Czech Republic
Bohemia and Moravia
Genealogical Research
Preserving Czech Cultural Heritage in America
The Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences (SVU) has been awarded a grant
from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs to survey historical sites and
monuments, and the archival material relating to Czech Americans. The project
is envisioned as a long-term and broadly based effort, involving close
cooperation with individual Czech American organizations and the relevant
institutions in the Czech Republic, such as the Naprstek Museum. The project
is coordinated by Dr. Miloslav Rechcigl who has had an extensive experience in
the area of history of Czechs and Slovaks in America.
It has been estimated that there are some 1.5 million Czechs in the US which
is considered the largest Czech community abroad. Cities like Chicago,
Cleveland and New York could at one time boast of flourishing Czech life. Due
to the inevitable effects of the "melting pot", this distinct life has,
however, been, steadily fading away. As the old grandparents die, the
subsequent generations lose interest not only in the Czech language but also
in their own family heritage For generations these families have kept old
Czech books, almanacs, anniversary publications, calendars, posters and other
family treasures which have reminded them of their old country and which they
have held in great reverence. Many of these publications are long out of print
and cannot be found even in the Naprstek Museum in Prague.
If we look at the Czech American community, as a whole, the situation is
equally alarming. As the community leaders get older, it is difficult to
replace them with the young blood. Many a society may thus cease and desist
with the death of its president. To make matters worse, a number of Czech
American societies have lost PURPOSE for meaningful existence, other than mere
socializing. Oddly enough, this trend has been accentuated following the
Velvet Revolution, when a number of organizations reached the conclusion that
their work is no longer needed.
The Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences, which has had a long interest
in the history of Czech and Slovak Americans, has anxiously followed these
trends. This concern led the SVU to hold in July 1997 a special conference in
Belton, TX on "Czech-Americans in Transition: Challenges and Opportunities
for the Future," in conjunction with the historic celebration of the 100th
anniversary of the SPJST . A direct product of the conference was a joint
proclamation by the two societies to establish a Cultural Heritage Commission
for the purpose of coordinating a joint effort towards preserving Czech
cultural heritage in America. The idea soon caught on and the topic became one
of the principal issues discussed in the October 1997 conference convened by
the Ambassador in Washington, D.C. At the end of the conference the delegates
resolved to support the SVU and the SPJST in an effort to launch such an
effort with the participation of the major Czech organizations in the U.S.
It is in this spirit that the SVU now turns to Czech American societies and
organization to get involved in and fully participate in the proposed project:
1- to gather information on the existing Czech-related archives and libraries
in the U.S. as well as other archival and documentary material maintained by
various organizations and in private collections; and 2- to survey historic
sites and monuments throughout the U.S. that commemorate important
personalities or events bearing on Czech Americans. As a part of this
comprehensive undertaking a special conference and exhibit are planned where
the findings would be presented and some of the documents shown. The
subsequent phases of this endeavor would include serious discussions with
various government agencies on both sides of the Atlantic concerning the
transfer and storage of the material for safe keeping and scholarly research.
It is our plan to contact various Czech American organizations individually.
However, in the meantime we would appreciate hearing from them concerning
their interest, cooperation and assistance in this important undertaking
towards preserving the rich cultural heritage of our ancestors. We are
convinced that this effort with such a noble goal may also help to revitalize
the spirit of the Czech American community, as a whole, and give a common
purpose to our organizations throughout the land. In order for this endeavor
to succeed every Czech American organization needs to participate. Apart from
the needed cooperation and assistance from various organizations, we also need
volunteers to help us with gathering data and information in individual
localities, cities and states throughout the country.
Persons interested in joining the Society, or learning more about its
activities, should contact the Society President Dr. Miloslav Rechcigl, 1703
Mark Lane, Rockville, MD 20852); Phone / FAX: (301) 881-7222; e-mail:
rechcigl@aol.com
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