Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk had led the country from its independence in 1918 for the next seventeen years, and is known as “Father of the Nation”. In early 1915, after the outbreak of World War I, Masaryk made his way to western Europe, where he was recognized as the representative of the underground Czech liberation movement and conducted a vigorous campaign against Austria-Hungary and Germany. Heading the government-in-exile, he gathered Western support for Czechoslovakia. His colleague Eduard Beneš also greatly contributed to the cause as did Slovak scholar and astronomer Milan Rastislav Štefánik. During a trip to the USA, Masaryk carried out negotiations with President Woodrow Wilson and Secretary of State Robert Lansing and convinced them of the need for Czechoslovak independence. On June 3, 1918, Czechoslovakia was recognized as an Allied power, and its frontiers were demarcated according to Masaryk’s outline. As Masaryk had promised, the new multinational state respected the minority rights of its large German and Hungarian ethnic groups. The Lansing Declaration of May 1918 expressed the sympathy of the U.S. government with the Czechoslovak freedom movement, and Czechoslovakia’s liberation became one of Wilson’s Fourteen Points for the post-World War I peace settlement. Wilson supported the emergence of an independent Czechoslovakia, the...
On Wednesday, November 17, thirty buildings around Prague will light up with the colours of the Czech flag. Prague Castle, the Congress Center, the Žižkov Tower, the Petrin Tower, the Dancing House, the Straka Academy, university buildings and the headquarters of several companies will be colored in blue, red and white. The Slovak singer Jana Kirschner will perform at 17:11 the song “A Prayer for Marta” (Modlitba pro Martu), which was banned under communism after the Warsaw Pact invasion of 1968 and then revived during the Velvet Revolution. Among other things, there will be an outdoor projection on the facade of the Máj department store, focusing on the current political situation in Belarus. There will also be a program inside buildings – theater performances, a talk show, art workshops, and debates. Visitors can also look forward to street exhibitions or educational walks mapping the period of communism, the events of the Velvet Revolution, and the early post-revolutionary years. November 17th is Twice as Important for Czechs November 17th is not at all just an ordinary day in the Czech Republic. It is a very important day for Czechs not only for one but for two reasons. The original event that 17 November...
Czech sculptor Jaroslav Róna is installing a new work in Pankrác – a ten-metre giraffe cast in bronze. But it’s pretty different to anything you’d find in the wild, to say the least. Rona was inspired by Pokémon, a Japanese anime television cartoon series that premiered in Japan on April 1, 1997. He worked on it for over four years. About the author Born in Prague on 27 January 1957, Jaroslav Róna is a sculptor, painter, and performer belonging to the postmodern generation of the 1980s which has experienced a period of communism, including its fall and transition to democracy. He was a member of the Tvrdohlaví (The Stubborn), a significant art group that participated in activities leading to the liberation of the art scene from socialist demagogy. He has also worked as a theatre and film designer and participated in architectural work. The main focus of his work is creating sculptures for public spaces as well as painting. From 2005 to 2012 he taught the art of sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. His most famous sculptures include The Franz Kafka Monument in Prague for which he received the Grand Prix of the Society of Czech...
La Putyka Circus is opening a new "cultural window", where they will perform short pieces for just one or two lucky spectators.
400 years ago, armies of the Czech estates and the emperor Ferdinand II encountered in the Battle of the White Mountain. It was the first battle of the Thirty Years’ War, which changed the entire fate of Europe as well as the history of the Kingdom of Bohemia. In the Bohemian Lands at the beginning of the 17th century, the Protestant religion predominated. This, most probably, was the biggest problem and the bone of contention leading to an uprising against the monarch. The Habsburgs, on the base of the Peace of Augsburg, brought into the country the Jesuits, who in addition to the effort to bring the people back to the Catholic Church also brought higher education. These, however, became a thorn in the Non-Catholics’ eye and there was more and more hatred towards them, which was nourished mainly with their pastoral success and also with their exceptional position. Nevertheless, the Protestants promised to be given religious freedom, first by Maximilian II in the form of so-called Confessio Bohemica (only orally not in a written form) and then by Rudolf II in the form of so-called Rudolf’s Imperial Charter (Czech: Rudolfův Majestát), which only sharpened the situation and thanks to...
The issue of homelessness can be a very serious one, and even a wealthy country like the Czech Republic has her fair share of homeless folks. Unfortunately, this is something that can happen to anyone, expats included. People who become homeless are often ordinary people, many of whom actually had it all at a certain point in their lives. While being homeless is something that can happen to anyone, not everyone has the means to solve the problem as quickly as possible. So if you find yourself homeless in the Czech Republic, what do you do? Where should you go for assistance? And what agencies are there to help? The non-profit association Místní místním organizes an online event on Facebook planned especially for the international people living in the Czech Republic but also for everyone interested in the topic of homelessness. “We feel that expats in this country might also want to get to know more and go deeper into the social issues regarding Prague or the Czech Republic, maybe about how to get involved or get to know some local initiatives,” says Ester Pacltová from Místní místním. Online stream program: – Speakers: Jitka Modlitbová (The Salvation Army) and Ester...
