NEWS FROM THE
CZECH CENTER MUSEUM HOUSTON
FEBRUARY 2015
From the Heart of Europe to the Heart of Houston Texas
in the Museum District
4920 San Jacinto Street, Houston, Texas 77004 - 713.528.2060
czech@czechcenter.org www.czechcenter.org
Open Monday - Saturday 10:00am to 4:00pm
Save the Date
Members and
Friends Dinner
with the
Škampa Quartet
March 28, 2015
Database Updates
If you are currently a
member of the Czech Center
Museum Houston and have
changed your mailing address
or email address in the past
two years, please contact
events@czechcenter.org
with your new information and
the subject line
“Member Update.”
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CCMH
The Czech Center Museum Houston’s Mural of the Charles Bridge
“When we build let us think that we build forever. Let not it be such for present delight or for present
use alone. Let it be such work as our descendants will thank us for. And let us think, as we lay stone upon
stone, that a time is to come when these stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched them,
and that men will say as they look upon the labor and wrought substance of them, ‘See this our father did
for us’.”
-John Ruskin
Mission
The purpose of the Czech Center Museum Houston is to unify the Czech/Slovak-American community around issues of importance and provide a central focus for all things Czech related, serving
as a clearing house for information useful for members, visitors, individuals, organizations, and
the media.
Recent Donors
Cecilia Forrest, Roger Meshura, Glenn and Yvonne Sternes, John and Frances Istvan, Robert and
Henrietta Freeman, Bernice Sellers, Marilyn Sikora, Humanities Texas, Kolache Factory, Saint
Arnold Brewing Company, SPJST Lodge 88 Houston, Bill and Grace England, Daniel and Suzanne
Kubin, Bill and Effie Rosene, The Czech Heritage Society - Harris County Chapter, Brian and Joan
Vanicek, Emil and Connie Stavinoha, Cézar Campo Bartosek.
If you would like more information on becoming a new member of the Czech Center Museum Houston, please visit our website at http://bit.do/czechmember or email museum@czechcenter.org.
This organization is supported in part by a grant from the City of Houston through the Houston
Arts Alliance and by the contributions of our Friends, Members and Volunteers.
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Past Events
Opening Reception
for Texas Czechs:
Rooted in Tradition
Thanks to all who joined
us for the Opening Reception
of our newest exhibition in
collaboration with PolkaWorks!
Beer and kolaches were provided courtesy of Saint Arnold
Brewing Company and Kolache Factory.
We had a wonderful crowd
and are so grateful to all our
supporters.
Visitors look at the Kroj on display
Volunteers Ginny, Juana and Marie
Accordionist Victor Pizzolla
Members & Visitors
SPJST Lodge 88, Houston in
Wenceslas Chapel at CCMH
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Great group at the Opening Reception!
Quotes
“There is a spirit,
and a need, and a
person at the beginning of every great
human advance.
Every one of these
must be right for
that particular moment of history or
nothing happens.”
CCMH Volunteer News
Lucie Harmachova
-Coretta Scott King
We think this is a great quote
and feel that it exactly states
what happened with CCMH.
Many of you were there with us
at the right time to build this
Houston Landmark clebrating
Heritage and many of you are
still there. Good job! Proudly
we stand!
Lenka Horakova
Camille Marvin
-Effie M. Rosene, Chair/CEO
and Bill Rosene, V.P. Admin.
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Volunteers have always
played a vital role at the Czech
Center Museum Houston.
We are happy to introduce
our three newest volunteers,
Lucie, Lenka and Camille, all
of whom you may have already
met at a CCMH event over the
past few months. They have
been a big part of our events
and day-to-day business at the
museum, and we are so thankful to have them as part of our
dedicated team. Welcome!
Conversational Czech
Lessons have commenced at
CCMH, but it’s still not too
late to sign up! Long-time volunteer and teacher Marie leads
the lessons with Lenka. It’s an
extremely useful course for
those planning to travel abroad
or wanting to communicate
with the large population of
Texas Czechs.
