Credits: earthlymission.com
In 1938, when Nazi tanks occupied Czechoslovakia, one man decided to take a stand that no one could have possibly imagined: 68-year-old Josef Menčík dressed in complete medieval armor, got on his horse, and rode out to confront them armed with a halberd, he positioned himself in front of the oncoming tanks.
Josef was born in 1870, his childhood fascination with the medieval past never waned. While all of humanity raced forward into modernity, he instead turned back the clock: he lived as a fragment of the 15th century. In 1911, he purchased Dobrš Castle, it was a dilapidated fortress he would ultimately turn into his home, with no running water or electricity; only candles and medieval relics of the past filled it. So much so that he dressed in armor and instructed local children on Czech history and chivalry, and thus became known as "The Last Knight".
When the Nazis invaded, the Czechoslovak government did not resist, but Josef did. On October 1, he rode out alone to block the German tanks. Soldiers were puzzled by the old man, confused as to why they were halted in the first place. In fact, some radioed the tank commander stating "there was a knight blocking the road". After a moment of confusion, the tanks pushed forward and went around him, but he had made a statement. While it was futile, it was an act of bravery.
After the conflict ended, Josef’s cherished castle was appropriated by the Communist regime. Just days later, he died, with some saying it was of a broken heart. He has not been forgotten, not because he stopped the invasion, but because it illustrated that sometimes courage means standing your ground, even when it seems that you cannot win.
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