Archival Materials at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library

Researchers interested in consulting the archives of the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library are encouraged to contact the librarian at 319-362-8500 before visiting. Many processed and nearly all unprocessed collections require advance notice in order to be retrieved.

Institutional Archives of the Czechoslovak National Council of America

Accession # 2002.81

Prepared by Irena Vesela, Adrienne Phelps and David Muhlena, February 2003.

Provenance

The institutional archives, books and artifacts of the Czechoslovak National Council of America (CNCA) was transferred to the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML) in September 2002 by the CNCA. The CNCA gave these items to the NCSML with the understanding that they would be available for research purposes without restriction. Miscellaneous books and artifacts have been transferred to the appropriate section of the Museum & Library.

Institutional History

Headquartered in Chicago, the CNCA has had a long history of supporting the freedom of Czechs and Slovaks from the Austro-Hungarian, Nazi and Communist regimes that had control over the Czech and Slovak lands over the course of the 20 th century..

During the First World War, two Czech-American groups and one Slovak-American group had similar goals: a nation of Czechs and Slovaks independent of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The CNCA was established in 1918 to coordinate the fundraising efforts and political advocacy of these groups. After the First World War, the CNCA focussed more on cultural activities but was reconstituted upon the Nazi dismemberment of Czechoslovakia. During the Second World War, the CNCA established a press bureau and published an English-language weekly bulletin , News Flashes from Czechoslovakia Under Nazi Domination , as well as Czech-language press releases and a number of books about the Nazi occupation. The CNCA also worked closely with the exiled Czechoslovak government in London.

The CNCA took a strong anti-Communist stance throughout the existence of the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia (1948-1989). Through its Czech- and English-language publications, political lobbying, and public protests, the CNCA took the opportunity to inform its members and the American public about the political, social and economic realities in Communist Czechoslovakia. The CNCA also provided aid to Czechoslovak political refugees, especially after the Communist coup in 1948 and the Soviet invasion in 1968.

With the fall of the Communist regime in 1989, the CNCA shifted its focus from an anti-Communist stance to one in support of a free and democratic Czechoslovakia, and its successor states, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The CNCA also supported the NCSML's building campaign.

The CNCA leadership voted in the summer of 2002 to give its institutional archives to the NCSML in order to ensure their long-term preservation and to make accessible these materials for scholarly research.

Description of Materials

Most of the materials in this collection are written predominantly in the Czech language. They consist of meeting minutes; correspondence; documents about the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia; Communist violations of human rights; CNCA files on other Czech and Slovak organizations; CNCA Czech-language publication Vestník (1956-2001); CNCA Czech-language press releases (1940-1944); CNCA English-language publication News Flashes From Czechoslovakia Under Nazi Domination (1939-August 30, 1943); CNCA English-language publication American Bulletin (1957-2002); and files concerning the various CNCA chapters across the United States. Materials are described at the box and folder level.

Irena Vesela, a visiting scholar from the municipal museum in Strakonice, Czech Republic, assisted in organizing and describing the Czech-language materials.

Box 1: CNCA meeting minutes; CNCA Congresses. 1939-1964.

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board and Executive Committee, 1939-1941

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board and Executive Committee, 1942-1949 (missing records between June 16, 1947 and June 27, 1949)

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1950

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1951

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1952

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1953

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1954

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1955

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board and By-laws, 1956

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1957

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1958

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1959

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1960

· CNCA Congress, 1960

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1961

· Minutes of CNCA Executive Committee, 1961

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1962

· CNCA Congress, 1962

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1963

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1964

· Minutes of CNCA Executive Committee, 1964

Box 2: CNCA meeting minutes; CNCA Congresses and Conferences. 1965-1973.

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1965

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Executive Committee, 1965

· Meeting minutes of CNCA, 1966

· CNCA Congress, 1966

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1967

· Minutes of the CNCA Executive Committee, 1967

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1968

· CNCA Congress, 1968

· CNCA Conference on the occasion of the 50 th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia, 1968

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1969

· Special CNCA Congress, 1969

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1970

· CNCA Congress, 1970

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1971

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1972

· CNCA Congress, 1972

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1973

· Special CNCA Congress and Inter-congressional meeting of CNCA Executive Committee, 1973

Box 3: CNCA meeting minutes; CNCA Congresses; CNCA By-laws. 1974-1990.

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1974

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1975

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1976

· CNCA Congress, 1976

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1977

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1978

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1979

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1980

· CNCA Congress, 1980

· CNCA Congress, 1982

· CNCA Congress, 1984

· CNCA Congress, 1986

· CNCA Congress, 1988

· CNCA By-laws (revision), 1988

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1990

· Pre-congressional reports in preparation for 1990 CNCA Congress

Box 4: CNCA meeting minutes; CNCA Congresses; CNCA 75 th Anniversary Banquet; 1991-2002.

