Petschek Villa occupant Embassy of the United States, Prague
History
The house was built by Otto Petschek, a member of a German-speaking, Jewish family, with financial interests in coal mines and banking.  The Petschek family departed Prague in 1938, fearing conquest by Nazi Germany.  They immigrated to the United States.During the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, the Villa became the residence of General Rudolf Toussaint, commander of the German army occupying Czech lands.  At the end of the Second World War, the Soviet Army occupied the Residence for several days, after which it became Headquarters for the Czechoslovak General Staff.In 1945 Laurence Steinhardt, American Ambassador, leased the Residence from the Czechoslovak Ministry of National Defense and it became the American Ambassadorial Residence.  In 1948, the American government purchased the Villa, and the adjacent buildings now used as the Deputy Chief of Mission's house, and the Staff-house for $1,570,000.
resident inhabitant tenant dweller occupier