Czechoslovak Society of Arts & Sciences (SVU)

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From the Early History of the Washington DC Chapter  |  by Miloslav Rechcigl, Jr.

I have lived in Washington, DC since 1958 and thus remember well how the Washington, DC Chapter started. During 1960-1962 I also served as the Chapter’s Secretary and was responsible for the Minutes keeping. This narration can thus be considered authentic and authoritative.

The Chapter was officially established in November 1959 and was initially known as “Pracovni skupina” which would be translated as a working group. It grew out of the “Study Section of the Washington Branch of the Czechoslovak National Council” (Studijni odbor washingtonske odbocky Ceskoslovenske narodni rady americke), under the chairmanship of Dr. Jaroslav Nemec. The Section was initially charged with the responsibility for laying down the groundwork for the future Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences (SVU) which was officially established in New York on October 24, 1958.

Following the election of Dr. Jaroslav Nemec as the new SVU Secretary-General, the Washington DC-based Study Section fell under the chairmanship of Dr. Jaroslav G. Polach. Through his initiative, starting in November 27, 1959, the newly established Washington, DC Chapter began organizing a series of lectures, “Contributions to the Development of the Idea of the Czechoslovak State in the Years 1938-1948″.

In the 1959-60 period the following lectures were delivered:

• November 27, 1959 – Dr. Ladislav K. Feierabend: “Between Munich and March 15, 1939″. Chaired by Jaroslav G. Polach
• January 8, 1960 – Dr. Juraj L. Slavik: “President Benes’ Letter to President Mosczicki during the 1938 Munich Crisis”. Chaired by Jaroslav Nemec
• February 12, 1960 – Dr. Stefan Osusky: “The Soviet Stand during the Czechoslovak Crisis”. Chaired by Josef K. Hasek.
• March 4, 1960 – Dr. Jozef Lettrich: “The Idea of the Czechoslovak State and Slovakia”. Chaired by Cestmir Jesina
• April 8, 1960 – Dr. Arnost Heidrich: “Foreign Political Causes of Our Tragedy in 1938 and 1948″. Chaired by Dr. Frantisek Kase.
• May 7, 1960 – Prof.Dr. Vratislav Busek: “Importance of Czechoslovak Universities during 1938/39 and 1948″. Chaired by Jaroslav A. Drabek, Jr. With banquet and reception.

In addition to the above, on December 1, 1959, there was a special lecture by Prof. Vaclav Hlavaty, the newly elected SVU President, about “Problems of Space and Time”

During the Annual Meeting on June 1, 1960, it was generally expected that Jaroslav Polach would remain the Chapter’s chairman. He, however, decided against it because of pressure of his job. The members therefore proceeded to elect a five-member working group, with the responsibility of coming up with the slate of candidates for various offices. Jasa Drabek initially expressed interest in the post but then changed his mind. The chairmanship was therefore offered to Dr. Ladislav Feierabend who accepted. Miloslav Rechcigl, Jr.was elected Secretary, Milos Jansa Treasurer and Vojtech Nevlud Vice Chairman and Press Officer. Jasa Drabek and Josef Kucera were elected members of the Board without specific functions.

My main job as Secretary was to write minutes, send out the invitations and also keep track of the membership. My responsibilities were, however, soon augmented to also include the responsibility for correspondence and in addition became a member of the program committee.

Josef Kucera, a kind old man who lived with his wife on Park Road, not too far from Jaroslav Nemec, usually helped me with the printing of the announcements. He was a journalist by background who published regularly, in monthly intervals, the newsletter, Zpravodajstvi z Washingtonu. As such, he had access and knew how to operate a somewhat primitive mimeo-graphic machine.

In our activities, we essentially continued in the lecture series to preserve historical documents and memoirs relating to the “Development of the Idea of Czechoslovak State in 1938-1948″. The meetings were held in monthly intervals, usually at 7:30 PM, second Friday of the month, in the Alliance Room of the All Souls Church on 16th & Harvard Sts., N.W., Washington, DC.

We customarily invited prominent politicians of the 1938-1948 period to give us personal and authoritative accounts of their activities and experiences, accompanied with explanations and documentary evidence. In addition to oral presentation, which was tape-recorded, each participant also had to present his contribution in writing.

The presentations usually were followed by intensive discussions and commentary from the audience. Because of the frequently controversial nature of the topics some of these discussions were quite lively and even confrontational. The meetings were run with iron hand so that they never got out of hand.

