Czech Culture

Slovanská Podporující Jednota Státu Texas

Česká Část

ROČNÍK 109 ČISLO 12 28.červen.2021 Podpora ★ Lidskost ★ Bratrstvi´

BENEVOLENCE HUMANITY BROTHERHOOD

Uředni orgán SPJST ★ Založené roku 1897

Učme se česky Let Us Study Czech

Lekce sedmá Lesson 7

Pokracovat. Continued.

The English “I am sorry” in Czech means Je mi líto or Ja lituji.

The Czech phrase is used in the same sense as the original meaning of “I am sorry,” but generally, we can say that Je mi líto is used much more sparingly than “I am sorry.” The latter can often be translated odpusťte or promiňte.

S S S

Jak se máte (máš)? / Jak se vám (ti) daří? - How are you?

Děkuji, dobře - Fine, thank you.

Nestojí to za nic - It’s not worth anything.

špatně, mizerně - bad, miserable

Jak se máte (máš)? or Jak se vám (ti) daří? are not quite as common a greeting as in English. In Czech, you ask it when you want to know how your friend is dong not instead of “good morning”.

The answer to Jak se máš? In Czech, you may hear a little longer story than the stereotype “fine, thank you”. The European people do not share the American optimistic outlook and more often than not, you may hear an answer more in the form of a complaint.

S S S

dobré chutnáni - enjoy your meal

It is very common to wish your guests dobré chutnání as they are sitting ready to eat. The same wish is sometimes used among members of the family as they start with their meal. The literal translation is “good appetite.” This wish is very common on the Continent - in French, German, and practically all Continental language. —SPJST—

Czech Heritage Museum presents Czech Film Night

The Czech Heritage Museum and Genealogy Center is presenting Havel: Co Byste Obětovali pro Prvdu a Lásku? What Would You Sacrifice for Truth and Love? on Tuesday, July 13, 2021, at 6 p.m. at the Beltonian Theatre just off the charming courthouse square at 219 East Central Avenue in Belton. Admission is free of charge. Donations are accepted online or through a donation box at the concession window. Imported Czech beer and wine are available. Please note: There will be no matinees for July and August.

Havel was featured this spring in the 2021 Czech That Film festival. The Havel film cleverly and artistically connects the former president’s actual experiences to his resulting plays.

The federal government slowly increased control until it was heavily censuring the humanities. Then came the Prague Spring in the beginning of 1968, and it looked like freedom had arrived with the title “Socialism with a Human Face.” Czechs began to travel, the Beach Boys gave a concert, the press asked important questions. But it only lasted until August, when the soviets clamped down harder than ever.

Art, music, books, and plays were especially scrutinized. Paintings could not be abstract; music could not be rock and roll. Clothing and hairstyles had to conform. Pet dogs were not allowed. These arbitrary rules were enforced by creating an atmosphere of social pressure and a fear of surveillance.

Film director Milos Foreman said, “The communists are so cruel, because they impose one taste on everybody, on everything; and who doesn’t comply with their teachings and with their ideology is very soon labeled. The censorship itself, that’s not the worst evil. The worst evil - and that’s the product of censorship – is self-censorship, because that twists spines, that destroys character. Tuesday, August 10

“Beyond the Wall” - A reprise of a film the Czech Heritage Museum screened in November 2017 at the Beltonian. Back by popular demand. A documentary looking at how the abrupt changes of the 1980s affected Central Europeans.

Visit us in Temple!

The Czech Heritage Museum and Genealogy Center, Temple has resumed regular hours of operation from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays. For private, small group tours, please email CzechHeritageMuseum@gmail.com; or call 254-8992935.

Interactive, virtual private tours are available with the purchase of a Czech Heritage Museum and Genealogy Center annual membership. These are available at czechheritage-museum.org; by calling 254-899-2935; sending an email to CzechHeritageMuseum@ gmail.com; or by writing to us at Memberships, Czech Heritage Museum, 119 West French Avenue, Temple, Texas 76501.

