The cimbalom is a unique instrument hailing from Slovak history. It is played by felt mallets, similar to drum sticks, which are hit against piano-like strings. A variety of sounds can be produced by the cimbalom, ranging from rolls to glissandos to staccatos. From the Byzantine era to the modern day, the cimbalom is an underrated, yet appreciated and distinguished instrument.
The Forced Exile of Refugees
From the Bolshevik Revolution to the Invasion of Ukraine, the Czech Republic has been a haven for refugees for over 100 years. For example, the Bolshevik Revolution was a terrible period in Eastern European history, one that caused two to three million people to leave Russia, with 15 thousand of those who left becoming Czechoslovakian refugees.
An Army with No Country: A Siberian Odyssey
It’s the First World War, and the Czechoslovaks got to get their soldiers from Ukraine to France, but without going through a Central Powers country or a sea without enemy ships. What do they do? Naturally, they go East: fight through the Bolsheviks, take over the Russian railway network, capture most of Siberia, and reach Vladivostok before the ships arrive to get you home. All this while losing less than 10% of your men over three years of fighting. It might sound crazy, but this is just the 2nd part to the story of the Czechoslovak Legion.
Czechoslovakia and their only naval battle
Despite being a landlocked nation, Czechoslovakia had a naval army, one which fought a single battle. This singular battle took place on Lake Baikal in Russia during WWI. Being that Czechoslovakian soldiers fought so far away from their own nation and that they seemed unwelcome in Russia, the situation of their naval military grew more complicated.