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

September 2, 2019

Learning from the Czechoslovak Talks

Wouldn’t you agree that the memories we collect should be an inspiration and a lesson in life, especially for future generations? We do. After all, this is one of the core principles and goals of our site. Therefore, we were very pleased to discover The Czechoslovak Talks. Their aim is to preserve the life stories...

LIFESTYLE

August 30, 2019

The Greatest Czech No One Heard of – Eduard Ingriš

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 part...

Bohemians, Men, 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

August 25, 2019

Pletenec or Czech Sweet Braid Done Two Ways

Today we are sharing a delicious recipe for a classic Czech sweet braid or plait, known as a pletenec in Czech. This recipe will make two, so when considering filling, make sure to either double up or use two different ones. The trick with a Czech sweet braid is in how you “braid” it, which...

LIFESTYLE, Recipes

August 22, 2019

Emil Holárek and the Fairy Tale of Innocence

We have a special treat for you today, a very rare peek into a satirical Czech Symbolist publication illustrated by Emil Holárek about an innocent little nymphet, who wears herself out between various institutions of state and society and the wickedness of their protagonists, finally ending up as a supposed culprit on the scaffold. In...

Art and Design, CULTURE

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 18, 2019

Czech Painter & Illustrator Jiří Pařík

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...

Art and Design, Bohemians