Miscellaneous CNCA Documents.

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1991

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1992

· CNCA Congress, 1992

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1993

· CNCA 75 th Anniversary Banquet, 1993

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1994

· CNCA Congress, 1994 (folder 1 of 2)

· CNCA Congress, 1994 (folder 2 of 2)

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1995

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1996

· CNCA Congress, 1996 (folder 1 of 2)

· CNCA Congress, 1996 (folder 2 of 2)

· CNCA tax documents, 1996

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1997

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1998

· CNCA Congress, 1998 (folder 1 of 2)

· CNCA Congress, 1998 (folder 2 of 2)

· Meeting minutes of CNCA Board, 1999

· CNCA meeting minutes, 2000

· CNCA Congress, 2000

· CNCA meeting minutes, 2001

· CNCA meeting minutes, 2002

· CNCA contributions to T.G. Masaryk memorial in Washington, D.C., 2002

· Lists of names and addresses of various individuals and organizations lobbied by CNCA

· Documents about CNCA Grand Balls

· Sample CNCA documents

Box 5: CNCA Correspondence

· Correspondence between CNCA and various Sokol organizations

· Miscellaneous correspondence and articles

•  Congratulations by various officials upon the 80 th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia and CNCA

· CNCA correspondence, 1990

· CNCA correspondence, 1991

· CNCA correspondence, 1992

· CNCA correspondence, 1993

· CNCA correspondence, 1994

· CNCA correspondence, 1996

· CNCA correspondence, 1997

· CNCA correspondence, 1998

· Correspondence and miscellaneous documents to and from the White House, Congress, Senate, 1988-1992.

· CNCA correspondence (some with President Leopold Rozboril), 1991-1992

· Property restitution to Czechoslovak exiles (correspondence and documents from Chytil and Andel to CNCA), 1993-1994

· Correspondence concerning attempts by Jan Bencs to bring his children to USA, 1973-1975

Box 6: CNCA documents and related materials about Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia; Communist violations of human rights; CNCA files on other Czech and Slovak organizations.

· Documents about U.S. citizens' claims against Czechoslovakia

· Documents about return of gold to Czechoslovakia

· Documents about Americans for Czechoslovakia

· Documents about Council of Free Czechoslovakia

· CNCA documents of activities of Slovak World Congress, 1970-1971

· CNCA documents of activities of Slovak World Congress and Slovak League of America, 1972-1975, 1978-1979

· Documents about anniversaries of founding of Czechoslovakia

· Documents in honor of U.S. Army General John Slezak

· Documents about Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968

· Documents about Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, 1969-1970

· Documents about Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, 1971-1988

· Documents about the 10 th anniversary of Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia

· Documents about Jan Papanek

· CNCA support of Czechoslovak dissidents; newspaper articles about exiles; blackmailed exiles

· Czechoslovak violations of Human Rights- CNCA documentation

· Czechoslovak violations of Helsinki Accords-CNCA documentation, Vol. III

· Czechoslovak violations of Helsinki Accords-CNCA documentation, Vol. V

· Czechoslovak violations of Helsinki Accords-CNCA documentation, Vol. VI

· Czechoslovak violations of Helsinki Accords-CNCA documentation, Vol. VII

· Articles about Velvet Revolution and afterwards, 1989-1994

Box 7: CNCA Czech-language publication Vestník , 1956-2001.

· Vestník, 1956-1958 (only #39 for 1956; missing # 57, 1958)

· Vestník, 1959-1960

· Vestník, 1961-1962 (missing #103, 1962, p.3-12)

· Vestník, 1963-1964 (missing #112 & 114, 1963)

· Vestník, 1956-1966

· Vestník, 1967-1968

· Vestník, 1969-1970 (missing # 190, 1970)

· Vestník, 1971-1972

· Vestník, 1973-1974

· Vestník, 1975-1976

· Vestník, 1977-1978

· Vestník, 1979-1980

· Vestník, 1981-1982

· Vestník, 1983-1984

· Vestník, 1985-1986

· Vestník, 1987-1988 (missing # 384, 1988)

· Vestník, 1989-1990

· Vestník, 1991-1992

· Vestník, 1993-1994 (missing Duben, 1994 & Listopad, 1994)

· Vestník, 1995-1996 (missing Listopad, 1995)

· Vestník, 1997-1998

· Vestník, 1999-2000

· Vestník, 2001 (published quarterly)

Box 8: CNCA Czech-language press releases, 1940-1944; CNCA English-language publication News Flashes From Czechoslovakia Under Nazi Domination , 1939-August 30, 1943; CNCA English-language publication American Bulletin , 1957-2002.

