19 minute read
Czech Culture
from Vestnik 2022.05.23
by SPJST
Slovanská Podporující Jednota Státu Texas
Česká Část
ROČNÍK 110 ZÁŘÍ 10 23.květen.2022 Podpora ★ Lidskost ★ Bratrstvi´
BENEVOLENCE HUMANITY BROTHERHOOD
Uředni orgán SPJST ★ Založené roku 1897
Učme se česky Let Us Study Czech
Lekce dvacet sedm Lesson 27
The following terms have to do with students and colleges.
Studenti a kolej - Students and Colleges Vocabulary
kolej–college; also students’ dormitory místnost–room přízemí–ground floor poschodí–story, floor kuchyně–kitchen kancelář–office úřadovna–(adm.) office čitárna–reading room knihovna–library šatna–cloakroom umývarna–washroom sprcha–shower ještě–also, yet nábytek–furniture byt–flat, or apartment úředník–official skříň–closet, cupboard šaty–clothes křeslo–armchair ústřední topení–central heating potom–then, afterwards přednáška–lecture, speech posluchárna–lecture room mluvnice–grammar rozumím–I understand mluvím–I speak trochu–little jestliže–if (conj.) rychle–quickly (adv.) pomalu–slowly nahlas–loudly měsíc–month, moon přirozený–natural důležitý–important rozhovor–conversation kam?–whither? (showing action) kde?–where? (no action) peníze–money zpráva–information, news, report rodiče–parents jak často?–how often? týden–week práce–work manželka–wife manžel–husband zřetelně–distinctly spisovatel–writer chyba–mistake pravopis–spelling román–novel
S S S
Translate the following sentences using words from the above vocabulary list:
1. Vidíme tam naši kolej. 2. Moje místnost je dole. 3. Přítel má místnost v přízemí 4. Hlavní budova má šest poschodí. 5. V přízemí máme jídelnu a kuchyni. 6. Hlavní budova má také kanceláře, čítárny, a různé jiné místnosti. 7. Nahoře máme, pokoje, šatny, umývárny, a sprchy. 8. Kde vy máte Váš byt? 9. Bydlíte ještě mímo města. 10. Máte koupený nový nábytek? 11. Bratr Alois je úředníkem v koleji. 12. Koupil jste si nové šaty? 13. Naše kolej má zařízené ústřední topení. 14. Pán profesor nám každ den přednáší. 15. Paní učitelka nám přednáší v posluchárně. 16. Ona mluví moc rychle. 17. Pan Světlík mluví pomalu. 18. Nerozumím, když nemluví oni nahlas. 19. Píši domů každý měsíc. 20. Je to přirozený a důležitý úkol. 21. Měl jsem s panem Dvořákem krátký rozhovor. 22. Kam jdete? 23. Kde jste byl? 24. Rodiče mi posílají poštou peníze. 25. Jak často píšeš domu? 26. Já píši každý den. 27. Můj manžel koná svoji písemnou práci zřetelně. 28. Čapek byl veliký český spisovatel. 29. Četl jste jeho romány?
S S S
Pořádek Thoughts for Today
Zvykni si ukládati své věci na jisté místo, abys, když jich potrebuješ, snadno je mohl nalézti.
Tím uspořís sobě a jiným mnohé mrzutosti, uchráníš se mnohé škody, přijdeš všude v pravý čas a vyhneš se mnohe výčitce, ano i trestu ze strany rodičů a učitelů svých.
Zanechej všech marných hádek.
Dbej jen vždycky o pořádek. —SPJST—
Czech brass band sets May 25 performance at Lodge 47, Seaton
Pardubická Muzika will perform at SPJST Lodge 47, Seaton Star Hall on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. Doors will open at 6 p.m. for the 7 to 9 p.m. performance. A meal will be available prior to the band’s performance. The event will be hosted by Lodge 47. Bring out your family and friends to enjoy traditional Czech brass band music performed by this stellar ensemble of Conservatory of Music players from Pardubice, Czech Republic. The traditional Czech line-up includes two clarinets, two flugelhorns, two bass flugelhorns, two trumpets, trombone, tuba, drums, and two singers. Brass-band music has a long tradition at the Pardubice Conservatory. It has been a part of the Brass Department for almost as long as the Conservatory has existed, representing it at many events in the region. In 2012, the Banda di Feste ensemble was founded. In the beginning, it focused exclusively on classical Czech brass music. As time went on, it began to play dance and popular music, so there wasn’t as much room for brass band music in the band’s repertoire anymore. Therefore, Banda di Feste eventually split into two separate ensembles, a big band and a brass band Pardubická Muzika to perform May 25 at SPJST Lodge 47, Seaton Star Hall
Pardubická Muzika, a stellar ensemble of Conservatory of Music players from Pardubice, Czech Republic, will perform at SPJST Lodge 47, Seaton Star Hall on Wednesday, May 25. Doors will open at 6 p.m. for the 7 to 9 p.m. performance. Seaton Star Hall is located at 10842 State Highway 53, Temple, Texas.
bearing the name of “Pardubická muzika.”
