National
Czech & Slovak
Museum & Library
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
2003 News Releases
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 3, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 - 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. 319-362-8500 or jan@NCSML.org

Czech & Slovak Museum Curator to Talk About Liberation!

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Carmen Langel, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library curator, will present "Truth Prevails" at a Learn at Lunch program on Thursday, November 13, 2003. The free program is open to the public and begins at noon in the museum’s Heritage Hall. After hearing this presentation, you will have a better understanding the current exhibition, Liberation! World War I and the Formation of Czechoslovakia.

Langel’s presentation will discuss how, during World War I, three men (Tomáš Masaryk, Edvard Beneš, and Milan Štefánik) worked in exile to promote the formation of a free Czecho-Slovak nation. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Czech and Slovak soldiers crossed "enemy" lines to fight against their Austro-Hungarian oppressors. Enjoy a sack lunch and discover how they overcame the ultimate challenge – the creation of a free new democratic nation.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum interpreting, collecting, exhibiting, and preserving Czech and Slovak history and culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 6th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or consult the museum web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 27, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 - 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. 319-362-8500 or jan@NCSML.org

National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library Hosts U.S. Congressman Leach, Scholars in W.W.I November Programs

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library’s soon-to-be open original exhibition Liberation! World War I and the Formation of Czechoslovakia created a unique opportunity for complementary programming. The weekend of November 7, 8, and 9, 2003, the museum will explore the formation of Czechoslovakia through film, lectures, and a forum moderated by U.S. Congressman Jim Leach. All events are free and open to the public thanks in part to the generous support of a grant from Humanities Iowa, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Friday, November 7, 2003 excerpts from the documentary American Experience: Woodrow Wilson will be shown in the museum’s Heritage Hall at 7:00 p.m. The excerpts illustrate President Wilson’s role during World War I and explain why the U.S. got involved in the War to End All Wars.

Saturday, November 8, the NCSML hosts two special Life Long Learning lectures. The program begins at 2:00 p.m. in the museum’s Heritage Hall. First, hear Dr. John M. Cooper present "Woodrow Wilson’s Foreign Policy and the League of Nations." Cooper has a M.S. and Ph.D. from Columbia University. He is professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After a brief intermission, Dr. Betty Miller Unterberger presents "President Woodrow Wilson and the Role of the U.S. in the Formation of Czechoslovakia." Miller Unterberger has an M.A. from Harvard and a Ph.D. from Duke University. She is a professor of history at Texas A & M University.

Sunday, November 9, 2003 the NCSML offers the forum Nation Building: The Question of U.S. Intervention from Czechoslovakia to Iraq. Scholars discuss the role that the U.S. has played in the formation and protection of foreign countries. Particular attention will be given to comparing actions in former Czechoslovakia to current political events in Iraq. Dr. Betty Miller Unterberger, professor of history at Texas A & M University, and Dr. Rex Honey, Professor of Geography, University of Iowa, will participate. U.S. Congressman Jim Leach will moderate the forum.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading U.S. museum interpreting, preserving, collecting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak history and culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 24, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 - 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. 319-362-8500 or jan@NCSML.org

National Czech & Slovak Museum Offers Holiday Art Class

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Christmas is in the air at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. Prepare for your holiday by making a decorative Svatý Mikuláš (Czech and Slovak St. Nicholas) tile. Instructor JoAnne Neff will teach you how to paint on porcelain and create a wonderful gift for someone special, or to add to your own home holiday decorations. Class meets at 6:00 p.m. on Thursdays, November 6, 13, and 20, 2003 in the museum’s Heritage Hall. Class size limited to 15 students. All abilities from novice to master artist are welcome. The class fee is $25.00, and there is a materials fee of $10.00. A tile holder is included in the materials fee. Please enroll by November 4 by calling Jan Stoffer Tursi at (319) 362-8500.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States institution interpreting, exhibiting, and preserving Czech and Slovak history and culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the museum web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 9, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 - 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. 319-362-8500 or jan@NCSML.org

Czech Ambassador to Speak at National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library’s Fall Dinner

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is pleased to announce that His Excellency Martin Palouš, Ambassador to the United States from the Czech Republic, will be the keynote speaker at their 9th Annual Fall Dinner, October 30, 2003. The reception at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library includes a ribbon-cutting to open Liberation! World War I and the Formation of Czechoslovakia. The dinner will be held at the Collins Plaza Hotel. For more information or to receive an invitation, please call (319) 362-8500.

Czech President Vaclav Havel appointed Martin Palouš Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United States in the summer of 2001. This will be his second visit to Cedar Rapids since his arrival in Washington, D.C.

Born in Prague on October 14, 1950, Mr. Palouš received a RNDr. degree (Doctor of Natural Sciences) in chemistry from Charles University, Prague in 1973 and went on to study philosophy and social sciences. He has also studied law.