· CNCA Czech-language press releases, 1940

· CNCA Czech-language press releases, 1941

•  CNCA Czech-language press releases, 1942-1944

•  News Flashes From Czechoslovakia Under Nazi Domination , 1939-August 30, 1943

•  American Bulletin (bound), 1957-1964

· American Bulletin, 1964-1965

· American Bulletin, 1966-1967

· American Bulletin, 1968-1969 (missing No. 136-June, 1968)

· American Bulletin, 1970-1971

· American Bulletin, 1972-1973

· American Bulletin, 1974-1975

· American Bulletin, 1976-1977

· American Bulletin, 1978-1979

· American Bulletin, 1980-1981

· American Bulletin, 1982-1983

· American Bulletin, 1984-1985

· American Bulletin, 1986-1987

· American Bulletin, 1988-1989 (missing No. 368-July-August, 1988 & No. 375-May, 1989)

· American Bulletin, 1990-1991

· American Bulletin, 1992-1993

· American Bulletin, 1994-1995

· American Bulletin, 1996-1997 (missing No. 432- September-October, 1996)

· American Bulletin, 1998-1999 (missing August- December, 1999)

· American Bulletin, 2000- Spring 2002

Box 9: CNCA Chapter membership lists. CNCA Chicago District (Misc. Chicago District, Czech California Chapter, Gamma Chapter, Milada Horakova Chapter, Jan Kollar Chapter, Jan Masaryk Chapter).

· Membership lists of CNCA Chapters

· CNCA Chicago District 29 th Annual Ball, 1980

· CNCA Chicago District 30 th Annual Ball, 1981

· CNCA Chicago District 31 st Annual Ball, 1982

· CNCA Chicago District 33 rd Annual Ball, 1984

· CNCA Chicago District 34 th Annual Ball, 1985

· CNCA Chicago District 35 th Annual Ball, 1986

· CNCA Chicago District 36 th Annual Ball, 1987

· CNCA Chicago District 37 th Annual Ball, 1988

· CNCA Chicago District 38 th Annual Ball, 1989

· CNCA Chicago District 39 th Annual Ball, 1990

· CNCA Chicago District 40 th Annual Ball, 1991

· CNCA Chicago District 41 st Annual Ball, 1992

· CNCA Chicago District 42 nd Annual Ball, 1993

· Miscellaneous documents pertaining to CNCA Chicago District

· Financial documents for CNCA Chicago District

· CNCA Czech California Chapter (Chicago)

· CNCA Gamma Chapter (Chicago)

· CNCA Dr. Milada Horakova Chapter (Chicago)

· CNCA Jan Kollar Chapter (Chicago)

· CNCA Jan Masaryk Chapter (Chicago)

· CNCA Jan Masaryk Chapter (Chicago), circa 1960s

· CNCA Jan Masaryk Chapter (Chicago), 1964

· CNCA Jan Masaryk Chapter (Chicago), 1965

Box 10: Chicago District (West Suburbs Chapter, West Suburbs and Milada Horakova Chapter);

Michigan District (T.G. Masaryk Chapter, Owosso Chapter, Milan R. Stefanik Chapter); New York District (New York District Misc., Manhattan-Yorkville Chapter).

· CNCA West Suburbs Chapter (Chicago)

· CNCA Western Suburbs and Dr. Milada Horakova Chapters (Chicago Disctict)

· CNCA Michigan District (T.G. Masaryk-Detroit, T.G. Masaryk-Owosso, M.R. Stefanik)

· CNCA T.G. Masaryk Chapter (Detroit), 1948-1958

· CNCA T.G. Masaryk Chapter (Detroit), 1968-1995

· CNCA Owosso Chapter (Michigan)

· CNCA General Ph.D. Milan R. Stefanik Chapter (Michigan), circa 1970s-1985

· CNCA New York District

· CNCA Manhattan-Yorkville Chapter

Box 11: Pacific District (T.G. Masaryk Chapter-Los Angeles, Orange County Chapter, San Diego

Chapter, San Francisco Chapter, Oregon Chapter); Unaffiliated Chapters (Cleveland Chapter, Colorado Chapter, Niagara-Buffalo Chapter).

· CNCA T.G. Masaryk Chapter (Los Angeles), 1968-1973

· CNCA T.G. Masaryk Chapter (Los Angeles), 1974-1981

· CNCA T.G. Masaryk Chapter (Los Angeles), circa 1980s-1990s

· CNCA Orange County Chapter (California), 1983-2000

· CNCA San Diego Chapter

· CNCA San Francisco Chapter, 1970-1979 (missing 1978)

· CNCA San Francisco Chapter, 1980-1990

· CNCA Oregon Chapter, 1968-1984

· CNCA Oregon Chapter, 1990-2000

· CNCA Cleveland Chapter

· CNCA Czechoslovak Club of Colorado (Chapter), circa 1968-1980s

· CNCA Niagara-Buffalo Chapter

· CNCA Washington Chapter, circa 1966-1974

· CNCA Washington Chapter, circa 1975-1980

· CNCA Washington Chapter, 1981-2000

Last updated 2-21-2003