The band also has two amazing singers. Although the band members are students of classical music, they play brass music with great passion, a sense of style and respect for tradition. The qualities of its members will hopefully help this ambitious band become one of the most prominent ensembles of the Conservatory as well as of the city of Pardubice and the Pardubice Region.
The band is led by Michal Chmelař, the first trumpet of the Pardubice Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra. He is also the bandleader of the Křídlovanka brass band, with which he has twice won the European Championship in the interpretation of Czech and Moravian brass music in the category of professional ensembles. His experience and many years of practice guarantee that the brass band will build on the best traditions of brass music in Bohemia. —SPJST—
Lodge 92, Fort Worth hosts tarok tourney Saturday, June 4
The Paprskar Memorial Tarok Tournament X will be held Saturday, June 4, 2022, at SPJST Lodge 92, Fort Worth National Hall, 3316 Roberts Cut Off in Fort Worth (Lake Worth).
Registration and snacks will be served from 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Six onehour rounds begin at 9 a.m. Meal is included at noon break. Trophies will be awarded for the top four scores. Cash will be awarded for the top four scores. Registration is $25 per player. Late entries will be accepted if player slots are available. To register by mail, send name, address, and phone number by May 30 to John Paprskar, 905 Venice Street, Hurst, Texas 76053.
For more information or directions, contact John Paprskar 817-480-3480.^ Fraternally, John Paprskar Lodge 92, Fort Worth —SPJST—
This is the 31st year for the Czech Kolache Klobase Festival scheduled for Saturday, June 11, 2022, at Riverside Hall in East Bernard, located about 45 miles southwest of Houston on Highway 90-A. This event brings people together to enjoy good music, good food, and to celebrate ethnic heritage and culture. Beginning at 10:30 a.m. and continuing nonstop until 8 p.m., this year’s festival again features a first-rate lineup of entertainers – Ennis Czech Boys, Czech and Then Some, Dujka Brothers, Red Ravens, Al Sulak’s Country Sounds, and Texas Sound Check. The three-band concert at 4:30 p.m. inside the hall will feature Czech and Then Some, Dujka Brothers, and Red Ravens. A kolache eating contest, sponsored by the KJT State Office, is scheduled for 2 p.m. in the pavilion.
Festival admission is $8 per person. Children 12 and under are admitted free. The admission fee covers all entertainment and music provided by bands and entertainers in the hall and outdoor pavilion. Parking is free, and there are plenty of handicapped parking spaces. Massive water fans will cool the pavilion to provide a more comfortable setting for dancers and spectators. Arts and crafts booths will be located both inside and outside the hall. Crafts and goods of every kind will be available for sale. This is a good opportunity to shop for all types of hand-crafted items, jewelry, and clothing. Win something sweet in the cake walk, buy prize drawing tickets to win great prizes including beautiful handmade quilts.
A plate lunch will be available for purchase featuring sausage, barbecue chicken, sauerkraut, and other trimmings. The sausage and chicken will be prepared on-site the morning of the festival by society members assuring a fresh-cooked meal. Serving begins at 11 a.m. Drive-thru plates-to-go will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Of course, there will be hundreds of kolaches for sale throughout the day. Hamburgers and sausage sandwiches will be available for purchase in the afternoon.
The Festival Committee welcomes and encourages the wearing of Czech costumes to add a festive atmosphere and to further promote the preservation and celebration of ethnic heritage. The Po.L.K. of A. are also urged to attend in their “red and whites” and to join in the spirit of fun and appreciation of the happy sounds of polka and waltz music. A moving flag tribute is scheduled at 3 p.m. and will recognize attending armed services veterans. This will be followed by a grand march featuring Czech and festive costumes on parade.
For information about game or arts and crafts booths, call 979-531-9747 or email srdujka@gmail.com. For general information and band schedules, call 979-335-7907 or 979-232-0265. Visit the festival website at www.kkfest.com for further information.
