Best Czechoslovakia Podcasts (2025)

1
Everyone Needs to Calm Down 39:08

3h ago39:08

39:08

Unsanitary beer drinking by Padres fans, another weird Diamondbacks game, Tommy Pham makes a crude gesture to a fan, and everyone needs to freak out a little less because it's not even Memorial Day.Go to Patreon.com/BattingAround and sign up at the Slapdick Prospect level to get access to our bonus episodes, including our recent episode on baseball…

1
Doped, Abused and Abandoned: Growing Up in East Germany’s Sports System (400) 1:16:04

12m ago1:16:04

1:16:04

This episode covers themes of physical and emotional abuse as well as suicide. If you need support please follow the links below. UK https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/ Rest of the World https://findahelpline.com/i/iasp Kerstin recounts her harrowing childhood and life experiences in East Germany. She was identified at a y…

1
April 1945: The deadliest air attacks on Plzeň came at the end of WWII 5:25

3h ago5:25

5:25

April 1945 marked the final month of Allied bombing raids on Czechoslovakia. Among the targeted cities were Kladno, Chomutov, Karlovy Vary, and most notably Plzeň. In today’s episode of our series How did WWII end in the Czech lands?, we recall the last bombing raids on this West Bohemian city with historian Karel Foud.…

1
Whispers of Freedom: Portraying the Story of the last person shot at the Berlin Wall (399) 50:42

9h ago50:42

50:42

Chris Gueffroy, was the last person to be shot dead at the Berlin Wall and a new short film called “Whispers of Freedom” portrays his story. I speak with the film’s director Brandon Ashplant who shares the challenges of accurately portraying real individuals with deep personal histories. Actors Cameron Ashplant (Chris) and Wendy Makkena (Karin) ref…

1
The Second or Third 9/11 46:52

3d ago46:52

46:52

The Cubs and Diamondbacks were both Batting Around, one player is way more intense than necessary when the benches clear, another Tim Robinson lookalike does some fan interference, Stephen tried the blue cotton candy fries, and more.Go to Patreon.com/BattingAround and sign up at the Slapdick Prospect level to get access to our bonus episodes and al…

1
Submerged: Life on a Fast Attack Submarine in the Last Days of the Cold War (398) 1:05:16

4d ago1:05:16

1:05:16

Former US Navy Commander Henry Rausch is the author of Submerged: Life on a Fast Attack Submarine in the Last Days of the Cold War. Henry shares his experiences from training to life aboard a submarine, emphasising the challenges, mishaps, and the camaraderie among the crew. He provides vivid descriptions of the rigorous training, the psychological…

1
Salute to Hot Dog Parachute 48:31

8d ago48:31

48:31

The fascism is bad but the baseball is still pretty good.Sign up for our patreon at the Slapdick Prospect level or higher and not only will you get access to all our bonus episodes but you'll also get a free month of the Tipping Pitches patreon. Go to Patreon.com/BattingAroundBy Batting Around Podcast

1
Deep Cover Cold War Spies: How Russia’s Illegal Agents Penetrated the West (397) 1:11:26

11d ago1:11:26

1:11:26

In 2010, two decades after the Cold War had ended, ten Russian spies were arrested in America, having hidden their true identities from their friends, neighbours and even their children. They were part of a spy programme that had begun nearly a century earlier, when the revolutionary Bolshevik government began sending Soviet citizens abroad to pose…

1
April 12, 1945: First Czech town liberated from Nazi occupation 5:17

12d ago5:17

5:17

World War II was longer for the Czechs than for most European nations. The Czech lands were occupied by Nazi Germany from as early as March 15, 1939, and the first Czech town was liberated from the Nazis on April 12, 1945, less than a month before the German surrender. That town was Hodonín in South Moravia.…

1
50 years since Havel’s “Dear Dr. Husák”: How Czech archive keeps memory of Communism alive in 21st century 2:49

