Introduction
At first glance, Jáchymov may appear to have stood aside from the main events of the Second World War. No front line crossed the town. Nevertheless, it was deeply affected by political decisions, the wartime exploitation of its mines and the dramatic closing phase of the conflict. Uranium played a particular role, as both sides were well aware of its strategic significance.
The Year 1938 and Incorporation into the Reich
In 1938, approximately 9,000 inhabitants of German nationality and around 300 of Czech nationality lived in the town. Following the Munich Agreement, the German Reich took over all mining operations on 1 October 1938. The non-German population was deported to the interior of Bohemia. One year later, the German administration closed the radium factory, and the population fell to 6,604.
In 1939, the first conflict arose between the town and the Reich leadership. Heinrich Himmler intended to establish a concentration camp on the Turkish Hill (Stráž, Klobouk). The town firmly rejected this plan, as did the miners and mine workers, pointing to the already existing concentration camp in the castle building in Ostrov. This camp, founded on 29 March 1939 as a subcamp of Flossenbürg, had a capacity of approximately 200 persons and was closed in the autumn of the same year due to its small size.
Uranium, Prisoners of War and Mining
In 1941, after 101 years, the production of uranium colours was terminated. The building of the former Renaissance silver smelter, later converted into a radium production laboratory, was demolished. The German authorities were fully aware of the importance of radioactive materials, especially uranium. The mechanism of nuclear fission was already known, and its potential military use was being intensively researched on both sides of the conflict.
To increase uranium extraction, the first prisoners of war arrived in Jáchymov – 37 French and 25 Russians. A POW camp was established at the Werner mine (Rovnost), and prisoners were deployed underground. A year later, another 40 Russian prisoners arrived. Uranium from Jáchymov thus acquired strategic importance beyond the region.
Air War Events in 1944
In 1944, the impact of war became visible to the town’s inhabitants. On 17 August 1944, a German Messerschmitt Bf 109 from 2./JG 110, piloted by Unteroffizier Erich Scheibel, crashed near Jáchymov. The pilot was killed.
On 12 September 1944 at 10:48 a.m., an American B-17G Flying Fortress (360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, 8th USAAF) crashed near the town. The aircraft, commanded by Captain Arthur Reuben Mehlhoff, had participated in a bombing raid on Most from Great Britain and was heavily damaged by anti-aircraft fire. One crew member was killed. The remaining crew members were saved from lynching by Anton Hippmann from Suchá, who was subsequently sentenced to three months in the Dachau concentration camp for his actions. Just one day earlier, the largest air battle over the Ore Mountains had taken place near Kovářská.
Monitoring of Mining and the End of the War
The Allies closely monitored uranium extraction in the Jáchymov mines, aware of its importance for German nuclear research. At the beginning of 1945, the final aerial reconnaissance of the area was carried out. An air raid on the mines was considered, as the Allies feared that Germany might be close to developing a nuclear bomb. After evaluating the reconnaissance images, the planned attack was cancelled.
Towards the end of the war, a death march of concentration camp prisoners passed through the town and its surroundings. Between 1938 and 1945, 745,334 tonnes of uranium ore were mined, from which 44 tonnes of uranium and 15.8132 grams of radium were extracted. In May 1945, approximately 14,000 Germans and only 5 Czechs lived in the town.
Post-War Events
On 4 June 1945, the founder of the local SA and owner of a distillery and sawmill, Steinfelsner, was hanged in front of St Joachim’s Church by order of partisans for concealing weapons.
From 26 to 28 August 1945, Soviet General Mikhailov and Colonel Alexandrov stayed in the town with their entourage. Among them were likely specialists, as they showed particular interest in the Svornost, Werner and Saxon Nobles’ Adit mines. On 11 September 1945 at 3:30 p.m., the mines were occupied by the Soviet Army when a senior officer arrived with sixty men.
On 25 January 1946, the expulsion of the German population took place. At the same time, the town was resettled, including 64 families of so-called Viennese Czechs.
Conclusion
The years 1938–1945 represented a fundamental turning point for Jáchymov. The town became part of the Nazi war economy, and its uranium gained global significance. Although no front line passed through it, the war left deep demographic, economic and moral scars.