KJT Society No. 40, the festival sponsor, is a non-profit organization and has been in existence in East Bernard since 1905. The society participates in a program of charitable works including scholarships, social welfare, and civic support. KJT Society No. 40 would like to extend a special invitation to everyone to come out and enjoy the festival. Submitted by, Martha Viktorin SPJST Lodge 28, East Bernard —SPJST—
Kolache Klobase Festival June 11 in East Bernard
Czech Family Day set for June 25 at TCHCC
Connect with your heritage at Czech Family Day on Saturday, June 25, 2022, at Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center (TCHCC), located at 250 West Fairgrounds Road in La Grange, Texas.
Everyone is welcome to this day of fun for the whole family. The event is cosponsored by the Czech Heritage Society of Texas and TCHCC. You don’t have to be a member to attend so bring your friends.
Registration for the Czech Family Day activities is at 10 a.m. inside TCHCC. Czech Family Day is free of charge. Food is a separate cost upon registration.
Random activities throughout the day along with touring the TCHCC Museums and grounds is from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Activities include ice cream making, cooking decorating, butter making, Czech bingo, rock painting, Czech musical chairs, pickle canning, and more.
For more information and to RSVP for lunch, contact Phyllis Teykl at 512971-4453 or send an email to p.teykl@sbcglobal.net. You may also call TCHCC at 888-785-4500 or email info@czechtexas.org. Submitted by, Phyllis Teykl —SPJST—
By Karel Janicek, Associated Press Prague, May 3, 2022
Meda Mladkova, a Czech arts collector, patron and historian who was an impassioned promoter of Frantisek Kupka and supported artists in communist Czechoslovakia while she was in exile behind the Iron Curtain, died on May 3, 2022. She was 102. The Kampa Museum, a modern arts gallery that Mladkova created in the heart of Prague, announced she died on Tuesday.
“Meda, although she lived a large part of her long life abroad, was always a great patriot and loved the Czech nation,” the museum said.
“All her life she believed in the idea: ‘If culture survives, the nation will survive,’” said Jiri Pospisil, the chairman of the museum’s board.
Mladkova, born on Sept. 8, 1919 in Zakupy, Czechoslovakia, as Marie Sokolova, was studying political science in Geneva in 1948 when the communists took over then-Czechoslovakia. She refused to return and moved to Paris instead after her graduation.
She met her husband-to-be, exiled Czech banker Jan Mladek, in the French capital and studied art at the Sorbonne. There, too, she fell in love with the work of Kupka, a Czech-born pioneer of abstract art, who was then an unknown painter. They became friends.
When Kupka was dying of cancer in 1957 — still a virtually unknown artist — Mladek wanted to make him happy and told him she would arrange “a big exhibition” of his works.
After Mladkova and her husband moved to the United States in 1960, she helped organize a Kupka retrospective at New York’s Guggenheim Museum in 1975.
Born in 1871, Kupka had studied in Prague and Vienna before moving to Paris in 1896. In 1912, Kupka put on display two works, “Fugue” and “Warm Chromatics,” which are now considered to be the first two entirely abstract paintings. To afford to buy two Kupka’s increasingly expensive oils, Mladek and her husband had to sell their house in Washington for $950,000. Their efforts of many years have reMeda Mladkova sulted in a collection of pencil studies, watercolors, color pastels and oils reflecting the development of Kupka’s art from his student days to his late abstract pieces. In the meantime, Mladkova travelled on a regular basis to her homeland after 1967, purchasing art pieces by artists who were banned by the totalitarian communist regime. Following the death of her husband in 1989 and the fall of communism, Mladkova decided to move her collection of Kupka’s works to Prague. “I thought it’s the right place for them,” she told The Associated Press in a 2003 interview. In the Czech capital, Mladkova opened the Museum Kampa, a complex of meticulously renovated historical buildings on Kampa island near Prague’s iconic Charles Bridge. It houses a valuable collection of 215 works by Kupka, who has become one the country’s most celebrated painters. The museum also displays sculptures by Czech cubist artist Otto Gutfreund and a collection of modern Central and East European art. In 1999, Mladkova was awarded a state decoration by then President Vaclav Havel. In 2012, she became the commander of the French Order of Merit. She had donated her art collections to the city of Prague.
https://cw33.com/entertainment-news/apentertainment/czech-arts-collector-patron-meda-mladkova-dies-at-102/
—SPJST—
C z e c h C u l t u r e C a l e n d a r
Tuesday through Saturday Czech Heritage Museum and Genealogy Center, 119 West French Avenue, Temple. Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. To arrange a private small group tour, contact the Museum by email czechheritagemuseum@gmail.com or leave a message at 254-899-2935. The Museum hosts Czech Films on the second Tuesdays of the month - at the Beltonian Theatre, 219 East Central Avenue, Belton: Matinee at 3 p.m.; Night - 6 p.m. Free admission. Donations accepted online or through a donation box at the concession window. Imported Czech beer, wine available.