Ambassador Palouš was one of the first signatories of Charter 77 and served as spokesman for this dissident human rights group in 1986. A founding member of the Civic Forum, he was elected to the Federal Assembly in 1990 and became a member of its Foreign Affairs Committee. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Czechoslovakia as adviser to Minister Dienstbier and was Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from October 1990 to October 1992.

Ambassador Palouš has held a number of teaching positions at Charles University since 1990. He became a member of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Foreign Relations Division, in 1994 and served for some time as the Faculty's Vice-Dean. In 1993, he joined the Centre for Theoretical Studies, a research center run jointly by Charles University and the Czech Academy of Sciences. He has lectured extensively in the United States. In October 1998, he became Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

Ambassador Palouš is the author of numerous publications. He is married to Pavla Paloušová. They have two children: Michal and Johana.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading U.S. museum interpreting, preserving, collecting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak history and culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site www.NCSML.org.

Note to editor: Palouš is pronounced (PAL - lowshh).  Without the diacritical marks, it looks like Palous, his wife is Pavla Palousova. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, jan@NCSML.org, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 - 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. (319) 362-8500.

Legendary Bandleader Reminisces at National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library hosts legendary local musician Leonard Reyman as he talks about his long successful career as a bandleader in a Learn at Lunch program called "Strike Up the Band." Oh, and his current ensemble, the accordion band, will be here, too. The program begins at noon on Thursday, October 16. It will be held in the museum’s Heritage Hall. Enjoy good stories, good music, and your sack lunch at this free program.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading U.S. museum collecting, exhibiting, interpreting, and preserving Czech and Slovak history and culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, jan@NCSML.org, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 - 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. (319) 362-8500.
 
Wheat Weaving Class Offered at National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library
 
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA—The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library will hold a wheat weaving class on Saturday, October 4, 2003 from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Participants will learn how to make a heart wall hanging out of wheat with instructor Robin Buckallew. The class will be held in the museum’s Heritage Hall. The fee, including materials, is $20.00. All ages and abilities welcome. Class size limited to 7 students. Please enroll by October 1, 2003 by calling (319) 362-8500.
 
The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading U.S. museum collecting, exhibiting, interpreting, and preserving Czech and Slovak history and culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, jan@NCSML.org, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 - 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. (319) 362-8500.
 
Liberation! An Original Exhibit Opens Oct. 31 at National Czech & Slovak Museum
 
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA -- The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library opens the original exhibition, Liberation! World War I and the Formation of Czechoslovakia October 31, 2003 in the Robert J. Petrik Gallery.
 
The Czechoslovak independence movement is an epic of grand proportions set against the dramatic backdrop of World War I. As Europe suffered under the ravages of war, three men (Tomáš Masaryk, Edvard Beneš, and Milan Štefánik) worked in exile to promote the formation of a free Czech and Slovak country. Meanwhile, Czech and Slovak soldiers were forced to fight for their oppressors, the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Liberation! World War I and the Formation of Czechoslovakia tells the story of the men who worked for the creation of Czechoslovakia and the soldiers who risked their lives crossing enemy lines to fight against their oppressors. Their efforts were rewarded with the formation of a free Czechoslovak Nation at the end of the war. Their challenges continued for months after the war when 70,000 Czechoslovak soldiers remained in Siberia to guard the Trans-Siberian Railroad on behalf of the Allies. Liberation! also explores American support for the independence movement. Liberation! closes March 7, 2004.
 
Objects and archival material from the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library’s collection as well as loans from the National Museum in Prague, the Liberary of Congress, The Wolfsonian, The Herbert Hoover Museum and Library, the Oshkosh Public Museum, and many private collections will be featured in Liberation! World War I and the Formation of Czechoslovakia.. The exhibit will also include original motion footage of the Czechoslovaks and other Allied troops in Siberia in 1918 and 1919.
 
Exhibit-related programs will be offered throughout the four months of the exhibition. These include lectures, films, and a forum titled, Nation Building: The Question of U.S. Intervention from Czechoslovakia to Iraq, moderated by U.S. Congressman Jim Leach.
 
For more information about these programs, or the exhibition, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org. Liberation! World War I and the Formation of Czechoslovakia and related programs are supported in part by a grant from Humanities Iowa, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
 
The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading U.S. museum collecting, exhibiting, interpreting, and preserving Czech and Slovak history and culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 18, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, jan@NCSML.org, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 - 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. (319) 362-8500.

Czech & Slovak Museum to Raise and Reinforce Immigrant Home

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA -- The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library’s (NCSML) 19th-century Immigrant Home is a very popular exhibit, but 20 years of visitors, totaling over 200,000, have taken their toll on the 120-year-old structure. This Thursday and Friday (September 18-19), the house will be lifted several feet to accommodate the installation of structural reinforcement beams under the floor, install drainage tile, and to replace insulation between the floor joists. The total project is estimated to take one to two weeks, after which the house will be returned to its foundation and reopened to the public.