19d ago2:49

2:49

Fifty years have passed since Václav Havel wrote his open letter to Gustáv Husák, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, titled “Dear Dr. Husák.” But is the document merely a relic of the past, or does it still hold significance in understanding the former totalitarian regime and the value of democracy …

1
The C-Word with Charles Star 53:18

20d ago53:18

53:18

Charles Star is back to talk about a variety of stories from the week including the PNC Roberto Clemente controversy that bubbled up on twitter, Michael Kay talking about One Piece, a couple of stories about animals at ballparks, and Tyler Wells' frozen burrito ranking project. Our main topic is the piece in The Athletic where MLB players are asked…

1
A Black US Basketball Virtuoso in Cold War Poland (396) 1:25:46

18d ago1:25:46

1:25:46

The Communist Polish press called it "Kentomania!"—the excitement surrounding a 23 year old, called Kent Washington who made history as the first American—and the first Black American—to sign a professional sports contract behind the Iron Curtain. Stepping off the plane in Poland, Kent was immediately struck by how different everything felt. Yet, i…

1
(FREE BONUS EPISODE) The Things We Think Will Be Dumb In 2025 (Batting Around x Tipping Pitches) 53:00

22d ago53:00

53:00

We're promoting the patreons for our show and Tipping Pitches, so this bonus episode is also going in the free feed. Enjoy!Every November we record an episode with our sister podcast, Tipping Pitches, where we talk about the dumbest things that happened in baseball that year. This year is shaping up to be the dumbest year yet, so we decided to get …

1
Legionary train replica sets off on annual tour of Czech towns and cities 3:34

21d ago3:34

3:34

Legiovlak created by the Czechoslovak Legionary Community, is a faithful replica of a legionary train from WWI, when the Czechoslovak Legions were engaged in war operations on the Trans-Siberian Railway in Russia. Over the past ten years, it has attracted over one million visitors.

1
Lover, libertine, Czech librarian? Exploring Giacomo Casanova’s final years in Bohemia with Professor Leo Damrosch 11:42

22d ago11:42

11:42

The name ‘Casanova’ will most likely conjure up an image of an Italian adventurer, having numerous affairs with many women and getting into trouble with the law, not an image of a librarian in northern Bohemia. Yet this is in fact how the famous Venetian Giacomo Casanova ended up and lived out his final years.…

1
Agent Zo - From War Hero to Enemy: When Cold War Poland Turned on Its Own (395) 1:02:41

25d ago1:02:41

1:02:41

In a world where history often overlooks the contributions of women, the story of Agent Zo stands out as a beacon of bravery and resilience. I spoke with Claire Mulley about her book Agent Zo: the Untold Story of a fearless World War II resistance fighter. From the first day of the war to the German surrender, Zo organised efforts…

1
Wagwan, Father? 50:40

1M ago50:40

50:40

It's opening weekend and there's plenty of baseball stuff to talk about.Go to patreon.com/battingaround to get access to our bonus episodes and support the show. Also, leave us some nice reviews on the podcast apps.By Batting Around Podcast

1
In Conversation with Margot Honecker (394) 31:38

28d ago31:38

31:38

I speak with Jon Benjamin who recounts his meetings with Margot Honecker, the unrepentant architect of East Germany’s education system and widow of GDR leader Erich Honecker then living in exile in Chile. In 2012 and 2013, when Jon was British Ambassador to Chile, he had three long meetings with Margot Honecker, third wife of longtime East German l…

1
The Chair Czar of Czechoslovakia 55:08

1M ago55:08

55:08

DoD erases Jackie Robinson, MLB attempts to quietly pull down its diversity program website, Tokyo series, new ballpark foods for the season, and some pre-opening day predictions for 2025.Support the show and get bonus episodes at Patreon.com/BattingAroundBy Batting Around Podcast

1
The Cuban Missile Crisis Suicide Missions (393) 57:48

1M ago57:48

57:48

Richard F Kaufman is the author of A One-Way Trip to Death A Survivor’s View of Cruise Missiles in the Cuban Missile Crisis In the 1950s he served in the Korean War, where he was shot down and provides a vivid snapshot of flying in that conflict. On his way to Korea Richard meets a Japanese Kamikaze pilot. The pilot’s reflections on life and death …

1
Prague’s Powder Tower celebrates 550 years 3:40

1M ago3:40

3:40

Thursday marks exactly 550 years since the foundation stone of Prague’s Powder Tower was laid. This grand Gothic gateway, once the entrance for coronation processions of Czech kings, remains one of the city's most iconic medieval landmarks.