Memberships Available

Memberships are available in various levels to fit most budgets and can be paid annually or quarterly. A senior membership is only $6 per quarter. A Czech Heritage Museum membership is a great value because the Museum participates in two nationwide museum re-

Mollie B and Alex meixner assist with spjst prize drawing at national polka festival

SPJST hosted a drawing for a barbecue grill and smoker combo at the National Polka Festival on May 28 to 30, 2021, in Ennis. SPJST President Brian Vanicek, left, holds the winning ticket Nancy Vance of Rockwall, Texas, that was drawn by Mollie B and Alex Meixner during the closing of the event on Sunday, May 30.

ciprocal programs. This means free admission and gift shop discounts at most participating institutions. Plus, as stated above, an interactive virtual private tour is included with each membership. Staying in for the pandemic? You can still be a family member at the Czech Heritage Museum! If you would like a virtual tour to fit educational criteria for students, please send an email to CzechHeritageMuseum@gmail.com, and the Museum staff will do its best to tailor your tour to fit those needs.

Czech Heritage Museum and Genealogy Center is located at 119 West French Avenue Temple, Texas. Find us online at CzechHeritageCenter.org and on Facebook. Susan Chandler CHM Administrator —SPJST—

Miss Czech-Slovak US to discuss CarpathoRusyn heritage in Plano July 17

Anna Tombazzi, the first CarpathoRusyn crowned Miss Czech-Slovak US, will talk about her heritage on Saturday, July 17, 2021, from 2:30 to 5 p.m. at Plano Environmental Education Center, located at 4116 West Plano Parkway in Plano, Texas 75093.

Meet the captivating Miss Tombazzi as she relates her experiences preparing for, performing in, and winning the Miss Czech-Slovak US pageant. She will describe the blessings and difficulties of reigning as Queen during the Covid pandemic. Anna will wear her awardwinning traditional kroj and perform on her violin the beloved folk music which garnered her the top pageant award for talent.

Anna brought her Carpatho-Rusyn ethnicity to the stage of the Miss CzechSlovak Pageant in Nebraska, and she is thrilled to share it now with Dallas, Texas! To learn more about Anna, see https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/cu/ OF7rzym/AnnaT

Admission is free of charge, and registration is appreciated. Donations are gratefully accepted. Complimentary snacks and beverages will be served.

To register to attend or for more information, send an email to CRSDallas@verizon.net. Learn more about Carpatho-Rusyns at www.c-rs.org. —SPJST—

TCGS July Book of the Month: Lee County Czechs

Eleven years ago, Texas Czech Genealogical Society launched a project designed to fill an important gap in the genealogical records of Texas by means of a book titled, Lee County Czechs. The book subsequently has found its way into various local and personal libraries, as well as notable genealogical libraries across our country.

The book had its beginning with the challenge, “You were from Lee County, and we (Texas Czech Genealogical Society) don’t have anything from there. Why don’t you do something on the Czechs of Lee County?” - or something to that effect. Well, I accepted the challenge with some trepidation, never having done anything like this before.

At first, I considered doing the work from information from the United States Federal Census of 1900, this being the most comprehensive of all the censuses insofar as family information is concerned. However, upon compiling the information I found that due to the rather small Czech population of the county in 1900, I proposed to our leadership team that I expand the work to include information from the census records of 1910, 1920, and 1930 to include that of 1900. To this they agreed. In addition, the team agreed with my recommendation that we include pictures so as to add “life” to what might otherwise be considered “dull statistics.” An appeal was sent out, and a number of individuals and couples (whose names appear in the credits of the book) very graciously shared their collections with me. These appear in a “Lee County Scrapbook” chapter.

Early on, I felt that it would be good to have a chapter on the physical setting of Lee County to show why the Czech community grew where it did: first and foremost, a belt of rich black land that stretched from southwest to northeast in the central part of the county.

I also felt that it might be interesting to include something of the historical background of the county to demonstrate the progression of the various ethnic groups and individuals who, shall we say, paved the way for the Czechs who basically overflowed from crowded Fayette County. Therefore, beginning with the Tonkawa Indians, who had been driven out of their Edwards Plateau homeland by the Apaches and Comanches, I briefly touched on the coming of the Spanish, French, Mexicans, American adventurers, Texan heroes, Germans, and Wends, all along that historical trail called El Camino Real (or, as it is sometimes called, King’s Highway, or Old San Antonio Road, or most recently, The Presidential Corridor), currently State Highway 21, until at last we come to the Czechs, who, in the early 1880s, settled along both sides of that stretch of rich black land previously mentioned. Thus, we have a second chapter for the book.

Then, in order, I included the extractions from the Federal Census Records for Lee County for each of those four decades 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 (the records for 1940 not yet having been released.)

