Many know the life and legacies of Tomáš Masaryk and Edvard Beneš, two Czechs who helped to found Czechoslovakia. However, there was a third person who played a very important role in the founding of the country: a Slovak named Milan Štefánik. Before he participated in the founding of Czechoslovakia though, he was first an astronomer and aviator.
Radio Revolution
Radio and its revolutionary effect were felt in Czechoslovakia just as it was in the rest of the world. It began with the first broadcasts, occurring before World War I, into the first Czech-produced program in late 1919. Of course, as radio technology progressed and advanced, its use as a medium for propaganda grew more and more robust. Despite its use in propaganda, radio also served as a tool to disseminate important information about the nation and the world at-large.
Czech National Revival
A response to increased Germanization, the Czech National Revival revived Czech literature, language, history, and politics. Increased nationalism marked this period of cultural revival. The movement started before the 19th century with Czech intellectuals such as Josef Jungman and Josef Dobrovský becoming more discontent with the decrease in Czech culture, language, and national identity. Czech national identity also involved realism, rejecting the romanticism of the past, which was considered “anti-nationalist.” With the end of the Great War, the goals of the National Revival movement were successfully met.
Czech Cubism (Cubo-Expressionism)
The term Cubo-Expressionism was coined in the early 1970s to describe Czech avant-garde art in the 20th century, when elements of Cubism and Expressionism were combined. It was a revolt from earlier art forms with spiritual elements. Czech Cubism, as Cubo-Expressionism is also called, was applied to just more than art pieces, including furniture, objects, architecture, etc. One of the most famous Cubo-Expressionists is Pavel Janák, a Czech architect, designer, planner, professor, and theoretician.
Bertha von Suttner: the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize
Bertha von Suttner’s commitment to peace and anti-war movements created the building block to many significant changes in Europe. Unfortunately, the political figures and aristocracy she argued against ignored her warnings. For example, von Suttner warned governments and aristocracy of increased citizen involvement in affairs of war and even the use of nuclear weapons. Eventually, her ideas for peace were soon adopted post-World War II.
Hana Podolska: The "Coco Chanel" of Czechoslovakia
Hana Podolska was “the” fashion designer of the 1930s and 1940s in Prague. Her gowns and garments could be seen in well-known films worn by famous actresses, many magazines, and popular political figures. Before her life of fashion her father, who tragically died of tuberculosis, was an architect while her mother was a housewife. After moving to and growing up in Prague, Podolska worked with the local seamstress, which became the genesis for her fulfilled desire to be a fashion designer.
Czech Beer : A Brief History
From the Brevnov Monastery to the modern-day Pilsner, the Czech people have been enjoying beer for over a thousand years. Known as the beer of tradition, Czech beer is ingrained into history itself. When beermaking was banned. the Brenov Monastery, as the first-ever Bohemian brewery, was exempt. Initially, after the ban on brewing ended, only noble families or homeowners were allowed to brew beer. It was in 1842 that the famous Pilsner was created.
George "Papa Bear" Halas
The Chicago Bears began with American football coach, owner, and NFL administrator George “Papa Bear” Halas, born in Chicago, Illinois to Slovak immigrants. Initially, however, Halas began as a player who joined the Navy during World War I, before becoming a player-coach. Throughout his life, “Papa Bear” Halas invested his life into football, winning six NFL championships as head coach while practicing many innovative routines that allowed him and his team to win.