Czech Society II.

before WWI:

• CR part of the habsburgue monarchy

• CR is one of the most developed countries (big industrial sector)

• from political view really weak

• trials of partial independence werent successfull

1918:

• Czech independence – Czechoslovakia as a mixture of Czech (overdeveloped) and Slovak (underdeveloped) -> Totally different societies with totally different life styles

After WWI:

• Czech try to follow life style of richer people and escape to nature —> Movement of tramping

-          Enjoyment of nature – tramping movement (for adult)

-          inspiration by wild west (Indians, cowboys)

• competitions, cottages from wood etc.

• For young – scout movement

• After job (usually on Saturday afternoon) go to train stop and visit natural places close to cities, usually from spring to autumn (bc they were staying outside over night)

• Sources: woodcraft, culture of wild west, strong interest in American culture after WWI (wife of 1st Czechoslovak president was American) —> strong connection to the nature

• Outputs: style of clothing, hiking culture, slang, and music known as Czech tramping music (Still existing nowadays)

-          No political inclination (but politicians tried to focus on this group/communicate with them/ask for their votes )

-          Against totalitarianism (Nazis, communists)

-          Very popular in 20-ties and 30-ties and also during communist era (contra-culture against communist regine)

-          Now declining („movement for the old“)

•  CHATA – created by people from city to relax in nature JUST on weekends

• CHALUPA – house for living permanent, which is currently used for weekends or vacations (free houses after WWII and because of migration to cities)

•       1st wave after WWI

•       Tramps would like to spend whole year in nature (not only in “warm” months)

•       Create wooden cottages and establishing OSADA (settlement)

•       In the beginning one cottage for all trampers of a camp and then more for individuals with partners and family

•       1st settlements: on Vltava River (Lost hope), Berounka river (The valley of terror) – both really close to prague

•       Esp. close to rivers: Vltava, Kocaba, Berounka and Sazava (close to Prague, access by train) and also close to Brno (river Svratka, Moravian Karst)

•       From spring to autumn

•       Short weekends and holidays

•       Many societal activities (POTLACH – meeting of all people from one or more settlements)

•       Celebrating fires, music, sport competitions (see later) and also competitions in forestry activities (e.g. chopping wood, log throwing)

•       Two different sources:

•       CHATA – new buildings in countryside, usually on land which was previously for agriculture (intensification needs less land for the same output, so more free land)

CHALUPA – after displacement of Germans many free houses in Sudetenland

•       No train transport (car transport is the major)

•       No communities, no music, competitions, etc. (but partly you will see still some details of the “old culture”)

•       Necessity to build up cottage or renovate old house (but lack of materials in 50-ties and 60-ties) – big impact on DIY

•       Final results - people try to escape from city (block of flats, totally anonymous places) to big cottage settlements („block of flats lying down“) but the relationship between neigbours is totally different – a lot closer

•       Warm relationships in settlements (people meet each other, some activities are common – inspiration  by old settlements – fire, songs etc.)

•       People help each other – building, renovating, exchanging instruments etc.

•       Escape from city and also from bad mood in the society (during communism) – esp. in 70-ties

•       Some old settlements are changing –electricity, water supply and changes in life style  —> but still there are some “Old style” cottages which follow the old rules etc

•       Czech people have the highest proportion of cottages all over the world (no similar or even bigger in Nordic countries - NOR, SWE -> people go there often just for the summervacation, in CR people go there more frequently) – estimate: 20 % of Czech own Cottage (some of these have more)

•       BUT Czech uses cottages more, totally different life style and also uses cottages for living (older people, divorced etc.) – trend esp. in the last 20 years  (Estimate says that 60 % of cottages are suitable for long-time living) – esp. during COVID cottages were spaces for escape from the pandemic

•       Cottages and their renovations (lack of materials, lack of craftsmen)

•       Very low level of supply of different materials and products in communist era

•       Final output: people are forced to learn individual activities and also try to differentiate from their neighbours (decorations etc.)

•       Many stores currently support this phenomenon (OBI, Bauhaus, Hornbach UNIHOBBY etc.)

•       Big problem is to find a craftsmen (bricklayer, plumber, electrician), renovation is usually evaulated as only small job for them

•       Czech people learn how to DYI these activities

•       Ladies follow sewing, knitting, crocheting etc.

•       Some people are able to construct machines: lawnmower, tractor

•       Or to make distribution of water, electricity, heating in the house

•       Activities are very diverse

•       Younger generations usually does not follow these activities and usually is not infected by the „cottage virus“

• People try to enhance community (esp. after WWI)

•       Sport activities can help with this

•       Classical sport for cottage settlement: voleyball

•       New Czech sport: football tennis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_tennis)

•       Some information about games (1,2 or 3) and rules

•       Currently also international game (see results for championships)