Czech Center Museum Houston
Frantisek Kupka: Orphism

Plunge into the beauty of Ophism, where you will learn about one of the pioneers of Orphism, Frantisek Kupka. In this blog, you will learn about his life, art style, and some of his most famous paintings.

Frantisek Kupka: Orphism
Czech Center Museum Houston
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.

Czech Beer : A Brief History
Czech Center Museum Houston
Eliska Junkova: Racing into History

Eliška Junková is the first woman to win the Grand Prix, in 1927. Even before, Junková was “Queen of the Steering Wheel,” a well-earned title that she worked towards since 1922. Her dedication to racing began with her dedication to her husband, Vincenc “Čenêk” Junek, whom she met at her job at the Prague Credit Bank.

Eliska Junkova: Racing into History
Czech Center Museum Houston
Great Moravia: Mojmir I and Rostislav (830-870)

After the death of Samo, there was uncertainty about the Czech and Moravian lands, but after the rise of Charlamange of the Frankish Kingdom, Moravians were able to recover. The princes of Moravia consolidated their power, and one in particular Mojmir I, rose beyond tribal institutions to establish Great Moravia. After Mojmir I's deposition, his nephew Rostislav became Louis the German's loyal vassal. In secret, however, Rostislav had ambitions beyond this.

Great Moravia: Mojmir I and Rostislav (830-870)
Czech Center Museum Houston
Milada Horakova

Milada Horakova was an advocate for democracy, stuck between both the Nazis and Communists for her adult life. During the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia, she resisted, helping emigrants escape and harboring fugitives of the occupiers. Although she faced torture and death from the Nazis, she not only survived but also continued her same fight, this time with the Soviets. Sadly, she was sentenced to death and executed, even when eminent individuals of the time demanded her release.

Milada Horakova

communists

The Czech Response to the American Civil Rights Movement

The Czech Response to the American Civil Rights Movement

The American Civil Rights Movement became a method of propaganda against the United States to gain support and sympathy from non-socialist states. The Czechoslovakian government would invite activists to the nation so that communism would be promoted, including singer Paul Robeson, who would sing at the Prague Spring classical music festival in 1949. Between the 1960s and 1980s, Czechoslovakia continued to push communism in African nations, broadcasting the benefits of communism and what it would provide to Africans.

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Rock Music in Czechoslovakia

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Rock Music in Czechoslovakia

The history on rock music in Czechoslovakia begins with its introduction in the early 1950s, beginning apolitically. By 1968, the apolitical aspect changed, in response to the 1968 Soviet bloc invasion, causing rock music to finally rebel and criticize the government, through satire and cryptic messaging, as the lyrics and content of rock songs were monitored.

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Czechoslovakia and their only naval battle

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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.