Massacre in Běchovice

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Massacre in Běchovice happened on 17 June 1848 at the train station in the village near Prague, Bohemia (now Czech Republic).

In the revolutionary year 1848 many of Prague's bourgeoisie decided to leave the city and fled to rhubarbs or outside the Bohemia. Many of them chose the train as out of the city. In those times Běchovice was the only station that connected Prague with Česká Třebová, Olomouc and Wien.

Because of their location, General Windischgraetz chose Běchovice as a main center of searches for rebels. Windischgraetz and his army searched each train but they were not able to find any guns or rebels. Soon after the 6 a.m arrived train full of students fleeing from Prague. It is not known what exactly happened, there was probably a minor skirmish between one of the passengers and some soldiers, but it grew to a massacre. Hussars' forces attacked the train and slaughtered everyone on sight. Everyone was ordered to stay in the train but hussars' pulled people out and killed them. Some of passengers, mainly women and children, fled to the nearby train station building although it was under heavy fire.

Exact number of killed is not known, but there were over 100 heavily wounded passengers.

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