Next, having researched county records for corresponding years, I decided to include as much of these as were available. (When I say this, I am referring to the fact that only the records for 1900 and 1910 were available - the ones from 1920 and 1930 having been lost due to flooding in the courthouse some years ago). My reason for including these was to help the reader and researcher to see how individuals and families either prospered or suffered financial set-backs over those 20 years of living in Lee County. These tax record extractions form two chapters of the book.

At last, we come to that chapter mentioned earlier, “Lee County Scrapbook.” It is hoped that the index of names in the back of the book will make its use more convenient.

This work has been “a labor of love.” Yes, it was a long road to completion, but along those roads, precious memories of some very fine people who, in seeking to find a better life for themselves and their families, also helped to make Lee County, Texas, and America a stronger, happier, and richer place to live. There have been many nights when these memories have come to haunt my mind. I’m happy to have had the opportunity to share some of these memories and to help you to appreciate those fine

people whose names are written herein. May God bless the memory of them and their children who have come after them.

Free Shipping in July

To obtain your copy of Lee County Czechs, please send a check for $32 per book, payable to TCGS, to Nancy Machu, 3337 Bianco Terrace, Round Rock, Texas 78665. To pay by credit card, please call Nancy at 512-971-4284 to give credit card information. TCGS is offering free shipping on this book during the month of July 2021. Submitted by John R. Gantt TCGS Chaplain SPJST Lodge 9, Snook —SPJST—

Czech Center Museum Houston sets docent training; July 1 concert

After a year of restrictions and limitations, the Czech Center Museum Houston is excited to welcome guests back to our museum and fun summer events! Read through this newsletter to catch up on all things Czech and to give you ideas of what to do this summer:

New Changes in the Museum

This past year, the Czech Center Museum Houston has made alterations to our permanent exhibit. With

Czech heritage museum: site of clue in tour temple’s scooter scavenger hunt

The Czech Heritage Museum was one of several places to be found in Tour Temple’s Scooter Scavenger Hunt. The scooter racers were provided a clue sheet that instructed them to find a flag and to take a selfie in front of it to verify they had been there. “They even did this in the rain!” reports CHM Curator Kenny Lange. “It was another fun event in downtown Temple.” the help of local artist Madelline Vicencio, the third floor has been transformed into a vibrant display of folk art. Explore this exhibit to learn more about the immigration of Czechs to the United States, and specifically Texas. The new updates allow visitors to interact digitally through scanning QR codes and enjoying informational video displays. We highly encourage you to pay a visit to the museum and find out what is new while enjoying a cold Czech beer. Docent Training

If you love culture, heritage, art, and history, share your passion with visitors from all over the world. Become a Czech Center Museum Houston docent! No previous experience is required, just a passion for history, art, and interest in meeting international visitors. For information on becoming a CCMH docent, contact us at development@czechcenter.org

What does a docent do?

A docent is a volunteer gallery educator. At CCMH, our dynamic docent corps helps to create and facilitate conversation-based tours in the Museum’s galleries. Our docents provide an invaluable service to the community, especially the students who are often

C z e c h C u l t u r a l 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: czechheritagemuseum@gmail.com; or leave a message 254-899-2935. Exhibit through June: “The Bonfire of Liberties: Censorship of the Humanities,” an exhibition by Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Museum hosts Czech Films - Matinee at 3p.m.; Night 6 p.m. on the second Tuesdays of the month at Beltonian Theatre, 219 East Central Avenue, Belton. Admission is free. There will be no matinées in July and August.

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, Texas 77004-5719, 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 info, call 713-528-2060; or visit czechcenter.org.

Through November 15 Exhibit: Texas-Czech Wedding Apparel and Tradition—at Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center (TCHCC), 250 West Fairgrounds Road on US Highway 77, La Grange: exhibit includes 10 dresses that have been donated by our members and are from weddings that occurred from 1883 to 1946; view fragile mementos; and leave with an understanding of Czech culture and traditions that are still alive today.

July 18 SPJST Lodge 6, Cottonwood Fried Chicken Drive-thru Dinner—at the hall, 700 South Czech Hall Road, West.

October 17 Celebrating Heritage Day—at Sokol Dallas, 7448 Greenville Avenue in Dallas, Texas 75231, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Stay tuned for more information. Event is presented by the American Czech Culture Societies and its member societies - Sokol Dallas, SPJST, WFLA, KJT, KJZT, VH Czech School of Dallas, and RVOS. You may contact Bob Podhrasky at pod@att.net; Nina Marcussen at czechschoolofdallas@yahoo.com; or Lynda Novak at magiclady_46@hotmail.com for information.

visiting the museum for the first time as well as senior groups.