It should be noted that the referenced series of lectures were actually the first occurrence in the Czechoslovak post-World War ll exile of having politicians of opposing views talking from the same platform. Until SVU came up with this lecture series, they would hardly ever speak to one another.

To get more people interested and involved, we followed the practice of having each speaker introduced by a different person and have him moderate the discussion. This required some preparation and the person also gained invaluable experience in speaking in public.

To make the meetings more sociable my wife, Eva, came up with one innovation, namely to have every meeting followed by refreshments, as was customary among Americans. This practice, which has been kept to date, gave each meeting a friendlier and more sociable atmosphere conducive to opening up and talking to one another.

I remained secretary for two terms (June 1, 1960-June 22, 1962). Subsequently I had to relinquish this function in order that I could devote attention to publications and other SVU matters at the national level.

During the two-year period, we had the following program:

1960-1961 Period

• October 7 – Vaclav Majer: “Trip to Moscow and the Beginnings of the Kosice Program”.
  Chaired by Miloslav Rechcigl, Jr.
• November 8 – Dr. Ladislav Feierabend: “Hacha and Experiences in the Government of the Protectorate”.
  Chaired by Jaroslav Drabek, Jr.
• December 9 – Dr. Jaroslav Drabek: “Beginnings of Czechoslovak Resistance during the WW II”.
  Chaired by Vojtech Nevlud.
• January 13 – Dr. Theodor Prochazka: “Berlin 1938-1944. My Reminiscences”.
  Chaired by Dr. Jaroslav Nemec.
• February 10 – Dr. Jozef Lettrich: “Recollections from the Czechoslovak
  Domestic Resistance and Slovakia in 1939-1943″ Chaired by Dr. Jaroslav G. Polach.
• March 10 – Gen. Josef Schejbal: “Czechoslovak Air Force during the World War II”
  Chaired by Dr. Milos A. Jansa.
• April 4 – Dr. Arnost Heidrich: “International Political Causes of Our National Tragedy – February 1948″.
  Chaired by Ladislav K. Feierabend.
• May 2 – Banquet and Reception – Dr. Ladislav Radimsky: “Commentary at the Margin of Contemporary Czech Literature”.
  Chaired by Dr. Ladislav K. Feierabend.

1961-1962 Period

• September 8 – A Discussion Panel: “Goals and Aims of the Czechoslovak society of Arts and Sciences in America” Panelists: Dr. Jaroslav Nemec, Jan Hajda, Cestmir Jesina, Dr. Frank Meissner, Dr. J. Polach, Ivan Herben and Dr. Jozef Lettrich
• October 16 – Dr. Karel Steinbach: “Karel Capek and His Times”
• November 10 – Mikulas Ferjencik: “Recollections from and Experiences in Moscow and the Slovak National Uprising “
• January 12 – Ivan Herben: “Brother Josef – Memories of the Capek Brothers from Lidove Noviny and Josef Capek from Concentration Camp”
• February 15 – Marie Provaznikova: “The Sokol Contributions to the Origin, Development and Democracy of the Czechoslovak State”
• April 1962 – “First Congress of the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences in America”
• June 22 – Annual Meeting – Discussion Panel: “Comments on the First SVU Congress” Panelists: Dr. Jaroslav Drabek, Dr. Zorka Cerna, Fr. Josef Hasek, Vojtech Nevlud, Dr. Zora Prochazkova, Arch Emil Royco.. Moderated by Dr. Ladislav K. Feierabend.

Upon leaving, as I reported in my report to the Assembly, the Chapter had 83 members, in comparison to 74 in September 1961. The list of members of the Washington DC Chapter (as of June 22, 1962) is reproduced below.

