theatre

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 Languages of Kafka

Czech novelist Franz Kafka was a man whose deliberate use of language would come to define key aspects of his life. Having known German, Czech, and Hebrew, these three represented the continuous struggle for identity he faced up until his death.

Cinema Under Communism: The Czech New Wave

Cinema Under Communism: The Czech New Wave

The Czech New Wave was an important film movement led by daring, rebellious film directors in the sixties. Since the nationalization of the film industry in 1945, cinema had gone stale. In the fifties, each film adhered so tightly to the standards set by the communist government that moviegoers found themselves bored in the theatres. Plot threads were entirely predictable and dogmatic, an aspect that would be criticized extensively during the movement (Kehr 2008).