Every First and Third Tuesday Evenings Tarok Parties—at Czech Heritage Museum, Temple, 119 West French. All ages and anyone interested are welcome. No admission or fee. Jimmie and Carolyn Coufal are award-winning tournament champions who not only teach beginners, but also help experienced players increase their skill. For information, call CHMGC 254-899-2935; find them on Facebook; or on the web at https://czechheritagemuseum.org.
Monday through Saturday Czech Center Museum Houston, 4920 San Jacinto Street in Houston, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit revamped exhibits. Experience the culture, art, music, and stories of many Czechs, Slovaks, and people of all cultures who left their country to seek liberty and democracy in America. For information, call 713528-2060; or visit czechcenter.org.
May 25 Pardubická Muzika—at SPJST Lodge 47, Seaton - Star Hall, 10842 State Hwy 53, Temple (Hall is 7 miles east of Temple on Hwy 53. Star Hall is a non-smoking facility.) Performance is from 7 to 9 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Traditional Czech brass band music performed by this stellar ensemble of Conservatory of Music players from Pardubice, Czech Republic. Event hosted by Lodge 47, Seaton.
June 4 Paprskar Memorial Tarok Tournament X —at SPJST Lodge 92, Fort Worth - National Hall, 3316 Roberts Cut Off in Fort Worth (Lake Worth). Registration and snacks served - 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Six one-hour rounds begin at 9 a.m. Meal is included at noon break. Trophies will be awarded for the top four scores. Cash will be awarded for the top four scores. Registration is $25 per player. To register by mail, send name, address, and phone number by May 30 to John Paprskar, 905 Venice Street, Hurst, Texas 76053. For information or directions, contact John Paprskar 817-480-3480. Late entries will be accepted if player slots are available. Submitted by John Paprskar, Lodge 92, Fort Worth.
June 11 31st Kolache Klobase Fest—at Riverside Hall, East Bernard, 14643 Buls Rd, East Bernard, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.: Inside a/c hall, wood dance floor and under pavilion in water-fan cooled comfort - variety of Czech bands; flag/veteran tribute and grand march; kolache eating contest; cake walk; kolaches; arts/crafts; prize drawing. Available for purchase: sausage/bbq chicken plate lunch 11 a.m. till ? . Drive thru plates served 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sausage sandwiches/hamburgers available during the afternoon. Festival admission $8/person; children 12 and under free. For booth info, call 979-531-9747 or email srdujka@gmail.com. General info 979-335-7907. For more information, visit kkfest.com. Event sponsored by KJT Society No. 40. See full article on page 34 and the advertisement on page 37.
July 8 - 9 SPJST Lodge 47, Seaton 30th Annual BBQ Cookoff—at Lodge 47, Seaton Star Hall, 10842 State Highway 53, seven miles east of Temple.
July 31 Vrazels’ Tribute Band—at Lodge 24, Cyclone - Flag Hall, 411 FM 964, Cyclone. (Hall is 12 miles east of Temple, past Zabcikville.) Doors, kitchen, and bar open at noon. Music 2 to 6 p.m. Tribute band members - John Dujka/accordion, Mark Dujka/saxophone, Scott Hodde/saxophone, Jerry Haisler/guitar, Mike Marek/bass, and Matthew Strmiska/drums. Plates consisting of sausage, pan fried cabbage, parsley new potatoes, green beans, tea, dessert available - $12. For dance ticket information, contact Linda Wilde 254-985-2258 or 254- 231-5348. —SPJST—
Manifest Films’ feature documentary “Czechs in Chicago: A Home in the Heartland” premiered on Chicago PBS, WTTW, on Friday, May 20, 2022, at 8 p.m., CDT with additional airings throughout the following week.
“Czechs in Chicago” is the story of the Czech immigrant experience in Chicago, past and present. Spanning nearly two centuries of turbulent times, it shows how the Bohemians helped build and shape the city, and what Chicago did in turn, to empower them to thrive in a new land and help establish a free and sovereign Czechoslovakia. Upcoming episode airdates are:
Monday, May 23 at 3:03 a.m. on WTTW Prime Monday, May 23 at 8:00 a.m. on WTTW Prime Thursday, May 26 at 9:00 p.m. on WTTW Friday, May 27 at 7:00 a.m. on WTTW Prime Saturday, May 28 at 2:30 p.m. on WTTW Prime
Note from Manifest Films: We just completed the making of this film. The Chicago PBS airings are the first step in our distribution process. Wider distribution will occur as the job unfolds. We will announce further airings, streaming, and screenings in other locations as they’re arranged.)
