Czech TriviaA Guide to Czech History and Culture for the Casual Conversationalist

2004

East Europeans have a sharp sense of history, and foreign visitors who do not know something of that history will be found wanting. Visitors to the region will find it prudent to learn something of that history and how it has shaped the characters of the people they will encounter.

Yale Richmond, From Yes to Da

Which of these is not a distinct region of the Czech Republic?

a) Bohemia b) Lusatia c) Moravia d) Silesia

1.

b) Lusatia / Sorbia

Silesia

Lusatia/Sorbia

Lusatia and Silesia Lusatia (Lausitz): region in

southern Brandenburg, eastern Saxony and western Poland where a west-Slavonic language (Sorbian or Wendish) is spoken by up to 100.000 people

Silesia: mostly a part of Poland but a tip extends into northern Moravia where some Silesian (Polish dialect) is spoken

The symphonic poem My Country by Smetana does not describe…

a) women’s lib b) a river c) a mountaind) a castle e) a sea f) fields and woods

2.

e) a sea

Czech Republic is a landlocked country; thus no sea in My Country

Czechs have always been fascinated by the sea: Czech national greeting is Ahoj (from the

naval ahoy!) Richard Konkolski was the first person

from a landlocked country to circumnavigate the world single-handed (only 37th in total)

My Country

Vyšehrad (the castle) Vltava (the river) Šárka (women’s liberation) Z českých luhů a hájů (fields and

woods) Tábor (mountain) Blaník (mountain)

What year was the oldest university in Central Europe established?

a) 863 b) 1348 c) 1415 d) 1620

3.

b) 1348

863 – Cyril and Methodius came to Great Moravia with a Christian mission from Constantinople and brought literacy to the Slavs.

1415 – Jan Hus, a popular preacher, reformer and a follower of Wyclif was burned at the stake.

1620 – A battle of White Mountain started the 30-year war and ushered in “300 years of darkness” (i.e. Hapsburg rule over Czech lands).

Charles IV. Holy Roman emperor (1355–78) and

founder of Charles University (1348). Under his rule, Czech lands were the political and cultural center of Europe.

Map of Europe of that time

Map of Europe of that time

Jan Hus Reform preacher and linguist, author of

modern Czech spelling. Burned at the stake for heresy. Inspired the Hussite movement.

Jan Žižka

Successful military leader of the Hussite forces. Under him, Czech rebels defeated crusaders sent by the Roman emperor. Famous for directing battles despite his blindness.

Became a symbol of Czech ingenuity and independence.

Jan Ámos Komenský(Comenius) *1592 - †1670 Famous educator and bishop of the

Czech Brethren, sometimes nicknamed the ‘Teacher of nations’. Wrote the first modern compendium of pedagogy. Was exiled during 30-Year War and worked on the educational systems of Sweden and Holland.

Orbis Pictus

Which of these words did not originate in the Czech lands?

a) robot b) kindergarten c) pistol d) dollar

4.

b) kindergarten

robot – First coined by a Czech novelist, Karel Čapek in his play R.U.R. Derived from Czech word robota meaning forced labor.

pistol – From Czech word píšťala flute, a name of a deadly canon-like weapon used by the Hussite fighters in the 15th century.

dollar – Adopted from German (Tahler) name of coins produced from the silver mines of Jáchymov.

Dollar’s Predecessor from 1525

Which one of these important people of Czech history was a writer?

a) Čapek b) Dvořák c) Žižka d) Masaryk

5.

a) Karel Čapek

Karel Čapek – Leading novelist and playwright of the ‘First Republic’. Coined the word ‘robot’ in his 1921 play ‘R.U.R.’

Antonín Dvořák – World-famous composer. Spent several years in the United States, where he wrote his most famous symphony ‘From the New World’.

Jan Žižka –Military leader of the Hussite forces. Under him, Czech rebels defeated crusaders sent by the Holy Roman emperor.

Czech Composers

Antonín Dvořák Bedřich Smetana

“From the New World” was composed during Dvořák’s stay in the USA. It was first performed at Carnegie Hall in 1893.

Symphonic poem Šárka, part of the popular My Country cycle, depicts a mythical

Czech story of women fighting men.

Czech Pre-War Writers

Karel Čapek(1890-1938)

Jaroslav Hašek(1883-1923)

Writer and journalist. Wrote satirical short stories. During WWI took part in the Russian Revolution.

Creator of “Good Soldier Švejk” a popular satire from WWI translated into many over 20 languages including English.

Writer, journalist and playwright. His 1928 sci-fi drama R.U.R. first used the word robot. His other works include War of the Newts, White Plague, The Macropulos Thing, Krakatit.

