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...
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...
Today we get to meet Věra Láska, the 15-year-old Czechoslovakian girl who was 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...
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...
Jára Cimrman also known as “the Master”, is a Czech fictional polymath, a made up and imaginary personality presented as a universal genius, and one of the greatest Czech playwrights, poets, composers, teachers, travelers, philosophers, inventors, and sportsmen of the 19th and early 20th century. Playing along with the pretense of his real existence is...
Jiří Pařík ( February 21, 1930 Prague – December 1, 1999 Prague) was a Czech painter, draftsman , illustrator, graphic artist and cartoonist. He was the son of sculptor Antonín Pařík. He belonged to the circle of friends of the famous writer Bohumil Hrabal. When in a Prague antique store this past summer, I happened...
Dr. Karel Hujer (September 18, 1902, Zelezny Brod – June 10, 1988, Chattanooga, TN) was a Czech astronomer interested in the study of astronomy of ancient civilizations. Dr. Hujer came to the United States with a Doctor of Science degree (higher than Ph.D.) from Charles University in Prague. He immediately became active in the life...
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 –...
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...
For the past three years, students from Purdue University have traveled to Prague along with faculty member Jim Tanoos as part of a Study Abroad program entitled “Purdue Polytechnic’s Central European Multinational Automobile Organization Supply Chain Experience”. Purdue University offers move than 200 majors and specializes in agriculture, engineering, and technology. It has an enrollment...
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...
The Legend of Czech Fashion, Hana Podolská (née Johanna Vošahlíková), was born on May 16, 1880 in Merkhausen and died in Prague on February 15, 1972. She was a Czech fashion designer and businesswoman and one of the most important creators of pre-war Czechoslovak fashion. Additionally, she was the owner of the most renowned domestic...
If you are a lover of Everything Czech and are especially fascinated with Czechs in America, then surely you have heard of the Rosický’s of Omaha or come across A History of Czechs (Bohemians) in Nebraska. Compiled by Rose Rosicky (Růžena Rosicka) in Omaha, Nebraska in 1929. This special historical book (documents all important Czech...
I must confess to being addicted in finding the most rare, forgotten, and set aside information. This very intimate reminiscence of Antonín Dvořák was written by William Arms Fisher and appeared in The Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 1: No. 8. May 1927. Without further ado, I’m sure you will enjoy this piece, especially if you...