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

Author: Antonin Vaclavik (CzechFolks.com PLUS)

(Translated by Helena Kaczérová)

There are not many countries and nations in the world today which can still boast, of such rich folk art as that peculiar to Czechoslovakia and its peoples. Its immense wealth, endless variety of form, colors – sometimes bright, sometimes soft – its remarkablemony and fineness of work, have won for the art of the Czech and Slovak people the admiration of all who have met with it.

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

Would you like to see how Prague used to look like 100 years ago? You may want to go to the website below that shows authentic Prague photos and compares them to real paintings by the Czech artist Jan Minarik (1862 – 1937). The website is well done and easy to use, and allows you to move a bar in the middle of the photo to look at the old painting or the most recent photographs. You will be able to see places such as Havelsky trh, Kaprova and Maiselova Street, Charles Bridge, the National museum building, and many other beautiful places in the capital of the Czech Republic. You will be able to explore a total of 29 photograph/paintings and see, in some cases, dramatic changes in the landscape, and building sizes and orientation. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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

October 28th is a memorable day in the history of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. This year, this day marked the 91st anniversary of the establishment of the independent Czechoslovak state. There were many ceremonies happening on this date all over the world, thus the experience below described by Ladislav Krivanek is just one of many that numerous Czech and Slovak compatriots could experience during this celebration. Did you attend one? Just let us know or learn about a unique concert in Canada or the artists below. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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

Melodies that bring a smile to your face, clever lyrics and recitation “charged” with a peculiar charm - no wonder that the compatriots in Australia evaluated a concert by Peter Nagy as one of the coolest they have ever experienced here.

Again, I had an opportunity to participate in the implementation of the Melbourne tour, organized in October in Sydney Australia by, as usual, an impresario Peter Vitek. Unlike singers Karel Gott, Helena Vondráčková, Marta Kubišová, and Olympic that we presented to Czech and Slovak viewers living in Australia in the past ten years, a Slovak singer Peter Nagy is not as known in the former exile since the beginnings of his artistic track dates from 1983. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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

This is the title of a social event that is taking place in Prague. Some of you may think it is an ironic title since the Communist party rules in the current Czech Parliament; however, the event is reminiscent of the communist era of the last century, when both countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia were united as Czechoslovakia and the country was “sheltered” by the powerful Iron Curtain. The event itself is directed to the public of all ages; however, the major contributors to the event are in fact children and young adults that did not live during this era in Czech and Slovak history.

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

An article by Josef Cermak about Josef Skvorecky, a well-known Czech writer, publisher, and expatriate, who spent much of his life in Canada and celebrates his 85th birthday tomorrow.

I don’t think there are many Czechs unfamiliar with the name Josef Škvorecký, even though they may not know that he was born in Nachod on September 27, 1924. And almost everyone of them knows one or two of his books, books such as The Cowards (Zbabělci), The Miracle Game (Mirákl), The Tank Corps (Tankový prapor), The Engineer of Human Souls (Příběh inženýra lidských duší), or the book I love best, The Swell Season (Prima sezona). If the majority of Škvorecký’ s most popular books focuses on a society, split by ideology, at a time of revolutionary changes, his literary pallet is much richer. The Swell Season is a sensitive portrayal of the maturing process not only of Josef Škvorecký, but his whole generation. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

By Eva Střížovská (CzechFolks.com PLUS) that founded the magazine Czech Dialogue to connect Czechs around the world. In her book “Howdy from Texas (Jak se mas?)”, she uniquely captured her experiences with Czech immigrants abroad and their lives far away from their home country.

Ennis Polka (Part 1)

One day about 3 years ago I got a phone call, „Hello, is it Eva? I am Jerry from Texas. My grandpa was Czech. I am holding your magazine Česky dialog in my hand and I love it. When are you coming to Texas?“ Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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

Author: Josef Čermák (CzechFolks.com PLUS)

Approximately 110km north of Toronto lies a small town of Edenvale and just a little further, you come to the Edenvale Aerodrome, an airport built by a Czeh refugee, Milan Kroupa. The aerodrome rests in the middle of a fruitful plane, even though possibly not as fruitful as the “fertile Haná”, so worshipfully described by a Czech poet whose name my aged brain refuses to surrender. During the second world war, this place was used by the Canadian air force to train its pilots. After the war, the place kept deteriorating until it was purchased, in 2003, by Milan Kroupa, who hails from a little village not far from a town of Nové Strašecí. Kroupa came to Canada as a political refugee in the middle of the sixties. And because he was an entrepreneurial wizard, he built up in this place (as well as putting together the largest janitorial company in Canada) a modern airport. It is this airport where on August 23rd, 2009 we shall reminiscence about the night of August 21, 1968, when frightened rulers in Moscow tried to stop the march of history and sent their army, with the armies of their vassals, to another brotherly vassal state, Czechoslovakia, to eradicate the potentially infectious decease called “socialisms with a human face”. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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

Collapsing Eiffel Tower or a Paris Rooftop scene? If you watched G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, you could see just that and more. Even though the set looked like it was located in Paris and other geographical locations, it was actually carefully designed in Prague. The motion picture is just another movie that was filmed in the Czech Republic, but one of the characters was played by the Czech supermodel and actress Karolina Kurkova, who is now expecting her first child with her fiancé Archie Drury. Many Czechs and Slovaks may not be familiar with this “Real American Hero” that has such long history in the American culture. Why the Czech Republic and who is G.I. Joe then? We will try to answer these questions and show you some interesting videos from behind the scenes and from the past of this action figure. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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

“Czech and Slovak Americans: International Perspectives from the Great Plains,” is the theme for an international conference planned by the Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The conference on April 7-10th at the Nebraska Union will examine Czech and Slovak immigrants and their descendants in the North American Great Plains region; their relationships with other Czech- and Slovak-Americans, and with Czechs and Slovaks in Europe and other parts of the world. Keynote addresses will be presented by Toni Brendel, author of “Slovak American Touches;” Martin Mejstrik, a pivotal student leader in the “Velvet Revolution” and former senator in the Parliament of the Czech Republic; Daniel E. Miller, professor of history, University of West Florida; Martin Palous, Czech Republic permanent representative to the United Nations; and Milada Polisenska, vice president for educational development and chair of the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at the New Anglo-American College in Prague. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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

Last week a new 2009 Miss Czech Slovak US Queen was crowned during the Wilber Czech Festival held in Wilber, NE. This yearly event plays an important role in our Czech and Slovak community in the USA. It allows all Czechs and Slovaks to get involved in introducing our heritage to others. CzechFolks.com strongly believes in community involvement and holding on to our heritage. That is why we became a sponsor of the new award called the Heritage Involvement Award that focuses on the contestant’s involvement in Czech/Slovak events/activities etc. We are preparing an interview with the new 2009 Miss Czech Slovak US Queen, Brianna Tichy, and Tanya Jech, the recipient of the Heritage Involvement Award and you will be able to read about them soon, as well as about what it takes to organize such an event.

Today, we would like to show you a small sneak peak into the pageant. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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

Who has not heard of Karel Gott, a Czech singer, an amateur painter and a successful entrepreneur that has been voted the best male singer 34 times during his lifetime? The popular singer, also known as the Sinatra of the East, just celebrated his 70th birthday on July 14, but he is still full of energy and drive to continue in his brilliant work.

Gott already celebrated his birthday in style last month. A total of 140 of his colleagues, friends, performers, artists and more came to the O2 Arena to wish him a Happy Birthday. The concert started with a 5-minute applause from about 13 thousand of his fans that filled the auditorium to its full capacity.

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