Visiting a Czech Family

Survival Guide for Foreigners in the Czech Republic Teaching Czech for Foreigners and meeting people from different cultures has inspired me to start writing this survival guide. If you want to live in a foreign country, learning the local language is never enough. You need socio-cultural skills to understand the mentality of the people, behave...

Bohemians, Czech Republic, PEOPLE

January 3, 2019

Moravian Maurice Grau and the Metropolitan Opera

“The family with Czech roots who popularized musical theatre, ran the Metropolitan Opera, and published insightful books on theatre were the Graus. Maurice Grau was the universally loved head of the Met, his brother toured North America producing repertory opera-musicals, and another brother wrote the books.” The quote came in the form of a comment...

History, LIFESTYLE, NOSTALGIA, PEOPLE

July 20, 2018

The Czech Siblings Who Won Four World Figure Skating Championships

In 1959, a brother and sister team of figure skaters won first place in the ice dancing section of the Czechoslovakian Figure Skating Championships. It was the first year that ice dancing was recognized and competed in Czechoslovakia. Before then, the Czechoslovakian Figure Skating Championship was composed exclusively of pair skating, men’s singles, and ladies’...

Bohemians, PEOPLE

June 29, 2018

The Famous German-Language Poet Who Was Born In Prague

He is widely recognized as one of the best German-language poets, known for his lyrical prose and intense verse, but did you know that this famous writer was born in the capital of the Czech Republic? Rainer Maria Rilke’s story began in the city of Prague, the glimmering capital of Bohemia (Today known as the...

Bohemians, PEOPLE

June 27, 2018

A Glance at Czech Beauty Paulina Porizkova

Paulina Porizkova is a Czech model, author, actress, and feminist. Born on April 9th, 1965 in the city of Prostějov, Czech Republic. She was the first child of her parents, Anna and Jiří Pořízek. Paulinas parent were strong anticommunists and when the Soviets invaded Czechoslovakia in 1968 they fled to Sweden on a motorbike, leaving...

PEOPLE, Women

May 30, 2018

Old Czech Language and the National Anthem

Czech language developed at the close of the 1st millennium from common West Slavic. Until the early 20th century, it was known as Bohemian but I will refer to it as old Czech language in this post. I wanted you to hear a wonderful example of old Czech language, at least as old an example...

Bohemians, ENTERTAINMENT, History, LIFESTYLE, Movies, NOSTALGIA

May 25, 2018

In Memory of Award Winning Czech Director Miloš Forman

Miloš Forman, the most successful Czech-American filmmaker and scriptwriter, who lived in the US since 1968, a holder of two Oscars for the best directions, three Golden Globe awards and BAFTA prizes in the same category, died on Friday, April 13, 2018, in a hospital in Danbury, Conn. He was 86. He has been SVU...

Bohemians, ENTERTAINMENT, Movies, PEOPLE

Magical_Cavern_Prague_Reon_Czech_Painter_Vanished_Shaman

May 21, 2018

Fairy Tale Paintings and the Magical Cavern of Prague

Today we slip into the magical world of Czech painter, Reon Argondian. Though he was born in Prague with a different name, Jan Zahradník, and was given a Czech name that translates to gardener by birth, the powers that be wanted to suppress the garden of his mind. Born on the 21st of July 1948, he...

Art and Design, Bohemians, CULTURE

May 5, 2018

Happy Birthday to My Beautiful Mother, Anna Hilmar

My mother, Anna Hilmar (Anička Hilmarová, born Anna Müllerová) arrived on this earth on May 5, 1944. It was Friday, under the sign of Taurus. In 1944, the world was plunged into the chaos of World War II and yet this beautiful ray of sunshine came into the world. When Anna was born, her father, Vaclav Müller...

PEOPLE, TresBohemes

April 25, 2018

Věra Čáslavská: The Eloquent and Graceful Gold-Medal Winning Protester

Věra Čáslavská of the Czech Republic is the only gymnast, male or female, who has ever won an Olympic gold medal for every individual event in gymnastics: all-around, vault, uneven bars, beam, and floor exercise. Čáslavská also has the distinction of holding more individual gold medals than any other gymnast in Olympic history. In fact, she...

Bohemians, PEOPLE, Women

Býchory_Chateau_aka_Castle_of_the_Stradivarius_Violin

April 23, 2018

Býchory Chateau, Castle of the Stradivarius Violin and Jan Kubelík

Near the city of Kolín lies a small village known as Býchory (only 7 km northeast). In this village, sits a unique a Neo-Gothic castle chateau estate. Today we are going to call the Býchory chateau, the castle of the Stradivarius violin because it was once owned by world famous Bohemian violinist and composer, Jan Evangelista Kubelík. I suggest that...

Bohemians, Czech Republic, ENTERTAINMENT, History, Music

April 17, 2018

The Moravian Brethren Heritage of the First Lady Barbara Pierce Bush

The former First Lady Barbara Pierce Bush, the wife of President George H. W. Bush, is the 7th generation American, who descended from the Moravian Brethren family bearing the name Demuth. Former First Lady Barbara Bush Wife of 41st President and Mother of 43rd Dies at age of 92 She was a Moravian The Demuth...

PEOPLE, Women

April 9, 2018

31 Bohemian, Moravian and Slovak Writers You Never Knew Existed

Today I am proud to introduce you to 31 Bohemian, Moravian and Slovak writers you (probably) never knew existed. I was inspired to write this based on a book entitled České Album Spisovatelé which translates to Czech Album of Writers published in 1919 in Prague. Each of these individuals were born in the late 1800s and I was...

Bohemians, History, PEOPLE

March 24, 2018

Czech Animation Master Jiří Trnka Documentary

Today we are sharing a short twelve minute documentary which will educate you on the famous Czech puppet-maker, illustrator, motion-picture animator and film director. A man who some believe was better than Walt Disney at telling a tale and a man who is known as one of the Czech Republic’s greatest animators, puppeteers, illustrators and story...

Bohemians, Childrens Books, Movies, PEOPLE