LINKED PAPER This work was presented at the BOU Urban Birds conference in April 2024.
In 1922, Veleslav Wahl was born to a wealthy family of a Prague lawyer. Soon he became interested in birds and his passion led him to a career of an ornithologist. During WW2, when Nazis closed Czech universities and Wahl couldn’t study, he was employed in the Prague zoo as a research assistant. Here he acquired further knowledge and skills needed in ornithology. He started publishing articles in a journal Sylvia and other national journals and magazines. His papers described occurrence of species, migration of selected species or changes in the distribution of birds. His most important and most known publication was a book Birds of Prague, published in 1944, followed by a second edition in 1945.
In his book Wahl described state of birds of the Prague city approximately in a period 1936 – 1945 although he used also older records. In detailed species accounts he provided up-to-date information about each species’ occurrence in the city as well as description of the species incl. habitat, song etc. In the book, Wahl also described main habitats in Prague and their avifauna. He shared his views on protection of birds, urbanisation and several aspects of biology of birds. His thoughts on conservation were innovative – for instance he proposed that conservation of birds should focus on protected areas and restoration of nature, e.g. farmers should allocate part of their land to birds and nature. Be aware he wrote this in 1940s when he was about 20 years old! Overall, the book was an excellent documentation of birds in the city in the first half of the 20th century.
Figure 1. The number of species documented in Prague overall, in Veleslav Wahl’s first book and the updated book.
Veleslav Wahl was also active in an anti-nazi resistance during the whole occupation of Czechia by Nazi Germany. His father and uncle were executed by Nazis in 1942. Such tragic event in his family did not prevent Wahl to keep fighting against the occupation. He led an underground group of young people, many of them scout boys, who engaged in intelligence and sent the information gathered to Czech exile government in London. The group was never revealed and in May 1945 the members actively engaged in battles during the Prague upraising.
When communists took power in Czechoslovakia by a coup in 1948, Wahl decided to fight a new totalitarian regime again. He set up an intelligence group, but the group was revealed and its members arrested. Wahl was sentenced to death and executed in June 1950 when he was 28.
Figure 1. Veleslav Wahl at court © Czech Film Archive.
At night before his execution he wrote his last will. In the document, he wished the book Birds of Prague is edited, improved and published again. He wished the book texts are accompanied by illustrations by Karel Svolinský, probably the best nature illustrator of that times in Czechia. However, due to the communist regime, Wahl’s name had to be forgotten and his work remained to be known to only small circle of ornithologists interested in birds of Prague.
In 2023, we published the new edition of the Birds of Prague with subtitle Birds, the city, story of a hero. Since it took so long time from Wahl’s last will, the book deserved a bigger update. Prague city changed a lot and the birds there too. We took the opportunity and used the Wahl’s book as a reference material for a comparison of birds in Prague in 1930s/1940s and 2011 – 2020. We also produced a complete historical list of species occuring in Prague between 1800 and 2020. The comparison shows that there has been a net increase in a number of species in Prague city. Since 1800, 285 species were recorded in Prague, 182 in 1936–1945 and 248 species in 2011-2020. Four species went locally extinct since 1936-45 while 70 colonised the city. Some species seem to benefit from urban environment or management of habitats in the city. Less intensive management of waterbodies, overall increase in a surface of water in the city or increase of forested areas and parks as well as better management of green spaces play a role. Trends of many species however follow the national or European trends.
Besides documenting the development of urban bird communities in Prague we wanted to pay a tribute to Veleslav Wahl. Therefore, the book also includes a new chapter about V. Wahl, his biography, details from his resistance activities against Nazis and communists and a description of his role in ornithology.
We are happy that after more than 70 years we could use such a unique material and to document a development of avifauna of the city as well as to pay a tribute to the hero. A fact that the book received two prestigious awards in Czechia and was nominated to another one is another way to pay the tribute to Veleslav Wahl, an excellent ornithologist and a great person.
Image credits
Top right: Veleslav Wahl © ČSO Archive.
Photographs of the book: ČSO Archive and O. Přibyl.
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