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Today the official act of passing the EU glass relay pin to the next country, Sweden, ended the EU presidency by the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic presided over the European Union for an entire six months. This special task was very challenging for the country taking into consideration the worldwide economic situation, the dissolution of the government and other activities associated with this task. We should not forget about the infamous Entropa display in Brussels that made our presidency less forgettable than the colorful logo and its slogan “Europe in Sweet Harmony.” Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

Author: Josef Čermák (CzechFolks.com PLUS)

Last April, the Czech writer, Blanka Kubesova, paid in Pozitivni noviny a tribute to Mirko Janecek and his newspaper, Kanadské Listy. In her story, which also displayed several interesting photographs from her archives, Blanka Kubesova mentions that last year - after 42 years - Mirko Janecek ceased publication of Kanadske Listy, a newspaper he took over from I. J. Sharoun and first published in mimiographed form and later, as a printed monthly. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

While those of us living in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom enjoy basic freedoms and democracy, there are still many people struggling for basic freedoms and human rights in societies which deny them. Their lives, however, can be changed thanks to the commitment of people and organizations to provide them with support and help.

One of the countries where civil liberties used to be deprived was, for example, the former Czechoslovakia. Based on today’s research and surveys, young generations lack a basic understanding of what it was like to live under the totalitarian regime.  Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

Author: Josef Čermák (CzechFolks.com PLUS)

Jarmila Knop (Puchýrová) was born on April 30, 1947 in Nové Město in Moravia, where her uncle Joza and aunt Věra Svítil still live. Reminiscing, after Jarmila’s death, at the recent ‘Zpěvánky’ (an annual musical session) in Nové Město, her class-mate, Blanka Vystrčilová, spoke so eloquently about Jarmila’s childhood and youth, that I can’t resist quoting generously from her remarks:

“A fair-haired little girl, with a satchel on her shoulder, walked to school, hand in hand with her mother. How could it be otherwise? Jarmila’s mother was a teacher at the elementary school. Time rushed by, the little girl was growing up, devoting practically all her free time to sports. She excelled in athletics - throwing a cricket ball or a grenade further than the best among the boys, was a good jumper (both the wide and high jumps), and a good sprinter. In Czechoslovakia, she ranked close to the top in several disciplines. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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More than six years ago Pavel Bem, the mayor of Prague, informed the public of his intention to host the Summer Olympic Games in 2016. Even the former mayor of Prague, Jak Kasl, supported this idea when he signed a contract with the Czech Olympic Committee. Two years later Pavel Bem stated that this idea became a serious plan. As he stated, “Prague would become a special location to organize such an event that would bring lots of attention to the city,” but would it actually be able to host such an event? Today we don’t have to think about this question since the event organizers withdrew their plan due to the current economic crisis. Nevertheless, the Olympic candidacy has already cost the city about 70 million crowns. Was it a smart idea to withdraw or not? Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Barbara Semenov, a journalist, reporter, producer, publisher of CechoAustralan magazine and an author of articles in our “Czech Only” version of CzechFolks.com named CzechFolks.com PLUS,was a guest at Helena Vondrackova‘s birthday celebration and was kind enough to report back to us with her experiences and memories of the singer. She wrote:

Today I would like to share with readers of CzechFolks.com PLUS a wonderful experience from Monday evening in the Prague Theater “Kalich,” where Helena Vondrackova celebrated her sixty-second! birthday. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

This is a second article by one of our new authors: Josef Cermak, a Doctor of law, journalist, writer, poet, actor and a lifelong organizer of public and scientific life for Czech and Slovak countrymen in Canada. Last time he wrote about a famous physician Dr.Premysl (Mike) Pelnar that recently passed away. The story today is about his visit of the 61st Congress of the Czech and Slovak Association in Canada. The Czech version to this article can be found in our “Czech Only” version of CzechFolks.com named CzechFolks.com PLUS, where he regularly contributes with his insightful and brilliant articles.  

Introduction
One can view the Montreal Congress celebrating 70 years of existence (under slightly different names) of the Czech and Slovak Association of Canada from different perspectives: Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

The fact that the Czech Republic and Slovakia have Name Days is known to many people, as well as to our readers that view our articles about these special days. How many of you actually know that there is such a thing as a Sir Name Day? A Czech entrepreneur Jan Švejda and his colleague invented a new calendar that is composed of the 365 most common Czech sir names or names of famous Czech people. The names were carefully assigned to days that were somehow similar to these names; usually based on significant days in world history or holidays. Some of the name and day selections were logical, others were funny, while a few of them were chosen with a sarcastic sense of humor. The calendar, named Prijmenar, has become very popular and it can be purchased online as well.

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This year we had the great honor of hosting the Slovak singer Peter Nagy. The word “we” here actually means all of us living in North America. This May, Peter Nagy visited Canada and the USA and performed at four concerts: Toronto, New York, Boston, and Los Angeles. From what we have heard from him and organizers, we can tell you that he felt like at home here. He had a very good time while meeting new people, sightseeing, and of course at his concerts; thanks to the audience and everybody who was involved in organizing the concerts. Moreover, he was even able to make a new video clip for his song named “Rozhladna 25.” Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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June 10th has been a sad day of remembrance in the history of the Czech village Lidice since the year 1942. The story still touches many people, even though it happened more than 60 years ago. On that day Nazis murdered Lidice men and boys over the age of 15 years old. The Women and girls were sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp and about 100 children were sent to Gneisenau concentration camp, where only some of them later ended up in Nazi orphanages. Others were killed or died due to poor health. The village physically disappeared and was erased in German maps. The tragic act happened based on a false accusation that some Lidice residents were involved in the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich; also known as “the man with the iron hearth.” Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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The story below is about a very important Czech doctor, Premysl Pelnar, who recently passed away (5th of April, 2009) at the age of 95 years old. Dr. Pelnar, a Czech physician, who immigrated to Canada from the former Czechoslovakia in 1964, played a significant role in the area of occupational health. For example, he organized several research projects that resulted in hundreds of scientific publications and lead several research projects all over the world. A fund named “Dr. Premysl (Mike) Pelnar Academic Enrichment Fund” was also established in his honor in the Department of Occupational Health at McGill University in Montreal. The story is written by our new author Josef Cermak, a Doctor of Law, journalist, writer, poet, actor and a lifelong organizer of public and scientific life for Czech and Slovak countrymen in Canada. The Czech version to this article can be found in our “Czech Only” version of CzechFolks.com named CzechFolks.com PLUS, where he regularly contributes with his insightful and brilliant articles.

I am hoping that Dr. Premysl (Premík, Mike) Pelnar is with us in spirit. I am sure that if he could, he would be with us in body as well. And most likely would deliver a riveting, charming and smiling oration on the vicissitudes of his life. And what a life it was! Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

The first memorial of political prisoners and victims of communism available to the public was revealed yesterday in Valdice in the Czech Republic. The Valdice prison is an appropriate place for this statue because most of the prisoners were sentenced there for political reasons. The author of the statue, Jiri Sozansky, wanted to contribute by acknowledging the harm to political prisoners; mostly those that are still alive.

  Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »