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 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

August 26, 2019

The Night a Russian Cellist Wept for Czechs

It is quite rare to view a live recording of a truly legendary performance, yet I was blessed to do so a few years ago. In a documentary about Mstislav Rostropovich, the genius Russian cellist, I saw such a performance, the night a Russian cello wept for Czechs. It was the 1968 Proms season and...

ENTERTAINMENT, Music

Rudolfinum Ball, Social Repertoire of the 16th & 17th Centuries

August 20, 2019

Rudolfinum Ball, Travel to the 16th & 17th Centuries

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...

CULTURE, Time Warp

August 9, 2019

Alice Masaryk Arrested & Held in Prison

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 –...

History, NOSTALGIA, Women

July 30, 2019

Poledník Lookout Tower – Then and Now

This wooden lookout tower in the mountains is known as Poledník. It is a Cold War secret surveillance tower which was used to spy on radio communications. An odd structure, right? The Poledník lookout tower is situated in the Šumava National Park near the Czech-German border, approximately 5 kilometers southeast of Prášily. Today, the lookout...

Czech Republic, PLACES

June 9, 2019

The Tragic Fate of the Vyšehrad Train Station

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...

Architecture, History, LIFESTYLE

June 6, 2019

Dr. Miroslav Tyrš Founder of the Czech Sokol Union

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...

Bohemians, History, PEOPLE

January 21, 2019

Breda & Weinstein Department Store

The Breda & Weinstein department store by the Viennese architect Leopold Bauer first opened at the beginning of October in 1928. It was one of the most modern buildings of its time. It stood five stories above ground and had two underground floors, and it served as retail shops as well as a clothing factory....

Architecture, CULTURE

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

January 2, 2019

Listen to Bill Clinton Play Saxophone Live in Prague

As a child growing up in Arkansas, William Jefferson Clinton had a passion for music and considered it to be one of his favorite hobbies. He especially loved jazz music and favored the sound of the saxophone, so it was no surprise when he started playing and practicing daily. In school he played in the jazz ensemble,...

ENTERTAINMENT, Music

November 15, 2018

The Republic of Bohemia

A very rare and beautiful book from 1643 on the History of the Republic of Bohemia (the Czech Republic) has come available for sale. For a collector, this is a wonderful and very rare gift indeed. Written in Latin, it shares a mysterious and little known history of Bohemia at the time. The focus of...

Books, ENTERTAINMENT

November 2, 2018

The Tale of the Headless Gingerbread Men

Two weeks ago, we wrote about the mysterious legend of The House at the Golden Well (Czech: Dům U Zlaté Studně), which follows the story of Ľubomíra, a housemaid who fell into the house’s well while looking for gold and died. According to the legend, her ghost continued to haunt the building for many years...

NOSTALGIA, Time Warp