The last palace in Prague

Prague's Last Palace chronicles the upheavals that transformed Europe throughout the 20th century and reminds us that we never live far from the past. A masterful narrative told through an extraordinary mansion—and the lives of the people who called it home.

When Norman Eisen took office as U.S. ambassador to Prague and moved into the official residence, returning to the land his mother had fled after the Holocaust, he was surprised to discover swastikas hidden beneath the furniture. The symbol of Nazi Germany was a remnant of the mansion's forgotten history and proof that we never live too far from the past.

From this discovery unfolds the fascinating, yet tortuous, story of four remarkable individuals who lived in the palace before Eisen. Through their lives, The Last Palace in Prague chronicles the upheavals that transformed Europe throughout the 20th century.

First there was the optimistic Jewish financial baron Otto Petschek, who built the palace after World War I as a declaration of faith in democracy, only to see that faith shaken years later. Then there was Rudolf Toussaint, the cultured German general who occupied the palace during World War II, risking his life to save the house and Prague from destruction. Then there was Laurence Steinhardt, the first post-war US ambassador, whose fight to keep the palace out of communist hands paralleled efforts to rescue the country from Soviet rule. And then there was actress Shirley Temple, an eyewitness to the collapse of the Prague Spring in 1968, who decided to return to the city and help end totalitarianism—and did just that as ambassador in 1989.

Interweaving his mother's life into the narrative, Norman Eisen reveals how people far removed from power and privilege navigated the historical events of the 20th century and presents us with The Last Palace in Prague , which tells the dramatic — and surprisingly cyclical — story of the triumph of democracy.

“This addictive, action-packed yet lyrically written book provides a fascinating insight into Europe's past and present.” — Publishers Weekly

“A skillful and extraordinary account, steeped in politics, military history, architectural lore, and anecdotes... Eisen's fluid style and the richness of this material make this historical read a joy.” — Wall Street Journal

"Norman Eisen has written a fascinating narrative about a palace and its very real ghosts. In telling the story of the Prague mansion where he resided as U.S. ambassador, Eisen offers a poignant reflection on the terrifying twists and turns of the last century, including his family's story." — Walter Isaacson, journalist and author

“Blending the personal and the historical, Norman Eisen’s remarkable book transports us into the battle for democracy through the lives of those who fought to save it and those who sought to destroy it. The Last Palace in Prague is not only a first-class history book, but a call to action written in a time of urgent need.” — Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State