By Anastasia Linevich—Anglo American University The story of a successful Czech-Jewish family that was hidden in a black box for decades has come to light thanks to the efforts of family members and journalist David Vaughan. It reveals the life story of several generations of the Wels family in pre-war Czechoslovakia, whom the tragedy of the Holocaust nearly eliminated. The exhibit “No Night So Dark” should still be taking place in the Winternitz Villa in the hills of the Smichov district. Prague offers a great number of villas outside the city centre with family stories behind each of them. The story of Wells’ family could have been lost forever. However, a box called “the Black Elephant” stuffed with hundreds of letters, sketches, photographs, and memoirs was discovered in the wardrobe of the only surviving Wels family member, Tomáš, who had escaped to Britain during WWII. Tomáš never shared the story of his family with his children, until he was admitted to hospital for heart surgery. This is when he invited his son Colin to tell him about the past, but then a sudden stroke left him unable to speak. The only memories that were left of the Wels family were...
Besides other parks in the wider center of Prague, Obora Hvězda has a very foresty character. But the central part hides a beautiful renaissance summer palace, and you might suddenly feel very aristocratic walking around. The first mention of the forest, originally called Malejov, dates from 993 when Duke Boleslaus II donated it to the newly established Břevnov Monastery. It was transformed into a walled game reserve during the rule of Ferdinand I in the mid-16th century. The current name (hvězda being Czech for “star”) derives from the Star Summer Palace, which stands in middle of the forest. The summer palace was build in the 16th century. Rumour has it that it was built out of love and given to the beloved lady of Ferdinand II., a gentleman from the Habsburg monarchy who was responsible for Czech lands at the time. It hosts exhibitions, but it’s closed in winter. The park, enclosed by a huge wall, has three main gates (Libocká, Pražská and Bělohorská,) plus several smaller ones. There are two great playgrounds in the park – one a three-minute walk from the northern entrance, in the middle of the forest, and the other next to the garden, facing the Summer Palace. The forest one...
A new charity second-hand shop selling women clothes opened earlier this month in the Letna district
Czech landmarks in Prague and around the country will be lit up in blue — the official color of the United Nations— on Saturday night to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the world body. In Prague, it will be Petřín Tower, the Dancing House, the Žižkov transmitter and the British Embassy. The initiative is a symbolic effort to unite people globally; promote the universal language of peace, sustainable development, and human rights; spread hope in these uncertain times and highlight support for the aims and ideals of the United Nations. “We face colossal challenges. With global solidarity and cooperation, we can overcome them. That’s what the United Nations is all about. On this anniversary, I ask people everywhere to join together. The United Nations not only stands with you… The United Nations belongs to you and is you: “we the peoples”,” says United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. October 24 is the anniversary of the entry into force of the U.N. Charter in 1945 and is celebrated as U.N. Day. Among the confirmed participating buildings: • Town Hall, Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium • European institutions: European Commission Berlaymont, EEAS, European Council, Brussels, Belgium • UN buildings: Palais des Nations, Geneva; UN...
Italy is renowned for its delicious food of simple flavours and fresh ingredients. But the country has way more to offer than the stereotypical pizza. And now, thanks to a new restaurant, you can sample authentic food from Puglia, a region in the South of Italy, without leaving Prague 8. Prague Morning went along to Pan Panzerotto to talk to the owner, Mauro Lovecchio and taste the food that defined his childhood. Pan Panzerotto offers a range of light lunchtime bites, from soup to Focaccia, and baked pasta. You can finish off your meal with almond coffee and sweet ricotta desserts, but the star of the show is its namesake, panzerotti. Whether you choose the traditional with tomato and mozzarella or be adventurous and try the gorgonzola, mascarpone and walnut, you will taste the rich history in every mouthful. These deep-fried dough pockets are born from the Apulian peasant tradition and are now most often eaten as indulgent street food. The recipe was thought to have come from Arabic culture due to trades and military invasions from North Africa to the Mediterranean, as many classic dishes from the Puglia region came from the Ottoman Empire. In manuscripts from the 13th century, there...
Prague’s Vinohrady district has many great spots and Book Therapy is one of them. Located in Římska street this unique bookstore is the right place to visit for any book and aesthetic lover. In 50 sqm you can find carefully selected titles – the owners of Book therapy make sure that only good stuff is selected in the bookstore portfolio. This is confirmed also because Book Therapy got selected to be part of a famous book list “Do you read me?” as one of the best bookstores in the world. You can find some of the best worlds and Czech books focused on design, architecture, fashion, lifestyle, cooking, and children – don’t expect regular novels and fiction. The place itself doesn’t offer just books but also will flatter to every aesthetic eye. An industrial vibe with a clean design where every book has its place. No confusing rows of books – each book is on display. The owners of the place believe that the cover of the book is important as much as the book itself – that’s why it is very hard to leave the store with empty hands. If you cannot make it to the store – they have you...
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