1
The Militarization of Mr. Met 45:35

1M ago45:35

45:35

Mr. Met is upsettingly jacked now, Japan Series, Ohtani in Fortnite.Go to Patreon.com/BattingAround and sign up to get access to our bonus episodes including the annual pride guide we just published.By Batting Around Podcast

1
Rebel Queen: The Cold War, Misogyny, and the Making of a Chess Grandmaster (392) 55:01

1M ago55:01

55:01

Susan Polgar is the author of Rebel Queen: The Cold War, Misogyny, and the Making of a Grandmaster. Born to a poor Jewish family in Cold War Budapest, Susan Polgar had the odds stacked against her growing up in a sexist and oppressive culture. Yet her father subscribed to the belief that geniuses are not born, but created, so he set out to ensure h…

1
Chinggis Khan exhibition brings rare Mongolian treasures to Prague 3:28

1M ago3:28

3:28

A major exhibition dedicated to the legendary Mongolian ruler Chinggis Khan opened this week at Prague’s National Museum. Showcasing more than 260 rare items from Mongolia, many of which are seldom seen abroad, the exhibition includes an extraordinary highlight—a unique wooden horse saddle from the Great Mongol Empire.…

1
Olga Hepnarová: the last woman executed in Czechoslovakia 3:34

1M ago3:34

3:34

Exactly fifty years ago, Olga Hepnarová became the last woman to be executed in Czechoslovakia. Her case still haunts the Czech public imagination. It was one of the most shocking crimes in Czechoslovakia's post-war history.

1
British, French, and US archives help reopen Jan Masaryk’s death investigation 5:11

1M ago5:11

5:11

Even after nearly eight decades, the circumstances surrounding the death of Jan Masaryk remain unclear. The son of Czechoslovakia’s first president and the country's top diplomat died on March 10, 1948, just weeks after the Communist coup d’état.

1
60 years ago, Louis Armstrong captivates Prague on European tour 3:27

1M ago3:27

3:27

At the height of his career in the 1960s, jazz legend Louis Armstrong embarked on a tour across eastern Europe. Czechoslovakia was both the first and longest destination for the American trumpeter and singer. In March 1965, he spent 10 days in Prague, performing nine sold-out concerts at Lucerna with his band, the All Stars. The feat was unusual fo…

1
80 years ago: The Moravia–Ostrava offensive, the bloodiest battles on Czech soil 12:45

1M ago12:45

12:45

Led by the Soviet Union’s Red Army, the Moravia–Ostrava offensive was the largest combat operation on the territory of modern-day Czechia. It lasted almost two months, from March 10th to May 6h 1945, and approximately 400,000 soldiers were deployed. In our anniversary series '80 years ago: How did WWII end in the Czech lands?', we look at the event…

1
The Phiplies Store 41:01

2M ago41:01

41:01

The Yankees have elbow problems, baseball is having a moment in East Asia, and there are some dumb new hats.Go to patreon.com/battingaround and sign up at the Slapdick Prospect level to support the show and get access to our bonus episodes.By Batting Around Podcast

1
The Keys to Armageddon: A Cold War Nuclear Missile Officer's Story (391) 1:08:13

2M ago1:08:13

1:08:13

Jim is a former Minuteman nuclear missile officer who served in the US Air Force. Throughout the episode, Jim shares first-hand accounts of life in the launch control centre. From evaluations to the strict checklist orientations, every aspect of his training was designed to ensure that he and his crew were prepared for the weighty responsibilities …

1
Meet the flint stones: Olomouc scientists track prehistoric hunters through flint samples 2:39

2M ago2:39

2:39

Prehistoric mammoth hunters who moved across the Czech lands roughly 30,000 years ago are being tracked today by Olomouc scientists. By mapping ancient deposits of worked flint, they have found that the hunters could move over distances of one hundred kilometres or more.