See more information on lessons in the ad below:
Rosene Scholarship Fund
Thank you to
PolkaWorks
Thank you for the class act
Texas Czech Traditions Exhibit
you installed at the Czech
Center Museum Houston
running January 25 through
April 25.
As our Czech Republic
visitors Jarek & Annie Slichta
and Marta Pekarekova said,
“It is wonderful to have such
defining documentary of
our early Czech immigrants’
customs which still stand in
today’s communities. (They
came back a second time to
see it completely again, we
did too.) Thank you again.
We hope many more will take
advantage of the continuing
exhibition through April 25.
We have had many visitors
who came and experienced it.
What a way to learn and relive
history.
Thank you again,
Effie and Bill Rosene
Along with sixteen other
marvelous CCMH Members,
Effie and Bill Rosene loaned
$25,000 to CCMH to retire
the building’s mortgage. We
have “forgiven” $10,000 of
that amount as have six of
the original donors. It is our
intention to have our forgiven
amount form the basis of a selfdirected Rosene Scholarship
Fund. During the last fifteen
years CCMH has awarded three
$1000 scholarships annually to
university scholars which were
funded by a donation from
benefactor Thelma Burnet
Maresh.
The Rosene scholarship
will stipulate that the scholar,
enrolled in a four-year
degree program such as at
the University of Texas or
Texas A&M, will pursue two
semesters of Czech language
instruction at a university
or college. Following the
successful completion of the
year’s program, the scholar will
be given a stipend as an award
to attend a summer language
course in the Czech Republic.
Member Dr. Glenn Sternes
has donated $5,000 toward
the award of educational
scholarships and we hope to
include his donation in our fund.
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We have seen an
overwhelming lack of interest
from scholars in learning the
meaning that their heritage
has in their lives. We are
concerned that the spoken
Czech language is not relevant
here, especially to the younger
generation to a great degree
here in Texas, beyond the
Czech food words and music.
These two facts have led to a
diminished interest in joining
Czech organizations. With
this scholarship, it is presumed
that the scholar, completing
the two steps above, would be
further interested in displaying
their talents by inclusion in a
Czech organization.
Our original thought on
the amount of scholarship
would be $2000 for two
semesters of study with a
following $1000 stipend to
partially underwrite a trip and
study in the Czech Republic,
where there are numerous
Czech language courses
offered. May we have your
advice, thoughts, interest and
support in this matter? If so,
please email us at bllrosene@
yahoo.com
Thank you,
Effie and Bill Rosene
Events at CCMH
Coming Soon
February 21
March 13
March 14
March 19
Happening Now
Conversation with Theresa
Parker and Mark Hiebert and
Performance by Childrens
Polka Group
4 - 7pm, 1st Floor
Free presentation and talk by
the author and photographer
behind Jimmy Brosch Remembers
Twenty Legendary Texas Czech
Polka Bands. Followed by a
performance by the Lanier
Middle School Polka Band. This
is the first in a series of free
events held in conjunction with
the exhibit Texas Czechs: Rooted
in Tradition.
Free Movie Night
7:30pm, 3rd Floor
Join us every 2nd Friday for free
movies, popcorn and cash bar!
Czech Food Panel
Time TBA, 1st Floor
Free event! Conversation with
Czech expats and Texas Czechs
about the foods they grew up
with. Enjoy free Czech sweets
baked by our members!
Yale Slavic Chorus
7 - 9pm, 1st Floor
Performance by the Yale
Slavic Chorus, Yale’s oldest
all-women’s vocal ensemble.
Celebrate Slavic music and
traditional costumes!
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Texas Czechs: Rooted in Tradition
Ongoing, now through April 25,
3rd Floor
Czech immigrants brought
with them dance, food, music,
language and other cultural
traditions, and the Texas Czech
community maintains and
passes on its sense of identity
by continuing to practice those
traditions and by creating some
particular to Texas Czechs.
