CULTURE
Czechoslovakia's main cultural achievements
took place primarily in the Middle Ages and after the 18th century.
In the intervening three centuries, control by Germans resulted
in the suppression of native achievement and forced many artists,
musicians, and philosophers to live abroad.
The 14th century laid the basis for
a national style in painting. The 19th century witnessed a revival
and further development of painting, music, and sculpture. The
National Theatre in Prague (1883) and the Bratislava National
Theatre are also held in high regard throughout Europe. The 1960's
saw a return to prominence of Czechoslovakian films. "The
Shop on Main Street", (1966), and "Loves of a Blonde"
(1967), won general acclaim in the West.
Traditional painting in Czechoslovakia
during the 19th century was best exemplified by the works of Josef
Mánes. The portrait painter Max vabinský and the
sculptor Josef Myslebeck gained recognition around the turn of
the 20th century. Josef Drahovský, who sculpted in various
media, including glass, achieved prominence after World War I.
Later in the 20th century Franticek Kupka achieved a posthumous
reputation as one of the pioneers of abstract painting.
Czech contribution to music has been
of notable international importance. The composer Bedrich Smetana
is known as the father of Bohemian national music; Antonín
Dvorák, who was born in Czechoslovakia, lived and worked
in the United States for several years; Leos Janácek is
noted for his operas and songs, some of which were based on folk
themes.{Follow links for Classical prague}
While the Communists ruled Czechoslovakia,
the film, radio, television, telephone, and telegraph services
were all state-owned. The ministry of information oversaw the
editorial operations of all newspapers, and the ministry of communications
was in charge of distribution. Besides the major Communist newspaper,
Rudé Právo (Red Justice), nationally distributed
daily newspapers included the organs of two parties allied with
the Communist party. The combined circulation of the country's
30 daily newspapers was about 4.4 million. In the late 1980s there
were 4.3 million radios, 4.4 million television sets, and 3.8
million telephones in use.
In the late 1980s the Central Council
of Trade Unions, the governing body of the Revolutionary Trade
Union Movement, encompassed 97 percent of the labor force. It
was charged specifically with encouraging productivity, informing
the government about labor needs, and providing recreation for
workers. Membership and monthly dues were generally compulsory.
Germanic, Jewish, and Czech cultures
were combined through centuries of history into what is now the
Czech Republic. What resulted was a rich and diverse culture with
distinct art, music, and literature. The new republic's president,
Václav Havel, was a famed playwright and leader in the
Czech art world before becoming involved in government. Poet Jaroslav
Seifert won the Nobel Prize for poetry in 1984. {Follow links
for Czech Literature.}
The Czech Republic retained the largest
libraries and document and treasure collections from the former
Czechoslovakia. In particular, the National Museum and its library,
the library of the Charles University, and the library of the
Czech Republic all have extensive collections. In addition, the
Premonstratensian Monastery of Strahov in Prague is well known
for its collection of notable documents and treasures.