1
The Feminine Chaos Dragon 40:08

2M ago40:08

40:08

No more POOP scorebug, Trump's baffling Pete Rose diatribe, one player's carnivore diet, and scheming viziers chat.Go to patreon.com/battingaround to support the show and get access to bonus episodes.By Batting Around Podcast

1
Gidon Lev, Holocaust survivor and TikTok star: “I was a prop for Elon Musk when he visited Auschwitz” 45:39

2M ago45:39

45:39

Born Peter Löw in 1935 in Karlovy Vary, Gidon Lev survived with his mother during the Shoah, after four years of internment in Terezín/Theresienstadt, while 26 members of his family were killed. After the war, he left Czechoslovakia in 1948, first to New York, then to Toronto and settled in Israel in the late 1950s. After he published two books wit…

1
The Secret History of Britain's Cold War Nuclear Experiments (390) 1:10:54

2M ago1:10:54

1:10:54

The race to build a British nuclear bomb sucked thousands into its vortex, who are still dealing with the effects of radiation today: veterans, widows, children, scientists and indigenous people, all subjected to fear, radiation, and experimentation. A black cloud still hangs over those who survive, and their descendants who fear the consequences o…

1
Midwestern Conclave 55:06

2M ago55:06

55:06

The Yankees change their grooming policy, spring training games have begun and are using the ABS challenge system, Ozzie Albies gets a new 6,000 gallon aquarium, Bryce Harper gets a Phanatic tattoo, Justin Ishbia pulls out of buying the Twins to increase his stake in the White Sox.Support the show at patreon.com/battingaround and get access to our …

1
Surviving the Fastnet Sailing Disaster with a British Prime Minister (389) 42:09

2M ago42:09

42:09

David recounts his experiences sailing with former British Prime Minister Edward Heath, offering a unique glimpse into the life of a man who once led a nation. From the camaraderie on board to the challenges faced during the races, David's anecdotes paint a vivid picture of life at sea. But it is the 1979 Fastnet Race that stands as a centrepiece o…

1
Was Communism in Czechoslovakia unique? Historian Jacob Mikanowski on Czechoslovakia’s distinctive story 22:35

2M ago22:35

22:35

Jacob Mikanowski is a historian, author, and journalist who has written the book Goodbye, Eastern Europe: An Intimate History of a Divided Land. A Czech translation of the book has been published in early 2025. Mikanowski takes us through Czechoslovakia's uniquely complex but, at the same time, intriguing history. From its diverse ethnic roots at t…

1
Czech government to release funds for maintenance of Sudeten German graves 4:18

2M ago4:18

4:18

The post-war expulsion of Sudeten Germans from the Czech borderlands changed the face of the region. Homes and property were confiscated, and hundreds of thousands of German graves were forcibly abandoned. Some municipalities are struggling to preserve the legacy, but most have given up on the task. Now, thanks to a multi-million crown subsidy from…

1
From glider to fighter: Military pilot Kateřina Hlavsová on her career in Czech Air Force 12:59

2M ago12:59

12:59

The world of aviation has long captured the imagination, but the profession is still dominated by men. That said, the field has come a long way since the first Czech woman pilot, Božena Laglerová, became the thirteenth woman pilot in the world in 1911. Fast forward one hundred years, the field is still overrepresented by men. Major Kateřina Hlavsov…

1
Třinec, the last Czech sea vessel, to be scrapped, but parts will return home 3:19

2M ago3:19

3:19

Half a century ago, it was the pride of Czechoslovakia’s maritime fleet. Now, the cargo ship Třinec, the last surviving Czechoslovak ocean vessel, is set to be scrapped. However, parts of the ship will hopefully be brought back to its homeland.

