The Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences (SVU)

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. It is our hope to eventually enlarge the project to also include the Slovak materials with the cooperation of the relevant Slovak organizations in America. 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 organizations 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.

Please send your suggestions and comments, and all inquiries to the SVU President, Dr. Miloslav Rechcigl, 1703 Mark Lane, Rockville, MD 20852; Phone/FAX: (301) 881-7222; e-mail: rechcigl@aol.com

SVU Press Release