This exhibit uses photos,
text and short films to speak
about a rich culture that has
united Texas communities for
generations.
This program is made possible in part by
a grant from Humanities Texas, the state
affiliate of the National Endowment for
the Humanitites.
Lodge 88
Houston
Watch our Facebook page and
www.czechcenter.org for updates
on events!
Save the Date
March 28
April 25
Other Czech Events
Happening Soon
Sts. Cyril & Methodius Slavic
Heritage Festival in Houston
Last Sunday in September 2015
20th Annual Czech Spring fest
Sunday, April 19, 2015
11am - 7pm
1435 Beall St., Houston, TX
(SPJST Lodge #88)
Adults: $8, Children under 11: Free
WE CELEBRATE OUR
KINDRED SPIRITS THE
NEW CESKY ALLIANCE, A
GATHERING OF PEOPLE
WITH SIMILAR INTERESTS.
•SPJST and all its Texas Lodges
•Czech Heritage Society and all
its Texas Counties Societies
•Charles Waligura, Jean Rayhill
and Barbara Mikulik
Members and Friends Dinner
with the Škampa Quartet
5:30 - 8:30pm, 2nd Floor
Details inside this newsletter. Invitations coming soon!
Zone 2 Museum Experience
10am - 4pm, All floors
Explore Zone 2 of the Museum District through special events at
CCMH and all our neighboring museums. CCMH will have live
polka music by Bob and Mike from Texas Legacy Czech Band
and give polka dancing lessons in our beautiful Prague Hall. Free
with museum admission.
Events at Harris County
Czech Heritage Society main
location (4117 Willowbend
Blvd., Houston, TX):
Czech Language Classes
Mondays, 7pm
Czech Movie Nights
Last Wednesdays of the
Month, 7pm
Victor Peter Memorial Scholarship
Deadline​- Sat., February 28th
•TCGS Texas Czech Genealogical
Society, Charlene and Leroy Hurta
•TOCA Texans of Czech Ancestry
•TCC Texas Czech Cultural Center – La Grange, Texas, President
Retta Chandler
•CEFT Czech Education Foundation
of Texas, President Clint Machann
•Houston International Consular
Corps who serves us around the world
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CHS State Spring Meeting & Miss
Czech-Slovak Pageant in Bryan
Sat., April 25th
CHSHCC Founder’s Day
Sun., May 3rd, 2pm
More information at
www.houstonslavicheritage
festival.com and
www.czechheritage.org
•Sts. Cyril & Methodius Slavic Heritage
Festival - Rev. Paul Chovanec, Judy &
Marvin Marek, & Steve Vrana
•10 Years 10 Million in our Museum District Home
•100 Years of the Port of Houston, a channel to the world from
Houston, Texas
And all other organizations past and
future who support Czech heritage.
Thank You
Thank you all for your
various kindnesses extended to
our dear Czech friends Jarek
and Annie Slichta and Marta
Pekarekova, visitors from the
Wine Country of Hlohovec, in
South Moravia.
We so enjoyed their interest
and enthusiasm at everything.
They loved Texas! They loved
America! And were absolutely
thrilled at what we helped
build as the Czech Center
Museum Houston. At the
evening reception on January
17, Jarek spoke to a full house
here as many of you heard:
“Honorable ladies and
gentlemen, we stand before
you proud, humble and
unbelieving at such a beautiful
evidence you have built here
as the Czech Center Museum
in Houston, Texas. I would
not have believed it had I not
seen it with my own eyes.
We remember the seeds we
planted and started growing
in our dining room and the
wine cellar conversations in
Hlohovec. So we are happy to
be here to experience this.”
These folks are who showed
us and taught us the history of
the brave little Czech nation
who inspired us to understand
the spirit, the beauty and
elegance of Czech heritage.