List of Members – Washington DC Chapter (as of June 22, 1962)
Boehmer, Alois, Dr.
Borkovec, Alexej, Dr.
Brecher, George, Dr.
Cerna, Zora, Dr.
Cerny, Oldrich
Cerny, George
Dalecka, Zdena
Drabek, Jaroslav, Dr.
Drabek, Jaroslav A., Jr.
Eret, Josef P., Gen.
Feierabend, Ladislav K., Dr.
Feierabendova, Jana
Fiala, Jri, Dr.
Fischmeister, Ladislav, Dr.
Fort, J.
Friedrich, W. G., Dr.
Halkova, Jirina M.
Halla, Berta
Halla, John
Hasal, Milan J.
Hasalova-White, Dagmar
Hasek, Josef, Dr.
Heidrich, Arnost, Dr.
Horak, Bohuslav
Ingrova, Cilka
Jansa, Milos, Dr.
Jarolim, John S.
Jesina, Cestmir Jira, Jaroslav, Dr.
Kase, Frantisek, Dr.
Kase, Karel, Dr.
Kaspar-Party, Jaroslav, Col.
Klimek, Adolf, Dr.
Klimes, Jan
Klimesova, Nada
Kocvara, Stefan, Dr.
Kolafa, Josef, Ing.
Koeppl, Evzen C.
Koubek, Vlastimil
Kreysa, Frank J., Dr.
Kucera, Josef
Kybal, Milic, Dr.
Lajda, Brano
Lejkova, Milada, Dr.
Lettrich, Jozef, Dr.
Lettrichova, Irena
Lewis, Brackett
Libersky, Frank
Liskova, Marta
Majer, Vaclav
Manhal, Gertruda
Marynchak, Arnost
Michal, Jaroslav J.
Mladek, Jan V., Dr.
Munz, Otto John, Dr. Naylor, Herbert
Nemec, Jaroslav, Dr.
Nemcova, Jarmila
Neumann, Matej
Nevlud, Vojtech
Nohel, Adolf
Nosek, Jindrich, Dr.
Palic, Vladimir, Dr.
Polach, Jaroslav, Dr.
Prochazka, Theodor, Dr.
Prochazka, Zora, Dr.
Ptacek, Zdenek
Rechcigl, Miloslav, Jr.
Royco, Emil, Arch
Sadlik, Josef, Dr.
Schneider, Joseph Z., Dr.
Schlosberg, Kveta S.
Sladek, Jaromil, Dr.
Sladkova, Gertrdude, Dr.
Slavik, Juraj
Slavik, Juraj, L.J., Jr.
Sturc, Ernest, Dr.
Sturman, Pavel
Svestka, Miroslav J.
Szalatnay, Louisa
Thomas, S.
Zenkl, Petr, Dr.
~~~

See also the HISTORY section.

For up-to-date information, please check the SVU Local Chapters’ Websites.

For the 1999-2005 local events, please check the Calendar Archive.

Selected Activities of SVU Local Chapters (2001)

Pittsburgh Chapter: SVU Hosts Reception in Honor of New Sister City for Pittsburgh

On November 14, 2001, the Central European city of Ostrava, Czech Republic will become the thirteenth sister city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Official documents will be signed at 9 a.m. in City Council chambers. Mayor Tom Murphy will welcome the mayor of Ostrava, Cestmir Vlcek, as well as local and national members of the Czech American community, to the city of Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Ostrava Sister City Committee, under the direction of chairperson William Lafe, will also welcome Mayor Vlcek with a series of planned business meetings and receptions to be held during the mayor’s week-long visit. A reception following the signing ceremony will be sponsored by the Pittsburgh chapter of the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences (SVU).

The plans for introducing another official sister city of Pittsburgh were coordinated by the Greater Pittsburgh Sister City Association, a committee of representatives from local ethnic groups. GPSCA holds regularly scheduled meetings to discuss the work of sponsoring international events.

Other official sister cities of Pittsburgh include: Sofia, Bulgaria; Wuhan, China; Zagreb, Croatia; Matanzas, Cuba; Sheffield, England; Saarbrucken, Germany; Omiya, Japan; Skopje, Macedonia; San Isidro, Nicaragua; Fernando de la Mora, Paraguay; Bilbao, Spain; and Donetsk, Ukraine.

For additional information about Ostrava’s new relationship with Pittsburgh, contact SVU President/Pittsburgh Chapter, Carol Hochman at carolh1541@aol.com.

HISTORICAL MARKER TO HONOR THE PITTSBURGH AGREEMENT

The Pennsylvania Historic Marker and Museum Commission recently approved an application to honor Tomas Garrigue Masaryk and the signing of the The Pittsburgh Agreement with an official historic marker. The application was submitted to the Pennsylvania State Commission by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences (SVU), a nonprofit, international organization (www.svu2000.org) which includes as one of its goals, the preservation of Czech and Slovak heritage both in this country and abroad

The Pittsburgh Agreement played a significant role in the course of events leading to the establishment of an independent Czechoslovak state after the First World War. The catalyst for the drafting and signing of this Agreement was the visit to Pittsburgh in 1918 of Professor Tomas Garrigue Masaryk who later that year became the first president of Czechoslovakia. On May 30, during his visit to Pittsburgh, Masaryk addressed an enthusiastic crowd of 20,000 that had gathered in support of the new nation. As recounted by local
newspaper reports, Professor Masaryk was “greeted with tumultuous and thunderous applause” and delivered a speech that was described as “striking heart fire.” The Pittsburgh Agreement was signed the next day by local Czech and Slovak representatives who pledged support for the formation of an independent country.

A dedication ceremony for the unveiling of the historic marker honoring this event is planned for Thursday afternoon, May 31, 2001 at the corner of Seventh and Penn Avenues in downtown Pittsburgh, near the site of the original signing. In attendance will be representatives from the Czech and Slovak Embassies, state and local officials, and members of Czech and Slovak organizations. Anyone interested in attending the dedication ceremony is welcome to do so.

Contact: Carol Hochman e-mail: CarolH1541@aol.com

