Lúčnica – Czechoslovakian Folk Ballet from Bratislava

Dancers with the precision, athleticism and enthusiasm of Lúčnica, a Czechoslovak folk ballet, do not come along every day. This is an almost continually fascinating group of expertly trained and excellently choreographed dancers presenting a show unlike any other. I learned about them from an old program I received from their tour in 1976. At...

ENTERTAINMENT, Music, Theater

October 4, 2019

Behind His Paintings: The Drawings of Alphonse Mucha

Alphonse Mucha was a Czech artist whose contributions to the Art Nouveau movement are incredibly vast, including multiple stunning paintings of ethereal figures circled with delicate flowers and shady leaves. His works are famous around the world and his unique style makes his paintings and posters instantly recognizable. He is known for his striking paintings...

Art and Design, CULTURE

October 3, 2019

Czech and Slovak Cinema

Czech and Slovak cinema is finally beginning to make an appearance on the world stage. Among the most successful Czech films made after the fall of communism are: Kolya, Divided We Fall, Cosy Dens, Loners, I Served the King of England and Walking Too Fast. The first Czech CGI animated movie was The GOAT Store...

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies

September 30, 2019

Antonín Dvořák and His Recorded Works

Today’s post is dedicated to the memory of Antonín Dvořák, the great Bohemian composer. America and the Czech Republic (Bohemia) have a warm place in their hearts for Dvorak. Both country’s love him on account of his visit to America, the influence of the works he wrote in America, and for the splendid lesson he...

Bohemians, History, Music

September 29, 2019

The Best Czech Pot Luck Dinner Recipe

Do you ever wish you had something other than obložené chlebíčky to bring to a pot luck. Maybe something warm and that would share a taste of your Czech heritage… How about something that carries well, reheats even better and tastes great with beer? Well, today I’m sharing one of my favorite recipes for the best...

LIFESTYLE, Recipes

September 28, 2019

Saint Wenceslas (Sv. Václav) King and Martyr

Today is the twenty-eighth day of September, the Saint Day of Saint Wenceslas or, in Czech, Svatý Václav. We recommend that you play the following video with sound for the Meditation on old Bohemian Chorale, “St. Wenceslas,” Op. 35a while you read today’s post for some ambiance. Saint Wenceslas, Duke of Bohemia, was the son...

Bohemians, History, PEOPLE

September 27, 2019

When Wenceslas Square was a Horse Market

Václavské náměstí (English: Wenceslas Square) is known as one of the main city squares in Prague. The rectangular square is lined on both sides by art nouveau style buildings which house various department stores, hotels, cafés, restaurants, and modern shops. Its streets have carried thousands of people through parades, celebrations, protests, political demonstrations, and through...

History

September 25, 2019

The Ride of the Kings Festival

The Ride of the Kings has been inherent in folklore since time immemorial. But the Ride in Vlčnov is extraordinary and the most famous one and has existed for hundreds of years. According to extant records, the ride of the kings has been in the village since 1885. Ten years later the boys from Vlčnov...

Czech Republic, LIFESTYLE

September 22, 2019

Zbiroh – Mysterious Castle of Three Emperors

The Zbiroh Chateau was built upon a glistening rock overgrown with jasper. Care was taken to ensure that it was abundant with unique and mysterious spaces. Nearly 800 years later, Zbiroh still stands. It is home to one of the oldest castle chapels in the Czech Republic, which is adorned with Gothic frescoes. Here, Charles...

Czech Republic, History, PLACES

September 19, 2019

Václav Hlavatý – World-Famous Czechoslovak Mathematician

Today we are pleased to share a very informative post about Václav Hlavatý, a world-famous Czechoslovak mathematician and the first President of SVU (Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences, Inc.) written by Martin Nekola, Ph.D. Václav Hlavatý (1894-1969) belonged to the Czechoslovaks most prominent scientists whose work in the mathematics of relativity and the cooperation...

History, PEOPLE

September 15, 2019

Saint Adalbert – The Bishop of Prague

Saint Adalbert of Prague; c. 956 – 23 April 997, known in Czech by his birth name Vojtěch, was a Bohemian missionary and Christian saint. He was the Bishop of Prague and a missionary to the Hungarians, Poles, and Prussians, who was martyred in his efforts to convert the Baltic Prussians to Christianity. Born to...

Bohemians, PEOPLE

September 13, 2019

How To Make Czech Sauerkraut

Many of us connect the feelings of food to our parents or grandparents and the memories we hold dear of the meals we shared with them. A scent of slow cooking Czech gravy or the delicious aroma of koláče escaping the oven instantly takes us back to simpler times; times we hold in an almost...

Recipes

September 11, 2019

Věra Láska 15-year-old Czechoslovak Girl on the Nazis’ Most Wanted List

Today we meet Věra Láska, the 15-year-old Czechoslovakian girl on the Nazi’s most wanted list. Incredibly, when she was just a teenager, Věra Oravcová defied the statistics and lasted three years as a Czechoslovak Resistance fighter (instead of the average six months). She survived Auschwitz and two other camps as a political prisoner and escaped...

PEOPLE, Women

September 7, 2019

76 Years Ago Today the Brundibar Opera in the Terezin Ghetto

The Brundibar Opera is a children’s opera by Jewish Czech composer Hans Krása with a libretto by Adolf Hoffmeister, made most famous by performances by the children of Theresienstadt concentration camp (Terezín) in occupied Czechoslovakia. The name comes from a Czech colloquialism for a bumblebee. Krása and Hoffmeister wrote the opera in 1938 for a...

History, Theater

September 5, 2019

Struggles of a Czech Family in Texas

This article originally appeared in The Texas Historian (Volume 45, Number 1). It was written by William Clyde Hajek of Pauline G.Hughes Middle School, Burleson, Texas. I’m sharing it here for the historical significance of Czechs in Texas. Texas and the United States have been greatly enriched by our multi-cultural heritage. One group which has...

History, NOSTALGIA

September 3, 2019

John Hus – A Brief Video Overview of the Man

Jan Hus (1369 – July 6, 1415), sometimes Anglicized as John Hus or John Huss, also referred to in historical texts as Johannes Hus or Johannes Huss, was a Czech theologian, philosopher, master, dean, and rector of the Charles University in Prague. He became a church reformer, an inspirer of Hussitism, a key predecessor to...

Bohemians, PEOPLE