Czech Post-War Writers

Milan Kundera (*1929)

Bohumil Hrabal (1914-97) Josef Škvorecký (*1924)

Emigrated after 1968. Currently lives in Canada. Started and runs publishing firm 68’Publishers. Major works: The Cowards, Sins for Father Knox, Swell Season, Tank Platoon.

Major works: I Served the King of England, Larks on a String, Closely Watched Trains, Too Loud a Solitude.

Emigrated after 1968. Currently lives in France. Wrote his last novel in French. Major works: The Joke, Unbearable Lightness of Being, Laughable Loves, Immortality.

What year was Czechoslovakia founded?

a) 1948 b) 1968 c) 1938 d) 1918

6.

d) 1918

1918 – Foundation of Czechoslovakia after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

1938 – Czechoslovakia loses part of its teritory to Germany after the Munich Treaty. Slovakia breaks off, start of the so-called ‘Second Republic’.

1948 – Communist government takes power for 41 years.

1968 – Prague reforms stopped by invasion of

allied armies of East-Bloc countries.

Masaryk and 1918

1938 - 1945

1948

1968

1968 – bullet-riddled National Museum after an overnight invasion of the allied forces of the

Warsaw Pact on August 21.

On November 17, 1989 the police brutally attacked a student demonstration in downtown Prague.

This resulted in massive protests from the entire nation and ultimately led to the fall of the communist government and election of Václav Havel as president of Czechoslovakia on December 27, 1989.

The changeover was called Velvet Revolution because it was carried out without violence.

1989

Velvet Revolution in Motion

The Demonstration... …and its results.

Picture a Revolution!

Which of these political parties is currently not in government?

a) Civic Democrats b) Social Democratsc) Christian Democrats d) Freedom Union

7.

a) Civic Democrats

The outgoing government was composed of a coalition of:

Social Democrats

Christian Democrats

Freedom Union

Which of these personalities of Czech culture and science did not receive the Nobel Prize?

a) Jaroslav Seifert

b) Otto Wichterle

c) Jaroslav Heyrovský

d) Bedřich Hrozný

8.

b) Wichterle and d) Hrozný

Jaroslav Seifert (1901-1986) Jaroslav Heyrovský(1890 – 1967)

1984: Nobel Prize for literature

1959: Nobel Prize "for his discovery and development

of the polarographic methods of analysis"

Famous Czech Scientists

Otto Wichterle(1913 – 1998)

Bedřich Hrozný(1879 – 1952)

Inventor of substance from which contact lenses are made as well as an alternative to nylon.

Deciphered the Hittite language and discovered its Indoeuropean

roots.

Which one of these Czech sporting heroes is still professionally active?

a) Emil Zátopek b) Věra Čáslavská

c) Martina Navrátilová d) Antonín Panenka

9.

c) Martina Navrátilová

Former number 1 of World Tennis

Multiple Wimbledon winner

Took part in 2004 Semifinals doubles at Wimbledon aged 47.

Czech Sporting Heroes

Antonín Panenka

Věra Čáslavská Emil Zátopek

Long-distance runner: multiple Olympic winner; 1952: the only person in history to win 5km, 10km and the Marathon.

Gymnast: multiple Olympic winner; twice won all gymnastic discipline in European championships; 1968: four Olympic gold medals;

Footballer: celebrated goal-scorer, member of Czech team won 1976 European Championships.

Recent Czech Sporting Successes Football (Soccer) Canoeing Javelin Ice Hockey Decathlon Acrobatic ski

jumping

Which two of these famous people were born in the Czech lands?

a) John Kerry b) Madeleine Albright

c) Miloš Forman d) Andy Warhol

10.

b) Albright and c) Forman

Andy Warhol was born in Slovakia.

Miloš Forman Film Director

Emigrated after 1968. People vs. Larry Flint, Amadeus, Hair, One Flew Over Cuckoo Nest, Firemen’s Ball, Loves of a Blond.

John Kerry was born in the US but his ancestors come from Bohemia.

Madeleine Albright Politician

Emigrated after 1948. Former US Ambassador to the UN, former US Secretary of State.

Find 10 famous Czechs in this puzzle

M A S A R Y K Y G

Č A P E K H W X T

W T Ď K Q U A F K

K O M E N S K Ý A

A J H A Š E K Q R

O L Ž H A V E L E

K I Ž I Ž K A L L

Ž C I M R M A N IV.

D V O Ř Á K H W L

M A S A R Y K Y G

Č A P E K H W X T

W T Ď K Q U A F K

K O M E N S K Ý A

A J H A Š E K Q R

O L Ž H A V E L E

K I Ž I Ž K A L L

Ž C I M R M A N IV.

D V O Ř Á K H W L

Find 10 famous Czechs in this puzzle (solution)

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