The 126-year-old ghost of controversial Czech figure Jiří Arvéd Smíchovský was rumored to haunt the AAU Library, according to librarians and other faculty members. 

Smíchovský was born in 1897 and grew up in a deeply Catholic family that was part of Prague’s nobility. After studying theology and philosophy, his interest soon turned towards the occult as he began to dabble in black magic and hermeticism.

“After the librarians told me about Arvéd and his ghost, I was so interested that I wanted to read the book about him that is supposed to be here in the library. It wasn’t in the main library so I went to the arsenal and it wasn’t there,” said Maja Burdova, a librarian at AAU. 

Smíchovský mysteriously died in prison in 1951. While the true cause of death was unknown, most believed a guard attacked him, leaving Smíchovský with a fatal spinal injury. Others suspected his death was linked to his fascination with the dark arts. 

“The real Smíchovský walked these rooms, looked at those rafters and warmed himself from the fireplace. His library of occult books was located in the library! This is the reason your library is haunted,” lecturer Anthony Marais said. 

The AAU library’s rich history and art have attracted many inquisitive parties, including documentary filmmakers and other curious yet strange individuals. This could be attributed to the fact that Smíchovský and his relatives spent a lot of time there. 

“There was a journalist who showed up a bit too eager about the whole Smíchovský story, wanting to take pictures of the ceilings for a story she was writing. She got her shots, and then left. We never heard from her again and could never find the article,” said Ján Tompkins, an AAU librarian.

If you haven’t already, plan a visit to AAU’s library, but more importantly, look up. The ceilings are covered with beautiful depictions of creatures and symbols, almost resembling tarot, folklore, or biblical figures. 

“If you want to see magic, you’ll always see the magic. If you want to be scientific, you will always want to find a logical explanation,” library director Zuzana Volmuthová said. 

Although this whisper of a story isn’t based on viable evidence, the validity of this tale depends on one’s own beliefs and experiences. 

“[My colleague and I] turned our chairs, at that moment this lamp starts to turn on and off, and it is because the electricity goes underneath the floor. So when you move, it will create an interruption,” library specialist Olgica Mitošević said, further elaborating on random accounts of books falling, which she attributed to the way they were left behind. “It’s kind of scary but there is a logical explanation.” 

Next time you find yourself studying here late at night, in the dead of winter, the flickering lights might just be a message being sent to you from beyond the grave. But don’t be frightened—this is but a friendly ghost, if that’s what you choose to believe…