Classic Wedding Traditions in The Czech Republic

As we have discussed in previous posts, (like why Prague is the best city to have a wedding) Czech weddings are definitely something special, so we thought we’d discuss how this amazing moment is celebrated in Czech culture. Though most of the traditions found at Czech weddings are typically Christian traditions and can be found at...

History, NOSTALGIA

June 25, 2018

Martha Gellhorn Reports on Czechoslovakia in 1938

Today we are looking at Martha Gellhorn’s report on Czechoslovakia in 1938. Martha Ellis Gellhorn (November 8, 1908 – February 15, 1998) was an American novelist, travel writer, and journalist who is considered one of the great war correspondents of the 20th century. She reported on virtually every major world conflict that took place during...

History, Periodicals

June 10, 2018

Memorial to Lidice by Bohuslav Martinů

On an unforgettable night in June 1942, the peaceful village of Lidice, Czechoslovakia, ceased to exist. It was neither earthquake nor flood that wiped this town from the verdant hills west of Prague; it was the dark evil of man’s nature. Nazi troops swept through the village as it slept, killing the men, deporting the...

Czech Republic, History

June 1, 2018

Našinec – Last Czech-Language Newspaper in Texas Coming to an End

After 104 years of publication, the end for the last Czech-language newspaper in Texas could come in a Williamson County nursing home. It’s there that 82-year-old Joe Vrabel puts out the Našinec paper as far more labor of love than producer of profit. “Oh, I hate to see it go,” he told me in the...

CULTURE, Periodicals

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 11, 2018

The First Cup of Coffee In Prague Goes Back to the Early 1700s

Do you ever wonder where the first cup of coffee was in Prague, or how it even got there? The first Europeans to get acquainted with coffee were mostly travelers. The first traveler from the Czech lands to mention coffee was Kryštof Harant of Polžice and Bezdružice (Czech: Kryštof Harant z Polžic a Bezdružic, 1564...

History, NOSTALGIA

May 9, 2018

The History of The Czech Coat of Arms

Heraldry, or more specifically in this case, a coat of arms, is a visual armorial achievement displayed to identify states and or individuals. Heraldry has been around since the beginning of medieval times when battles were said to have gained their popularity, but pictures of crests and coats of arms can be found long before...

History, NOSTALGIA

April 27, 2018

The Origin and Evolution of the Czech Flag

The flag of the Czech Republic features the country’s national colors and is a symbol of the Czech Republic’s rich history and culture. But what do the colors of the flag represent and what are its origins? In this post we will explore how the Czech flag has evolved over the years and how it...

History, NOSTALGIA

April 13, 2018

The Legend of The Golem

Throughout the Czech Republic, the Golem is recognized as a popular figure. Its clay form is represented through various statues, signs, and may even be spotted in the cobblestones of the city’s sidewalks. Many restaurants and business are named after or make reference to the mysterious creature. But what is the Golem and what are...

NOSTALGIA, Time Warp

April 11, 2018

A Closer Look at Czech Coins and Their History

Just like most places in the world, Czech currency is made up of paper bills along with coins, and though the Czech Republic is officially part of the European Union, Euros are rarely accepted at Czech establishments. Instead, the Czechs use their own form of currency known as the Koruna (meaning “Crown” in English), also abbreviated...

History, NOSTALGIA

April 6, 2018

The Story Behind The Famous Czech Opera Rusalka

The most popular and successful Czech opera, Rusalka, tells the story of an immortal water nymph from Slavic Mythology who falls in love with a prince and yearns to become human. It is a sad and touching fairy tale which contains many similarities to Undine by German poet Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué and The...

ENTERTAINMENT, Theater

March 28, 2018

The Czech Week Leading to Easter Sunday

In The Czech Republic, Easter is a long holiday, much longer than most of us celebrate here in the United States. Besides celebrating Easter classically as we know it on Sunday, many Czech people celebrate the entire week leading up to this cheerful holiday. Back when the communists first started their occupation of the Czech...

CULTURE, Holidays

March 27, 2018

Bohemian Beet and Horseradish Relish

Yesterday we posted about the numerous benefits of horseradish an Easter is coming, so we have decided to make and share his typically Czech and very simple horseradish recipe with you today and we are calling it Bohemian beet and horseradish relish. Called Červená řepa s křenem in our native tongue, it is quite simple to make...

LIFESTYLE, Recipes

March 26, 2018

Horse Radish Culture in Bohemia

Today I came across an old document from December of 1899 from the Division of Botany at the United States Department of Agriculture. The document is entitled, Horse Radish Culture in Bohemia and I am sharing it with you because Czechs absolutely love their horseradish! Horse-radish is employed much more extensively by German and Austrian...

History, NOSTALGIA

March 25, 2018

Beautiful Czech Easter Eggs for Sale

Easter is just a week away and I stumbled upon some of these wonderful items which are for sale… What better way to share your heritage than to have some of these on your Easter and spring table. Look at the lovely images and descriptions and if you are interested, the link to buy is...

CULTURE, Holidays, Shopping

March 19, 2018

Karel Kulík’s Cheerful Calendar or How Coffee Came to Prague

Karel Kulík and his cheerful calendar enjoyed popularity from 1909 onward. The Kulíkův zábavný kalendář as it was called was an advertising calendar was created by Kulík who was a wholesaler of coffee. Karel Kulík distributed his calendar to his permanent customers free of charge. (Nice marketing idea for the time!) Karel Kulík was one...

Bohemians, PEOPLE