Jan Kubiš: Anti-Nazi Hero Who Helped Assassinate Senior Nazi Leader Reinhard Heydrich

Jan Kubiš was a Czechoslovak resistance hero whose role in Operation Anthropoid helped strike one of the boldest blows against Nazi leadership during World War II. Jan Kubiš stands as one of the most celebrated heroes of the Second World War—a young Czechoslovak paratrooper whose courage helped change the course of history. Born into a modest family in Moravia, he grew up shaped by hardship, strong Catholic values, and a deep sense of national identity. When Nazi Germany dismantled Czechoslovakia in 1939, Kubiš refused to accept defeat. He fled across borders, joined the Czechoslovak forces abroad, and eventually reached Britain, where he trained for some of the most dangerous covert operations of the war. In 1941, together with his partner Jozef Gabčík, he was selected for Operation Anthropoid—the mission to assassinate Reinhard Heydrich, the acting Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia and one of the chief architects of the Holocaust. Their successful attack on 27 May 1942 dealt a severe blow to the Nazi leadership and shattered the illusion of Hitler’s unshakable power in occupied Europe. The Nazi response was swift and brutal. Entire villages, including Lidice, were destroyed; thousands were executed, tortured, or deported. Kubiš and his comrades fought to the last bullet in the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Prague. Kubiš was gravely wounded and died shortly afterward at only 28 years old. This documentary explores his remarkable life—from his childhood in Moravia to the final hours inside the Prague church crypt. His sacrifice remains a symbol of resistance against tyranny and a reminder that even the most powerful regimes can be challenged by extraordinary courage.This episode is part of the series The Anti-Fascist Heroes.Watch the full documentary and explore hundreds of historical films at:WorldHistory.tv