Docents entering the training program in the summer of 2021 will commit to lead three tours per day. A background in art history is not required. Spanish-English or Czech-English bilingual skills are helpful, but not required. We ask that all new docents commit to remaining in the program for a minimum of one year.

Although CCMH docents come from all walks of life, they share a few common traits; each of our docent volunteers is curious, passionate about volunteering, flexible, and open to feedback, and enjoys interacting with people from all over Houston, Texas, USA, and worldwide.

Schedule of Training Wednesday, July 14 at 10 a.m.

Museum walk-through, including an introduction to the exhibit changes.

Wednesday, July 21 at 10 a.m.

Old European history from Wenceslaus until the dissolution of the AustroHungarian Empire.

Wednesday, July 28 at 10 a.m.

The Czechs 20th century including World War I, 1920s and 1930s, World War II, and Communism.

Wednesday, August 4 at 10 a.m.

What is the Modern Czech Republic? How to visit and enjoy the country as a tourist.

Wednesday, August 11 at 10 a.m.

Audiences and tour procedures.

Concert at the Museum Thursday, July 1

Czech Center Museum Houston presents The Marbriago Trio with special guest soprano Nina Polachek in their performance of American Stories on Thursday, July 1 at 7:30 p.m. American Stories is a rousing exploration of American patriotic music and the stories of American composers from independence through modern times. American greats Stephen Foster, Scott Joplin, George M. Cohan, Gershwin, Copland, Bernstein, and more come to life through the unique storytelling and comedy of the Marbriago Trio, joined by the brilliant soprano vocalist Nina Polachek. Also, learn how the great Czech composer Antonin Dvorak influenced the direction of American music and taught Americans to embrace the folk traditions he found in the “New World.” This event is free; however, the Czech Center Museum Houston appreciates donations in order to support our musicians and continue community programs such as this.

Czech Center Museum Houston

Czech Center Museum Houston is located at 4920 San Jacinto Street in Houston, Texas 77004. For more information, visit centercenter.org or call 713-528-2060. Submitted by, Sandra Samolik Czech Heritage Museum Houston —SPJST—

Czech Heritage Society shares Miss Texas CzechSlovak Queen results

Ahoj! Congratulations to Madison Murphy who was crowned the 2021 Czech Heritage Society Miss Texas Czech Slovak Queen with her Little Czech Sister Rachel Alexander. Madison represented McLennan-Hill CHS and is from Abbott, Texas. She will compete in the Miss Czech-Slovak US Pageant in 2022.

Congratulations to Misty Dvorak who is the first runner-up CHS Queen with Little Czech Sister June Holland. Misty represented Ellis County CHS and is from Ennis.

These young ladies competed in private interviews, on-stage interviews, talent, and kroj modeling. Madison Murphy won the on-stage interviews, authentic kroj, and talent awards. Misty Dvorak won the private interviews and Americanized kroj awards.

Lauren Gerik, 2020 Miss Texas Czech-Slovak, assisted with all pageant events with her Little Czech Sister Sarah Alexander. Miss Lauren will compete in the national pageant this fall in Wilber, Nebraska. We were honored with special assistance by Sarah Middlebrook Armor, 2006 Miss Czech-Slovak US. Additional CHS members offered assistance for the pageant events.

Thank you to Barbara Mikulik and Concho Valley CHS for hosting our pageant so beautifully in Wall.

Everyone enjoyed the Czech Youth Group performance, accordion players and music, and the traditional offering of bread and salt - an old Czech sign of welcome and hospitality. A parade of krojí was enjoyed by all and seeing the queen display boards. A wonderful silent auction and many Czech heritage booths were truly appreciated.

Thank you to the judges: Jerusha Brown, 2019-2021 First Runner-Up Miss Czech-Slovak US from Oklahoma; Alice Vida, Bexar County CHS; and James Steffek, Lavaca County CHS. Thank you to Concho Valley CHS pageant auditors, Dorothy Pustka and Beverly Teplicek. Thank you, Master of Ceremonies Tom and Phyllis Teykl of Fayette County CHS. Thank you, Danny Hughes and Billy Raley of Wharton County CHS for our Czech heritage stage set. Thank you, Janis Hrncir and Richard Skopik, for assistance with the pageant program. Thank you for all the beautiful gifts from our CHS chapters and members in support of our CHS Queens and Little Czech Sisters. Thank you to all who were able to join us, and we missed all of those who were unable to attend.