They are our mentors, our
fans, our supporters, our dear
friends. We enjoyed taking
them on a Fredericksburg
Vineyards tour where they
were welcomed with interest
and treated as professional
peers – vintners. They quickly
adapted to the tour in what is
noted as one of Ten Best Wine
Trails in the World adopting
the Texas Wineries’ slogan
of “Conserve, Drink Wine
Responsibly.” Typical
Moravians, Jarek claimed
good beer is drunk for thirst,
good wine for elegance and
enjoyment.
These three were the best of
the best Ambassadors for their
beloved native Czech Republic.
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Jarek and Annie Slichta and
Marta Pekarekova
Thank you again to Linda
and Ray, Brenda, Tiffany and
other friends, Cathy, Larry
and Christopher and Mathew
Anderson who boarded them
through their visit, Lindsay
Pierce, Eric, Christie and EJ
Johnson, Grace England,
the Terrels, the Viteks, the
Pustejovskys and our CCMH
members, friends, volunteers.
Thank you,
Effie and Bill Rosene
A Czech-Slovak Tradition
Great Javořina
(White Carpathians),
Czech Republic
The White Carpathians
are amongst the most valuable
meadow biotopes in Europe
and are registered a UNESCO
biosphere reservation.
On the last day of 2014,
thousands of people found
their way to the top of the
highest mountain of the White
Carpathians, “Great Javořina”,
which held its 22nd annual
New Year’s Eve meetings of
the Moravians, Slovaks and
Czechs. People from both sides
of the border came to the top
of the Great Javořina to sing
the Czechoslovak national
anthem and to ignite a bonfire
of brotherhood.
This modern New Year
meeting at Great Javořina
Bonfire at the top of Great Javořina
Great Javořina lies in the White Carpathians Moravian-Slovak border near the
village of Strání. At 970 m, it is the highest mountain in this range.
originally started as an
expression of disagreement with
the division of the common
state in 1993. Great Javořina
has also become a symbol of
Czech-Slovak reciprocity. The
last Sunday in July, a Festival of
Slovak and Czech brotherhood
takes place on Great Javořina
beginning in 1845. Since 1990,
is the place of the regular
cultural festivities.
Among the oldest visitors to
the New Year’s Eve meeting at
Great Javořina were Raymond
J. Snokhous, former Honorary
Consul General of the State of
Texas, and Clarice Snokhous.
Raymond Snokhous said:
“I am very happy that I was
able to complete this journey here
to the top for New Year’s Eve.
When I was here, I saw with my
own eyes that the Czech - Slovak
tradition is not dead, and people
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CCMH Members Ray and Clarice
Snokhous at the top of the mountain
try to preserve it. I’m excited
mainly from the fact that I see a
lot of young people who take this
tradition and carry on. God bless
the Czech-Slovak.”
And how do Mr. and Mrs.
Snokhous perceive the division
of Czechoslovakia?
“We are Czechoslovaks, we
do not distinguish it.”
This article originally appeared online in
Slovak at http://slovacky.denik.cz/ and
was translated into English by CCMH.
UNESCO Sites in the Czech Republic
UNESCO,
the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural
Organization, has created a list
of UNESCO World Heritage
Sites, places of special cultural
or physical significance. The
list of sites is maintained by the
international World Heritage
Programme, composed of 21
UNESCO member states. The
Czech Republic currently has
twelve UNESCO sites. In this
month’s newsletter, we show two.
The Historic Centre of Telč,
added to the list in 1992, was
originally built of wood. After
a fire in the late 14th century,
the town was rebuilt in stone,
surrounded by walls and further
strengthened by a network of
artificial ponds. The town’s
Gothic castle was reconstructed
in High Gothic style in the late
15th century.
Holy Trinity Column. Photo by Michal Maňas
Telč. Photo by Hans Weingartz
The Holy Trinity Column in
Olomouc, added to the list
in 2000, is 35 m tall and was
begun in the 1720s by sculptor
Filip Sattler, then finished in
1752 by Ondrej Zahner. The
Column was ceremonially
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consecrated on September
9, 1754, and has been called
“one of the most exceptional
examples of the apogee of
central European Baroque
artistic expression.”
What Makes Czech Czech?
We continue with our list of 100 things that are typical for the Czech nation. Please forward you ideas for our list to
events@czechcenter.org with the subject line “Newsletter.”
Maškarní Ples
Mardi Gras Czech-Style –
“Masopust” or MAŠKARNÍ
PLES!
Carnival is celebrated in
many parts of the world. It
combines a number of old
fertility rites and customs. Roots
of the carnival traditions can
be found in ancient Greece and
Rome around the middle of the
second century. The people in
the Czech Republic celebrate a
carnival season of merrymaking
and masquerading called
masopust. The word masopust
(like its English counterpart
“carnival”) means “good-bye
to meat”. This is a time of
plenty, in which butchering
and pork feasts are traditionally
held along with pre-Lenten
carnivals. These celebrations
have traditionally been both
the most colorful and the wildest
folklore events held under a
variety of names. A universal
feature of masopust is the wearing
of masks. The main masopust
celebration begins on Sunday,
before the Ash Wednesday, with
a rich dinner. It is then followed
by dancing, entertainment and
fun all night long. The tradition
of carnival in the Czech Republic
continues even today in many cities,
and carnival is an integral part of
the Czech culture.
Our museum will start a
celebration of this tradition next
year in February 2016. Prepare your
best formalwear because you will
have a chance to wear it at CCMH!
Adriana Sklenaříková
Sklenaříková, photo by Georges Biard
And….Czechs are also known
for their beautiful women. One
of them is Adriana Sklenaříková.
Her mother is from Slovakia
and father from the Czech
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Republic. Adriana is a fashion
model and actress. She is a former Guinness record holder for
the longest legs among female
models (at almost 50 inches).
Music Transforms Lives
The Czech Center
Museum Houston
Members and
Friends Dinner
Saturday, March 28,
2015
Honoring from Prague the
renowned Škampa Quartet; Dr.
Tom Sovik, UNT, Professor
of Music; Czech Education
Foundation of Texas (CEFT);
and Texas’ new Honorary
Czech Consul, Brian Vanicek.
Dear Members and Friends:
The CCMH in the Museum
District, Houston Texas has
had many wonderful events
through the years. Our fund
raising attempts of late have
not been as fruitful as early on.
This event with the honorees
above is on target to change
that with thanks to generous
supporters like you. Our
honorees, along with CCMH,
believe in the power of music to
transform people’s lives, therein
the all-Czech music program
for the Texas community to be
heard at this event.
Please join us on March
28th at the Czech Center in
Prague Hall Ballroom. The
evening includes fine music,
wine, dinner, more music and
camaraderie.
Please join us in
transforming lives through
music. We hope you will
consider one of the following
levels of underwriting support:
Prestige: $1,000; Silver $5,000;
Sponsor: $2,500; Patron: $1,500.
Table buyers who respond
before March 5th will be
listed in the invitation as
Save the Date
The 19th Annual
Members and Friends Dinner
March 28th, 2015 at the
Czech Center Museum
Houston
with the Škampa Quartet
www.skampaquartet.cz
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underwriters. Alternatively, a
contribution of $600 entitles
you as a member of the Host
Committee with reservations
to the event. Open seating may
also be purchased for $75 per
Adult and $25 per Child 10
years and younger.
We look forward to
welcoming you to this Škampa
Quartet Concert with Dr. Tom
Sovik’s commentary. Please give
us your advice for the success of
this benefit for the CCMH.
Sincerely yours with deepest
gratitude on behalf of the Board
of Directors:
Effie M. Rosene, CEO; W.G.
Bill Rosene, VP; James Ermis,
Vice Chair; Dr. Tom Sovik, PhD
University of North Texas; CEFT
Chair Dr. Clint Machann, PhD