Czech Figurines aka Vizovické Pečivo

I have admired these little Czech figurines known Vizovicé Pečivo since I was a little girl. As Czech, Slavic, or Moravians, we’ve been creating them for at least two centuries. It is without debate that these that these family jewels hand crafted by grandmothers and aunties carry a special generational wealth and are treated as...

Recipes

August 20, 2020

A Death to Remember

They slept that night in peace. The danger, they felt, had ended. Their democratic revolution would live. The Russians would not come in. As they slept, the chief of Czechoslovakia's secret police, who was scheduled to lose his job within a few days, arrived at Prague's new airport - to secure the field, he explained, for the arrival of an important Russian delegation. Within minutes, Czech and Soviet agents ringed the field, and airborne troops landed. At 1:00 a.m., the people of Prague awakened to the blaring of taxi horns and to news they could not at first believe.

History

February 14, 2020

The Oldest Gothic Building in Prague

In Prague’s historic Old Town (Czech: Staré Město), situated on the right bank of the Vltava river, lies the oldest surviving Gothic building in the city of Prague. This building, known as the Convent of Saint Agnes (Czech: Anežský klášter), was founded in 1231 by the youngest daughter of King Ottokar I, Agnes of Bohemia,...

Architecture, CULTURE

January 20, 2020

Sister Kenny and Polio in Czechoslovakia

Today we are looking at a bit of unknown history about polio in Czechoslovakia and the Czech influence that would become a part of the polio wars. Poliomyelitis or polio is a highly contagious disease that can cause paralysis of the legs, hands and respiratory muscles. It’s basically a bullet trying to kill specific parts...

History, NOSTALGIA

December 31, 2019

New Year’s Eve and Lentils

What is it about New Year’s Eve and lentils? Well – there is an old Czech saying – “Jak na Nový rok, tak po celý rok” which translates as: “As on New Year’s Day, the same throughout the whole year.” Therefore, on New Year’s Day, most Czechs consume lentils (čočka). Lentils are served on New...

Food, Holidays

December 31, 2019

Czech Christmas Chocolate Collections

How many of you remember growing up with Czech Christmas chocolate collections? You know, the ones that came in the large box which included hooks for hanging on your Christmas tree? The chocolates themselves were wrapped to resemble all sorts of Christmas ornaments. In our house, Christmas was not complete unless we had these included...

Food, Holidays, LIFESTYLE

November 9, 2019

The Salvation Army in Czechoslovakia

The Salvation Army in Czechoslovakia from 1919 until 1951 was largely due to the work of Josef Korbel (Order of the Founder) and his wife, Erna. Josef Korbel was born on January 17, 1907 in Prague. He grew up in the town of Prelouc, where his father owned a factory for agricultural machinery. He attended...

History, Men, NOSTALGIA

October 28, 2019

Voice of the Velvet Revolution

The first major manifestations of dissatisfaction began in August of 1988. The demonstrations continued until end of totalitarian regime. In January of 1989, memorial demonstrations were held to commemorate Jan Palach’s self-immolation. Water cannons and special intervention units were sent to the streets. The reaction of the communist regime prompted more people to attend further...

ENTERTAINMENT, History, Movies

October 27, 2019

A Brief History of the Early Bohemians of Chicago

The following is a reprint of an article featuring a brief history of the early Bohemians of Chicago that appeared in the Chicago Tribune on March 07, 1886. It was entitled as follows: Manners and Customs of the Bohemian Portion of the City’s Population. They Are Industrious, Thrifty and Generally of a Most Peaceable Disposition....

Bohemians, History, NOSTALGIA

October 21, 2019

Texas Czechs – A People United

While describing the American character in his essay, “What is an American?” Jean de Crevecoeur also defined the unifying forces of the Czechs who immigrated to America. He stated, “In this great American asylum the poor of Europe have by some means met together, and the consequence of various causes.” The Czech pioneer in Texas...

History, NOSTALGIA

October 18, 2019

A New Declaration of Independence

The Czechoslovak Declaration of Independence or the Washington Declaration (Czech: Washingtonská deklarace; Slovak: Washingtonská deklarácia) was drafted in Washington, D.C. and published by Czechoslovakia’s Paris-based Provisional Government on 18 October 1918. The creation of the document, officially the Declaration of Independence of the Czechoslovak Nation by Its Provisional Government (Czech: Prohlášení nezávislosti československého národa zatímní...

History, NOSTALGIA

September 25, 2019

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 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

Groovy Dancing and Communist Tanks: Stark Contrasts of Prague in August of 1968

August 16, 2019

Caught in the Clash of Groovy Dancing and Communist Tanks – Prague Spring 1968

What does groovy dancing have to do with communist tanks? Not much, but one day in August of 1968, groovy music videos were being filmed simultaneously in and around Prague. A popular television program at the time, Europarty had crews filming music videos for the show. It was the height of Prague Spring, and there...

History, Music, NOSTALGIA

August 13, 2019

Bohemian Farming Families of the Early 1900s

Lewis Wickes Hine (September 26, 1874 – November 3, 1940) was an American sociologist and photographer. Hine used his camera as a tool for social reform. His photographs were instrumental in changing the child labor laws in the United States. He photographed many immigrant families, including Czechs. Today we are looking at Bohemian Farming Families...

History, NOSTALGIA