1
The Worst Shape of His Life 43:13

2M ago43:13

43:13

Can Stephen name three Miami Marlins? Can MLB players name new generation pokemon? Can salad kill you? All these questions, and more, answered on this episode of Batting Around.Go to patreon.com/battingaround to support the show and get access to our bonus episodes.By Batting Around Podcast

1
From the Merchant Navy to Covert Hunter Killer Nuclear Submarine Missions (388) 1:17:55

2M ago1:17:55

1:17:55

David Arnold joined the merchant navy at just 14. His tales offer a glimpse into the rigorous and sometimes harsh realities of naval training in the 1950s. His story takes us through his progression in the merchant navy, where he earned his extra master's ticket, a rare and prestigious qualification that opened doors to a career in marine surveying…

1
80 years ago: American bombs fell on Prague 5:51

2M ago5:51

5:51

On February 14th 1945, a deadly bombing raid claimed hundreds of lives when the city of Prague became an unexpected target of the US Army Air Forces. In this first part of our series '80 years ago: How did WWII end in the Czech lands?', we examine the events of that terrible day in Prague’s twentieth-century history.…

1
Umpires on Lex 48:36

3M ago48:36

48:36

President Xi, please make us the official podcast of The Chinese Professional Baseball League.Go to patreon.com/battingaround to support the show and get access to our bonus episodes.By Batting Around Podcast

1
Frozen in Time - the Cold War Nottingham War Rooms (387) 52:49

2M ago52:49

52:49

Last year I was given the unique opportunity to visit the Nottingham War Rooms. The site is about to be re-developed so it was a rare chance to see a British Regional Seat of Government bunker that has lain relatively untouched since the end of the Cold War. The voices you will hear are Dan Cordle, an Expert in Nuclear Culture & History and Parmi U…

1
Last Czechoslovak fighter pilot Antonín Fajkus dies at 101 2:55

3M ago2:55

2:55

Antonín Fajkus, a war veteran and fighter pilot from World War II, has died at the age of 101. A native of South Moravia, Fajkus spent most of his life in the U.S., and served in the legendary U.S. Air Force's 40th Fighter Squadron, known as the “Red Devils”. His extraordinary story remained unknown to the public until last year.…

1
Prague to host first-ever European display of Lucy, the 3.18-million-year-old human ancestor 3:59

3M ago3:59

3:59

For the first time ever, one of the world’s most famous fossils is coming to Europe. The fossilized remains of Lucy, a 3.18-million-year-old human ancestor, will go on display at Prague’s National Museum in August, giving visitors a unique opportunity to see these priceless relics up close.

1
Rediscovering a lost legacy: American Noah Breuer on his Czech roots and power of art 15:58

3M ago15:58

15:58

Noah Breuer is an American artist with a personal connection to Czech history. His ancestors owned a textile factory in Dvůr Králové, which was confiscated during World War II, and most of his Jewish family perished in the Holocaust. In 2016, Breuer discovered fabric swatches from the factory in Czech archives, inspiring a series of artworks in tex…

1
He Really Knows Ball!? 46:03

3M ago46:03

46:03

Some baseball news plus we struggle our way through basketball stuff.Support the show at patreon.com/battingaroundBy Batting Around Podcast

1
Defending Baltic Skies : A Swedish Air Force Pilot's Cold War (386) 1:34:50

3M ago1:34:50

1:34:50

During the Cold War Sweden outwardly maintained its neutrality, however from the 1960s the U.S. secretly promised to provide military force in aid of Sweden in case of Soviet aggression. As part of the military cooperation, the U.S. provided much help in the development of the Saab 37 Viggen aircraft. I spoke with Benke, a former Swedish Air Force …

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Czechoslovakia Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen