what to do with him. Some even tapped their heads, assuming Menčík was mad. After a brief moment of disbelief, the tanks bypassed him and continued their advance.
Though Menčík’s symbolic resistance did not stop the Nazi occupation, it was a powerful statement of defiance. His refusal to submit to the invaders, even in the face of overwhelming odds, captured the imagination of his fellow Czechs. He would live to see the eventual liberation of his homeland but died shortly thereafter, on 19th November 1945, at the age of 75, likely from a broken heart after the loss of his beloved fortress, which was nationalised in the aftermath of the war.