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 28, 2018

The Tragic 1895 Quicksand Disaster at the Town of Most

Imagine walking with your family, coming home from market when suddenly the buildings around you begin to crumble and the earth begins to swallow the people right in front of you. That is exactly what occurred in 1895 in a city called Most in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) in the worst quicksand disaster in...

History, Movies, NOSTALGIA

May 27, 2018

Resistance Has a Code Name: Operation Anthropoid

Being May 27th, we are looking at an evil monster from history known as the Butcher of Prague and the various films made about Operation Anthropoid, the plot to kill him in Czechoslovakia. Operation Anthropoid, with its course and consequences, is the most heroic and tragic story in the modern Czech history. Warrant Officer Jozef Gabčík (Slovak)...

History, Movies

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

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

February 28, 2018

Watch Viktor Polesný’s Murder in Polna

Zločin v Polné, or as it is more commonly known in English, Murder in Polna is a excellent two part film which follows the story of and deals with the Hilsner Affair. On an Easter Sunday in 1899, a nineteen year old seamstress named Anežka Hrůzová was found dead between the two towns of Věžníček, and Polná....

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies

February 26, 2018

Czech Opera and Operetta Diva Jarmila Kšírová

The lovely Jarmila Kšírová was a very talented Czech Opera and Operetta diva. She was born December 29, 1910 in Prague and died on November 27, 1983 in East Berlin. With her singing talent and natural beauty, she reaped success all over Europe. Like many other gorgeous Czech women, her natural beauty and attractiveness is...

Music, PEOPLE, Women

January 30, 2018

Watch This: Dark Blue World or Tmavomodrý Svět

Coming from famous Czech director Jan Svěrák who also directed the film Kolya, comes Dark Blue World (2001). This is a historic action movie about a group of fighter pilots training to fight for their country which has been invaded by the Nazis in 1939. The plot follows two pilots in particular (Ondrej Vetchý and Krystof Hádekwho) who...

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies

January 27, 2018

Kolya – A Heart Wrenching Drama

Kolya is a Czech drama released in 1996 that follows the story of Louka, (portrayed by famous Czech actor Zdenek Sverák) a former concert cellist at the Prague Philharmonic who now works playing among others at funerals where he barely makes ends meet. He agrees to marry a Russian woman who needs citizen papers in exchange for...

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies

January 21, 2018

Fairytale Ax Soup Recipe from Honza Málem Králem

You know we love sharing Czech recipes and today we’re sharing another from a Czech pohádka (fairytale) movie called Honza Málem Králem (How Honza Almost Became a King). Czech and Czechoslovak fairytale films, known locally as pohádky are especially popular during the holidays. This specific fairytale soup is called Sekyrková polévka (Ax soup). I have elaborated a bit, added...

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies, Recipes

January 18, 2018

Waldemar Matuška’s Krysař and the Pied Piper Film

In today’s post, I am sharing the song Krysař (the Pied Piper) by Waldemar Matuška. Click to play the video and read the lyrics I have translated for you below. After that, I’m sharing information about a Czech film of the same name by Jiří Barta. Krysař, which means “The rat catcher”. First, the lyrics in Czech Měl...

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies, Music

November 28, 2017

Watch This: Little Knights Tale or Ať žijí rytíři!

Little Knights Tale (Czech: Ať žijí rytíři!) is a 2009 Czech comedy film directed by Karel Janák. It was shown at the 2011 Berlin International Film Festival. This story was inspired by a theme introduced by producer Boris Krištof. The characters of the children have been drawn from Boris’ own children and those of the...

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies

November 16, 2017

Watch This: Bathory: Countess of Blood

The film Bathory: Countess of Blood is based on the legends surrounding the life and deeds of Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed (Hungarian: Báthory Erzsébet, Slovak: Alžbeta Bátoriová) who lived from August 7, August 1560 to August 21, 1614. Bathory known as the greatest murderess in the history of mankind. Contrary to popular belief, Elizabeth Bathory...

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies

November 14, 2017

Staročeské lívance aka Old Bohemian Pancakes Fit for a King

We are calling this post Staročeské lívance aka Old Bohemian Pancakes Fit for a King because of the appearance they made in a classic Czech film, Byl Jednou Jeden Král (There Was Once a King). The 1955 Czech film is based on a fairy tale by Božena Němcová, Salt Above Gold. In the Czech Republic, it belongs to...

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies, Recipes

November 5, 2017

The Last Trick by Czech Filmmaker, Jan Švankmajer

The Last Trick (Czech: Poslední trik pana Schwarcewalldea a pana Edgara) is a 1964 Czechoslovak animated short film by Jan Švankmajer. It was Švankmajer’s first film. Jan Svankmajer’s debut film extends the madcap spirit of his Prague-based Theatre of Masks. The play depicts two mime-like magicians (with heads made out of papier-mâché and clockwork machinery,...

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies

June 24, 2017

Watch This Fairytale: Tři Bratři or Three Brothers

Three Brothers or Tři Bratři is a Czech movie that intertwines three classic Czech fairytales, what we know here as Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, and The Twelve Months into one beautiful to look at film. The movie begins with famous Czech actor Oldřich Kaiser drawing illustrations in a book, the pictures in this book are...

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies