The mother who started it all. You can’t talk about Mother’s Day in the Czech Republic without coming across Charlotte Masaryk. Charlotte Masaryk was the American wife of Tomas Masaryk, the founder and first president of Czechoslovakia. Today, she is known as not only the wife of the first Czech president but also as the strong women’s advocate that she truly was. An influential figure, Charlotte was effective in both her demonstrations and her publications, with support from her husband. Outside of her public efforts, Charlotte also built a strong feminist forward foundation in her home. Charlotte fought tirelessly for the female voice while raising her daughter Alice to do the same. Even through physical and mental illness, Charlotte’s efforts extended from public figure to familial supporter as she held her husband and daughter strong in times of political strain and isolation.
““I am only a peddler of my wife’s opinions.””
Encouraged by her mother, Alice Masarykova was part of the first generation of women in Czechoslovakia to receive a college education. An advocate for social work early on, Alice quickly made her own name as a member of Parliament for Slovakia in the first National Assembly of the Czechoslovak Republic. In addition to establishing schools and hospitals, along with several other social projects, she also worked as First Lady for her father during her mother’s illness. Alice was an important figure in the Czechoslovak Republic and in seeing the increasing needs of the new republic, she formed and served as the first chair of the Czechoslovak Red Cross in 1919.
During a particularly tense political time, Tomas Masaryk was forced to flee Czechoslovakia. Alice was later imprisoned in Vienna on the accusations of hiding information for her father. Throughout her eight-month imprisonment, Alice’s mother maintained continuous contact and support. Even with her own declining health, Charlotte wrote Alice over 100 letters. However, the burden of war took a toll on Charlotte Masaryk. After her death, Alice established Mother’s Day in Czechoslovakia in honor of her mother in 1923.
Mother's Day Celebration in Decin, Czechoslovakia in 1948
Celebrations of this beloved holiday began to take a steep drop after World War II. The honorary Mother’s Day having a close association with “western” America, Communist leaders labeled it as suspicious. It was soon replaced with International Women's Day as a propaganda attempt by the Communists to appear supportive of women. Mandatory gifts were imposed on companies for all female employees, while men “celebrated” women with drunken nights out. Women’s Day continued to take the place of Mother’s day until the Velvet Revolution in 1989. After the fall of the Communist Party, Women’s Day all but faded away. Mother’s Day returned in 1993, though with less zeal. Its association with the communist holiday left little desire for celebration.
Today, Mother’s Day is celebrated in a much similar fashion to the American holiday. Children make cards and crafts to bring to their mothers. Husbands buy flowers to celebrate their wives. Old memories are being forgotten and the slate is being slowly wiped clean. We are returning to a time where Mother’s Day is a celebration of the strong women in our lives. Women like Charlotte Garrigue Masaryk.
Written by: Kelsey McDade
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