Prague, the magic city lived during centuries as the Wheel of Fortune, sometimes on top, other times opressed under it, some times clinging to the sides and maintaining some balance or even harmony.

The Wheel here is also a clock, reminder of all the difficult, wonderful, sad and mystic times the city witnessed. To tell stories about the past, far away or recent, the Wheel alone would be enough.

Rudolph II, who collected mysterious and enigmatic objects, as well as all arts, surrounded himself with magicians, alchemists, astrologers, clairvoyants and scientists, especially those connected with the esoteric questions. He discussed with them the wonders of the world, they tried to understand, often failing to do so.

Visiting Prague, one afternoon I lost myself and wandered through small streets, and when a young fashionable woman left one of the nearly babysized houses I woke out of a dream. Where I saw the street populated with people from a distant past. That is what Prague is doing to you.

Its like a timemachine, one moment you are in a busy street, surrounded by todays people, and in the next moment you are seeing the past, full of glory and splendour, hidden around the next corner is the anguish and the sadness of the ghetto, all with a slight turning of the wheel.

And here I believe, I saw the Golem, this magic man, created by Rabbi Loew, to defend his people and their part of the city. For me he is not the monster, later stories and movies told about.

He is the protector of my people, and when he faded away, I had the impression his goal was the Pinkas Synagoge, to mourn there, in an empty room all the people whose death he could not prevent, the known names written in black and red on the white washed walls.

And he left behind the trace of an idea. I always wondered, how it could happen. When the Nazis decided to melt down the stature of Rabbi Loew, in one night that statue vanished. Imagine the weight of this! Some men without gadgets - because the noise could bring down on them the occupants and sure death - taking down the statue, transport it to a safe place and bury it.

I think the Golem, with his more than human strength, helped them. He is only sleeping, a defender, protector, helper for his folks safety. Each country has one of them, waking, when he is needed.

The evening dawn came and not knowing where I was, I *decided* or was guided to follow the aura the Golem left behind and soon found myself, how?, before the cementary gates. I went in, stones and stones without end, one above the other, some tumbled down, some erect, each one crowned with small stones, some of them new. This told me, here is not an artefact, a *sightseeing* for tourists, but the resting place of humans, who once were loved and cherished.

I had no stone with me to place beside, but I thought of all the relatives I never met, because they were victims of the Nazis too. So I broke the piece of jade from my bracelet and put it beside some very old stones on top of an erect standing tomb stone. It was very dark now, winter, and cold, but I felt warm, secure and protected and without difficulties found the way back to my hotel.

The next day was filled with duties, I was not on a pleasure trip. But the memories of yesterday lingered and mixed with all the pleasure I had on the next day. To see my president sign a friendship treaty, to be invited to a reception, meeting and had interesting discussions with a secretary of state, who even invited me for a 2 week vacation in Chechoslowakia.

What I remember most of this pleasant day was, the difference between the people in Power in Eastgermany and Chechoslowakia.

In Prague the Power at least was covered with human warmth (at least with the people I met this day) and not the mindless and heartless cruelty like it was in Eastgermany. And I think this human warmth was the reason for the *Prague spring*,that was destroyed so gruesome by russian and eastgerman military.

One week in Prague, about 40 years ago, stayed in my memory forever. So I could continue endlessly, but stories are best, when one leaves room for imagination.

To view images from the Tarot of Prague please visit their website.