Wendy Watriss and Steven Evans converse about the history of contemporary Czech photography.
Daliborka Tower and the Legend of Dalibor
CZECHS, COLLECTED Walk-through with Frazier King
Eliska Junkova: Queen of the Steering Wheel
Epidemiologist Ervin Adam helped eradicate polio in Czechoslovakia
Ervin Adam, a world-renowned Czech epidemiologist, died on 3/21/23 at the age of 101 in Houston, Texas. The doctor, who was instrumental in Czechoslovakia being the first country in the world to eradicate polio, went through several concentration camps during World War II because of his Jewish origin and survived a death march. From 1968 he lived in exile – first in Canada and later in the United States. In 2013 he received the prestigious Czech Head Award.
The Hussite Reformation: The Council and Trial of Jan Hus
Following his continued preachings of reform and his various excommunications, Jan Hus was called by Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund to come to the Council of Constance as part of his plan to resolve the issue centered around Czech heresy. The Council of Constance, which was convened in 1414 to solve the Western Schism, succeeded in its goal of doing just that. However, the council’s handling of Jan Hus and his growing Hussite following would prove far from successful. Imprisoned and put on trial, Jan Hus’s fate was in the hands of those who were to make a disastrous mistake in the long run and unleash war in Bohemia.
Milan Kundera Book Club Leaps into The Joke
On February 29, 2024, we had the pleasure of hosting Robert Cremins and Dan Price once again in our second event exploring the work of Milan Kundera. Cremins and Price, from the Honors College at the University of Houston, led us in a discussion of Kundera's The Joke, one of the seeds of the Prague Spring. They were joined by Karel Lill from the University of St. Thomas-Houston, who presented on Moravian musicology.
Jan Janský: Blood Types
The Hussite Reformation: Life of Jan Hus and the Church
In 1414, a Czech theologian named Jan Hus was called before the Council of Constance for heresy against the Catholic Church and Pope. Jan Hus had preached about the need to reform the corruption within the Church, desiring to adhere more to a more communal Christianity that he believed the New Testament spoke of, and for that he had been excommunicated numerous times. His life up to this point set the groundwork for the eventual history of the Catholic Church and the Holy Roman Empire to change forever.
Elizabeth Báthory: The Hungarian Countess
Jump into the world of Elizabeth Bathory, the Hungarian Countess, where you will learn about her bloody and murderous life. Bathory was abused as a child, which may have lead her to become violent. Her murder count is anywhere up to 600. You will learn about her crimes, punishment, and how it ended.
Czech Video Games
The Czech Republic’s video games industry has become one of the country’s major exports in recent years, with a diverse range of successful game development studios, publishers, and startups. The origins of the Czech video game industry can be traced back to the country’s rich cultural heritage in arts and animation.
Milan Kundera Book Club
On Thursday, January 25, 2024, the first meeting of the Milan Kundera Book Club was held at the Czech Center Museum Houston. At this opening event, Robert Cremins and Dan Price from the Honors College at the University of Houston spoke about Kundera’s art and philosophy.
In subsequent months, the seminar will meet to consider three of Kundera’s major novels: The Joke, one of the seeds of the Prague Spring; The Unbearable Lightness of Being, a best-seller that became a popular film; and The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, which back in late 1980 The New York Times called “the most original book of the season.”
The Future of Mobility in Houston is Bright
On Tuesday, January 23, 2024, Martin Kupka, the Minister of Transportation of the Czech Republic, led the largest-ever Czech business delegation focused on smart mobility and space technology, to Houston. Houston Mayor John Whitmire welcomed Mr. Kupka, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United States Miloslav Stasek, Czech Chamber of Commerce Vice-President Radek Jakubsky, and the delegation to Houston at a networking reception held at the Czech Center Museum Houston.
Milan Štefánik: Slovak Astronomer and Aviator
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.