I am so proud of these young ladies continuing their Czech heritage. I am so very excited to be the CHS Miss Texas Czech-Slovak Pageant Director and to serve on the National Board. Thank you for all your support. Thank you, Kathy Podsednik CHS Miss Texas Czech-Slovak Pageant Director National Board Miss Czech-Slovak US —SPJST—

Czech Heritage SOCIETY: QUEENS, CROWNS, KROJÍ, AND LITTLE Czech SISTERS

Congratulations to Miss Texas CzechSlovak Queen Madison Murphy with Little Czech Sister Rachel Alexander and first runner-up CHS Queen Misty Dvorak with Little Czech Sister June Holland. Madison is a member of SPJST Lodge 6, Cottonwood. Misty and June are members of Lodge 25, Ennis.

28 Monday, June 28, 2021 VĚSTNÍK Czech Cucumber Salad -

Čech Okurkový Salát

This is a recipe for Czech cucumber salad, a simple and delicious side dish that brings back childhood memories.

It’s a salad with grated cucumber with a water-based dressing. The dressing’s flavor is a sweet and sour combination of sugar, salt, and vinegar.

Czechs call their cucumber salad okurkový salát. Serve this Czech cucumber salad cold in a little bowl and put a small spoon with it. It’s an ideal light accompaniment to main dishes such as řízek - breaded and fried Schnitzel, roast chicken, smažený sýr, sekaná, or holandský řízek.

Apart from the Czech Republic, this salad is also popular with our southern neighbors in Slovakia, known as uhorkový šalát.

Ingredients 1 English cucumber 2 cups cold water 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar 3/4 Tablespoon salt 1to 2 Tablespoons vinegar 1/2 teaspoon black ground pepper

Instructions

Peel the cucumber and cut off its ends. Grate it roughly, I used my hand-grate box. The other - but less common option for this kind of salad - is to slice the cucumber into thin circles.

Make watery dressing: Place water, sugar, vinegar, salt, and ground pepper in a mixing bowl. Stir well until combined. Adjust the taste of the dressing to your liking. Simply add more sugar, vinegar, or salt to achieve the dressing’s final satisfying taste.

Place grated cucumber into a bowl and pour over with the dressing. Makes 2 portions.

Additional Information

The best cucumber for this salad is English cucumber with dark green skin. In Czech, we call it hadovka, you could freely translate it to something like “a snake cucumber” because of its long, thin shape.

This is a piece of advice my mom gave me: If you buy cucumbers in a store, prefer longer and thinner pieces over the shorter and plumper ones. Press the ends of cucumbers; they should be firm enough and not soft.

Cucumbers freshly picked from the garden can be grated with the skin without peeling them in advance.

The commonly used vinegar in Czech kitchens has a pretty pungent aroma. The amount of vinegar depends on its strength. The more pungent vinegar taste, the less you will pour in the dressing. Moreover, it’s also a matter of a personal preference in taste. Some people prefer a sharper flavor, others a milder one.

A grated cucumber lets out a lot of water. It doesn’t matter for this kind of watery dressings, so the cucumber does not have to be sweated out to get rid of any excess liquid.

https://www.cooklikeczechs.com/czech-cucumber-salad/ —SPJST—

Fascinating. ~ Taylor J Loved it! Kenny was super helpful with research. ~ Janie P

Cool facts. Very intriguing! ~ Sheryl B

Awesome! ~ Michael S Wonderful exhibit and guide. ~ Trent B

Czech Heritage Museum and Genealogy Center Receives All ‘Round Rave Reviews!

Visit us today!

119 West French Avenue Temple, Texas Museum Open: Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission: Adults: $4; Seniors (60+): $3 Children (12 and under): $2 254-899-2935 czechheritagemuseum.org czechheritagemuseum@gmail.com

Beautiful exhibit. ~ Stephanie R

A really great place. ~ Matthew K

Fascinating! Such resilient people. ~ Pam C

Awesome! Wonderful “personal” docent. ~ Susan L Great displays and library. ~ Janie C

Very interesting and informative. ~ Sandi P