Jan Mydlář

Jan Mydlář (1572–1664) was a 17th-century executioner from Bohemia. He is most known for the red hood-like mask he donned when performing his executions.

Old Town Square execution
Mydlář carried out the killings in the Old Town Square execution of 27 Bohemian Revolt leaders. These leaders were men of high importance, representing various ranks in Czech society and professions. They had organized an uprising against the Habsburg Emperor Matthias and later Ferdinand II.

On 21 June 1621, Mydlář executed the 27 revolters on behalf of the Austrian House of Habsburg. There were 3 lords, 7 knights and then important men of the land. He beheaded 24 of the men - using 4 swords- first sword on 8, second on 5 and the other 2 swords on remaining 8 men. It must be said, that he was beheading them without a block- just a swing of the sword - and- he would loose his job and reputation if he needed two strokes. It had to be a clean death. After 15 sword executions he was exhausted and had to change order of executions and he hanged three men before he continued with the sword. (Hangings were considered more humiliating)He used a new sharp sword when executing his friend Jan Jessenius - an educated man who performed first public autopsy, but happened to be a speaker for the revolting group. Jan Mydlar had to cut out his tongue first, then cut the head and then quarter his body. (Although the original sentencing was quartering still living men before their heads would be cut- the emperor changed this cruelty and only one man was quartered and only after he was already dead)

The Habsburgs displayed the cut-off heads of the beheaded men on the Prague Old Town Bridge Tower. The heads remained there for 10 years and then were taken down and buried in secret. Their location is unknown to this day. Two heads were sent to two other towns where their previous “owners” used to be mayors. Total of 47 men were sentenced to death- 27 in Bohemia and 20 in Moravia- but the unprecedented cruelty of Prague executions, stopped the Moravian “sequel”. Moravian men received a pardon, but all their lands and property were confiscated. The stage built for this bloody theatre was 20 steps long and 20 steps wide, covered in black linen. Executions started at 5 AM on a clear blue sky day- yet- it’s been said- a rainbow appeared over the square. Executions lasted 5 hours and guns and drum rolls made loud noises over the last words of every punished man. There were thousands of spectators, some fainted. When all was finished, the master of the sharp sword and his helpers took the stage apart and they could keep the wood as part of their pay- but nobody wanted it. The wood might have ended as a roof and stairs in one of the monasteries.

Jan Mydlar had two sons who continued in his footsteps and later also his grandson Daniel.

There are 27 white crosses on the pavement of the Old Town Square - what you can notice, that Bohemians don’t step on them.

Legacy
Mydlář is the central character of a 19th-century novel by Josef Svátek based on his life, The Memoirs of a Prague Executioner. According to the novel, young Mydlář became an executioner because of a disappointment in love, just before graduating from medical school.