Edmonton, Canada Chapter: SVU Edmonton Chapter Prepares CD Record with Czech Music

Thanks to the efforts of the Edmonton SVU Chapter, particularly its president Prof. Pavel Jelen, a new CD record with Czech music is now available. The project has been brought to fruition thanks to cooperation with the University of Alberta, and the sponsor Dairy Farmers of Canada. The CD features a live recording of an Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) concert given on October 29, 1999 in the Winspear Centre, conducted by Grzegorz Nowak, an Honorary Professor at the Department of Music.

The music on the CD consists of “the original” version of the most reverend piece of all Czech music, “My Homeland” by Bedrich Smetana (including the famous Vltava/Moldau, arguably the most famous piece of Czech classical orchestra repertoire), and an almost unknown opus by Leos Janacek, his “Moravian Dances” recorded only once before. This is the first recording of an ESO concert available on a CD; also a first recording of the “original version” of My Homeland by a Canadian orchestra and possibly by anyone, as this cyclus of the symphonic poems as played nowadays includes two additional pieces which were added by the composer several years after completing the original version.

The sale price for individual copies will be $20, multiple copies (20 minimum) will be available at a discount.SVU encourages its members to buy this unique CD. Interested persons should contact George Patocka [gpatocka@ualberta.ca] or Pavel Jelen [paul.jelen@ualberta.ca].

Washington DC Chapter: SVU Washington DC Chapter announces

US PREMIERE OF A PLAY BY CZECH PLAYWRIGHT OLDRICH DANEK
” NOT AS UGLY AS SHE APPEARED TO BE “

Nove Divadlo ( New Theatre) from Toronto, Canada, will perform an original play written by the famous Czech playwright Oldrich Danek: “Zdaleka ne tak oskliva jak se puvodne zdalo.” The performance will take place on Saturday, March 17, 2001, 7:00 P.M.in the Experimental Theatre of the American University. Experimental Theatre is located left of the main entrance to the campus of the American University from Massachusetts Avenue ( Ward Circle).

This masterpiece of Danek’s dramatic oeuvre will be performed in Czech and Slovak by Nove Divadlo, the largest functioning Czech and Slovak theatre outside of our homelands. This performance will be the US premiere of the play and will be dedicated to the memory of Oldrich Danek who passed away in September of 2000. Nove Divadlo is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year and Danek’s play received standing ovations during its recent Toronto opening night. The original musical score, written for the play by the Czech-Canadian composer Jaroslav Jarosil, will be performed by the composer himself.

Please reserve your seats for March 17 (Saturday ) and call SVU Washington DC Chapter for reservations at 301-564-9081 (please leave a message) or e-mail to:
Ojsafertal@comcast.net or borkovec@erols.com.

We are looking forward to seeing you on March 17.

SVU Washington Donates a New Piano to the Embassy

On Tuesday, October 12, 1999, on the occasion of a recital by piano prodigy Lukas Vondracek at the Czech Embassy, Dr. Alexej Borkovec, President of the Washington, DC Chapter of SVU (Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences), presented the new concert piano Petrof III M to Martina Vondrova, wife of the Czech Ambassador. Mrs. Vondrova expressed her delight and her heartfelt thanks.

The new piano is the culmination of a two-year effort by the Washington, DC SVU chapter to acquire a new, high quality instrument for the Embassy. Since 1990, SVU Washington, DC has been co-hosting concerts at the Embassy, and in recent years it had come to their attention that the Baldwin piano on the premises had seen better days and was not adequate for the needs of the fine musicians who perform at the Chancery. After two years of research and negotiations, the SVU chapter was informed of the possibility of buying an excellent piano from the Petrof company in Hradec Kralove, who was willing to sell it to SVU at a very advantageous price. Beginning in August 1999, SVU organized a fund raiser, mailing requests for contributions to all SVU chapter members, as well as to known music-lovers who attend the Embassy concerts on a regular basis. Within two months, over $9,000 was raised, the rest coming from the coffers of the SVU chapter.

The SVU Washington, DC chapter is very proud to be making this gift. It is not only a gift to the Embassy, but an assurance of the quality of music which will be perfomed at the Embassy in the years to come. The Czechs, all agree, have no better and more appreciated export than their music.

Source: Czech the News November 1999

SVU WASHINGTON DC PARTICIPATES IN FLOOD RELIEF FOR THE CZECH REPUBLIC
- Summer 1997
As soon as the news of the disastrous floods in eastern Bohemia and northern Moravia reached the USA, SVU Washington DC responded promptly. The chapter’s membership unanimously voted to donate $3,000 from their treasury for this effort. Individual members and their friends raised an additional $3,400 for the flood relief in the Czech lands.

The Chairman of the SVU Washington DC chapter, Alexej Borkovec, presented a check for $6,400, made out to the Czech Red Cross as a donation for the flood relief, to the Czech Ambassador to the United States.