For more information, please contact Manifest Films info@manifestfilms.tv. —SPJST—
Pivovar hotel brings Czech culture to Waco
Downtown Waco offers a look into Czech culture with the new restaurant Pivovar.
By Cayli Clack | Guest Contributor Baylor Lariat • May 4, 2022 Photo courtesy of Cayli Clack
Pivovar is the name of Waco’s Czechinspired location, serving as a hotel, brewery, bakery, beer garden, and beer spa. The head chef and general manager, Jeremy Eaton, said that it’s considered upscale without the aspect of snobbiness.
“The aesthetic is essentially classic European furniture with a big industrial warehouse space — kind of a mix between the old world and the new world,” Eaton said.
Eaton owned and operated multiple restaurants in The Woodlands before feeling called to come back to the homestead, where he landed a job as Pivovar’s master chef.
With everything from pork knuckles to creme brulee cheesecake, customers can expect a top-notch dinner menu — probably the best in Waco, Eaton said.
“We took the idea and the history behind the Czech recipes and mixed them with the ingredients that we have here locally and dishes that are very popular here, and kind of did a merge,” Eaton said. “We will actually be going to Prague this summer, where I’ll be visiting a bunch of Czech restaurants and seeing how they operate, how they do all the traditional dishes, and doing lots of food tours. Then the menu will probably change.”
Pivovar is setting its own “European standards” in Waco, according to CEO and part-owner Steve Beseda.
“This place is changing Waco eating habits,” Beseda said. “You got people that are coming in, eating, and staying awhile. We’ve got four beers, lots of good cocktails and a great menu selection with quality food. We’re not competing against a chicken fried steak or Waco barbecue. We’re doing something truly unique.”
Dansville, California, freshman Ainsley Gibbs said she came in with low expectations for what she thought was a basic hotel restaurant, but she left feeling full and pleasantly surprised.
“I think one of my favorite parts about the whole place was the menu, which almost looked like a fairytale book,” Gibbs said. “They offered a variety of unique dishes, so my friends and I wanted to each try a little bit of everything. The food was delicious and cooked perfectly to my taste.”
Server Jackson Osborne said he loves working in the restaurant because of its chill take on fine dining, and he thinks it’s very cool how they do things compared to most places.
“So generally speaking, in most restaurants, you come in, get your food and drink, and then you leave,” Osborne said. “Here, people come in, get their food, have a drink, have another drink and another drink, and they stay a long time.”
Pivovar also has an in-house bakery. One of the head bakers, Flor Strickland, has mastered the artistry of Czech baking and makes the best kolaches in Texas, according to Eaton. Strickland said she has been baking since she was young and highly values her time in the Pivovar kitchen, despite difficulties making treats that Texans can truly appreciate.
“I love baking so much that I could sleep here; just give me a pillow, and the kitchen will be my bed,” Strickland said. “It’s hard to introduce something new, especially in the South, because here they like it more basic, like apple and pecan pies. But the Czechs are proud of what they have, and they want to keep it like that.”
Pivovar also includes an outdoor beer garden; however, contrary to its name, beer may not “grow” there. Beer gardens are an essential part of Central European tradition, where people gather during warm summer afternoons to sit and indulge in conversation, along with a meal and an ice-cold beer. Pivovar’s garden features plenty of authentic wooden picnic tables, string lights, and an easy-access bar.
Beseda said it feels “a little bit like Europe” in a haven where locals can enjoy the sun and some company, snack on small bites, and even bring their dogs to join in on the fun.
The name “Pivovar” is actually Czech for brewery, with the establishment selling four types of beer.
“So the key thing about our beer is that Pilsner Lager is the world’s best-selling, most popular beer; it’s the golden beer, and all of the bigger companies use it,” Eaton said. “That Pilsner Lager brewing process started in the town of Pilsen in the Czech Republic. We imported the original ingredients and recreated that original process, just like that very first beer that was ever made.”
As only the second such operation in the United States, Pivovar also has a beer spa, equipped with brass tubs filled with hot water and beer yeast.
“Our beer spa actually originated in Europe,” hotel receptionist Gabriella Strickland said. “There are two beer spas on each floor, and each spa is completely private. There’s two tubs in there, so you can enjoy it with your significant other or friend, and you get a choice of either champagne or one of our four types of beer to enjoy in there.”
For the future, Eaton and Beseda said the first goal of many is going to be set
