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...
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...
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...
January 26, 2019 marked the ninth year of the Rudolfinum Ball or Rudolfínský ples as it is known in Czech. People gather and enjoy the unique atmosphere of a Renaissance celebration and ball. Dancers and non-dancers alike can dress up in European Renaissance or early Baroque style and set out on a journey through time...
What does groovy dancing have to do with communist tanks? Not much, but one day in August of 1968, groovy music videos were being filmed simultaneously in and around Prague. A popular television program at the time, Europarty had crews filming music videos for the show. It was the height of Prague Spring, and there...
Lewis Wickes Hine (September 26, 1874 – November 3, 1940) was an American sociologist and photographer. Hine used his camera as a tool for social reform. His photographs were instrumental in changing the child labor laws in the United States. He photographed many immigrant families, including Czechs. Today we are looking at Bohemian Farming Families...
Today’s information is as shocking as the headline, Alice Masaryk Arrested & Held in Prison. Below we are sharing a reprint of an article written in 1974, with quotes and images added by us. Original source information at the end. It’s an important history lesson and it shares something many folks don’t even know –...
The following article entitled Czechoslovaks, Yankees of Europe appeared in a very old issue of National Geographic magazine from August of 1938. A wonderful 52 page article with 30 “cyclorama” color photographs. It is an excellent piece which shows us the Czech lands pre-World War II. As the title suggests, author John Patric found a...
Today we have a guest post article on the stitching of traditional Czech aprons. Often seen over a kroj, many people believe these Czech aprons are a part of traditional kroje, but they are also a stand alone apron. We hope you enjoy the article… My Czechoslovakian mother and grandmother gave up trying to teach...
Oh my goodness, have you ever seen anything so lovely? I am literally drooling over this one. My friend Lynette embroiders and she’s been playing with some Bohemian, Moravian and Slovak designs. Some of the items she creates are absolutely stunning… Like this beautiful coat. This coat is an eye-catcher. Have you ever seen anything...
Picture a tiny village in Eastern Europe, surrounded by forests and vineyards. Roses and daisies riot in front of small white-washed cottages. A tall-steepled church dominates the dusty village, and the road to the church is filled with blazing colors. It’s the matrons of Ratiskovice, Czechoslovakia, on their way to church in their richly embroidered...
Zem spieva (The Earth Sings) is a 1933 Czech documentary film written and directed by Karel Plicka (in Slovak: Karol Plicka) (1894 – 1987), a Czechoslovak photographer, film director, cinematographer, folklorist, and pedagogue. He is considered a founder of Slovak film education and film making. He helped establish the genre of ethnographic film in Czechoslovakia. Following Karel Plicka’s graduation...
Located in a whimsical part of Prague that many tourists do not venture to, is the abandoned Vyšehrad Train Station. This Art Nouveau gem sits quietly in her old grandeur, a crumbling boarded up beauty laden with graffiti just waiting (like many other gorgeous structures in the city of Prague) for a new face-lift. Seeing...
Let’s travel back in time, to 1920, and take a look at Dr. Miroslav Tyrš Founder of the Czech Sokol Union. Miroslav Tyrš was actually born as Friedrich Emanuel Tirsch on September 17, 1832 and died on August 8, 1884. He was a Czech art historian, sports organizer and as we’ll learn today, the founder of...