~~~

Brno

SVU Moravian Chapter Takes Part in the Events of Jewish Moravia – Jewish Brno 2001

Thanks to Dr. Marie Bobkova, our agile President of the SVU Moravian Chapter, the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences (SVU) will participate and be an active partner in the forthcoming cultural events of the program of Jewish Moravia – Jewish Brno.

The program is to continue till the end of 2001. It will include expositions, concerts, seminars, conferences, lectures, which are expected to have a wide impact. The festive opening of the project will be on 18th December 2000. Of special interest is the exposition of Mr. Waldes’ collection of paintings by Prof. František Kupka; further, the exhibition will present the history of Jewish culture in Moravia in the period 13th century to 1945, in co-operation with the House of Art of Brno City, Jewish Museum of Prague, Memorial of Holocaust in Terezín. The exhibition will include, among others, the art of synagogues, and paintings of children from Terezín concentration camp. Apart from other planned activities, the concert of cantor Joseph Malovany from New York City, is also to take place. There will also be two grand receptions in the National Theatre of Brno.

The list of honored guests is headed by Rabbi Efraim Karol Sidon of Prague, Chief Rabbi of the Czech Republic and Her Excellency, Ambassador of Israel, Erella Hadar. The President of the project’s Honorary Committee is Pavel Tigrid. Other participating celebrities include Honorary Vice President of B’nai B’rith Prof. Dr. Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich; President of Commission for Religious Relations with Jews, Edward Idris Cardinal Cassidy; President of the Commission for Culture, Paul Cardinal Poupard; Honorary General Consul of the Czech Republic in Israel and President of Israeli Society of Friends of the Czech Republic, Chanan Rozen; Honorary President of the Society of Czechoslovak immigrants in Israel, Hanuš Cvi Wiegl; Prince Karel Schwarzenberg; Countess Diana Sternberg; writer and diplomat Avigdor Dagan (Viktor Fischl); writer Arnošt Lustig; journalist Jefim Fištejn; Jiri Zlatuška, Rector of Masaryk University of Brno; Jan Kasl, Mayor of Prague and Petr Duchon, Mayor of Brno and many others.

The events are cosponsored by the Israeli Society of Friends of the Czech Republic, the Federation of Jewish Communities, the Jewish Museum of Prague, Jewish Community of Brno and Prague, the Jewish Agency, Musica Judaica, Memorial of Holocaust in Terezin and the City of Brno.

Media partners of the project are Czech Television, the Czech Radio, Radio Free Europe, advertising companies REALMEDIA, Eclipse and Super Poster.

The present information was finalized at the 20th Congress of our Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences in Washington, 8 – 13th August 2000.

The Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences is pleased to participate in this important event. Many of the participants, including Mr. Jirí Waldes, Arnošt Lustig, Viktor Fischl, Pavel Tigrid, Jaroslav Stránský, and others are members of our Society.