The Czech Republic (formerly part of Czechoslovakia, and before that, part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire) is a country in Eastern Europe. Though it suffered through an occupation by the Nazis and a 41-year long regime of communism, today it is resurgent, in part due to the popularity of its capitol, Prague, as a low-cost location for period films. In 1989, Czech and Slovakia separated into their own sovereign countries.
Erich Tassig
Of course, the low-cost, high-profit film industry has a dark side; Prague has also become popular as a site for filming child pornography. In 2003, Detective Elliot Stabler travelled over there to rescue 13-year-old Mia Von Wagner, who'd been lured to Prague by her supposed boyfriend, Erich Tassig, who drugged her and used her for kiddie porn. (SVU: "Pandora")