The Immigrant Home was built between 1880 and 1885, and was originally located on the east side of the Cedar River where the African-American Historical Museum and Cultural Center now stands. From 1889 – 1983, the house was occupied by members of the Sleger family. In 1983, the NCSML acquired the house to serve as an example of a 19th century Czech immigrant home in Cedar Rapids. Volunteers helped move the house to its current location on the NCSML campus and devoted more than 5,000 volunteer hours to cleaning, restoring, and furnishing the house.

This extensive renewal project would not be possible without the support of the Frank and Josephine Lorenc Fund, administered by Ernest Lorenc, and the Weaver Witwer Trust, administered by the Linn County Board of Supervisors.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States institution preserving, collecting, exhibiting, and interpreting Czech and Slovak history and culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or consult the web site at WWW.NCSML.ORG.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, jan@NCSML.org, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 - 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. (319) 362-8500.

Communism’s Influence on Czech Art Was Significant

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Glass Behind the Iron Curtain: Czech Design, 1948 – 1978, a special exhibition at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library closes on Sunday, September 28, 2003. The final program about Czechoslovak art glass will be held the same day. Dr. Jitka Šonková, University of Iowa, will present "The Effect of Communism on Fiction, Film, and Art in Czechoslovakia" Sunday, September 28, 2003 in the museum’s Heritage Hall at 2:00 p.m. The presentation is free and open to the public. Dr. Šonková will talk about how art, film, and fiction were influenced by the communist regime in Czechoslovakia.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

-end-

Note to editors:  Without diacritical marks, the name is Jitka Sonkova.  This name is pronounced YIT-ka  SHAWN-coe-vaah.  Please contact me if you have any questions.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, jan@NCSML.org, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 - 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. (319) 362-8500.

Czech & Slovak Museum’s Exhibit, Glass Behind the Iron Curtain, Closes Sunday, Sept. 28

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Glass Behind the Iron Curtain: Czech Design, 1948 – 1978, a special exhibition at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library closes on Sunday, September 28, 2003.

The exhibition This powerful exhibition is drawn from the permanent collection at The Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG) in Corning, New York. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the only place you can see this fantastic exhibition outside of New York state. Once the items on display return to Corning, they will be placed into storage.

The exhibit explores glass design in Czechoslovakia during a time of limited artistic freedom. When the Communist Party gained control of Czechoslovakia in 1948, painters, sculptors, and graphic artists were closely monitored, and ran the risk of persecution for creating non-approved abstract art. Glass design, however, was largely overlooked. Artists working in glass were allowed to continue their activities relatively unhindered because glass was not considered a potentially subversive medium; some painters and sculptors migrated to the world of glass. This period in Czech glass is characterized by innovative designs that document an important "underground" stage in Czech abstract art that would otherwise be unknown. The exhibition not only adds to our knowledge of Czech glass and art, but provides an opportunity for research into another aspect of the many-faceted roles of abstract art in the 20th century.

To expand on the various points made in the exhibition, Dr. Jitka Šonková, University of Iowa, will present "The Effect of Communism on Fiction, Film, and Art in Czechoslovakia" Sunday, September 28, 2003 in the museum’s Heritage Hall at 2:00 p.m. The presentation is free and open to the public. Dr. Šonková will talk about how art, film, and fiction were influenced by the communist regime in Czechoslovakia.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 4, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, jan@NCSML.org, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 - 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. (319) 362-8500.

U.S. Congressman Jim Leach to Moderate NCSML Program

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – U. S. Congressman Jim Leach will moderate the free forum, Nation Building: The Question of U.S. Intervention from Czechoslovakia to Iraq, at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library on at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, November 9, 2003 in the museum’s Heritage Hall. Scholars will discuss the role that the U.S. has played in the formation and protection of foreign countries. Particular attention will be given to comparing actions in former Czechoslovakia to current political events in Iraq. Dr. Betty Miller Unterberger, professor of history at Texas A & M University, and Dr. Rex Honey, Professor of Geography, University of Iowa, will participate. This event is sponsored by Humanities Iowa, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Other events related to the forum include the original exhibition, Liberation! World War I and the Formation of Czechoslovakia, opening October 31, 2003. Additional programs for the weekend of the forum include, viewing excerpts from the documentary American Experience: Woodrow Wilson on Friday, November 7 at 7:00 p.m. The excerpts will illustrate President Wilson’s presidency during World War I. The free event will take place in the museum’s Heritage Hall.

On November 8, the museum will host two special lectures. The program begins at 2:00 p.m. in the museum’s Heritage Hall. Dr. John M. Cooper will present "Woodrow Wilson’s Foreign Policy and the League of Nations." Cooper has a M.S. and Ph.D. from Columbia University. He is professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After a brief intermission, Dr. Betty Miller Unterberger presents "President Woodrow Wilson and the Role of the U.S. in the Formation of Czechoslovakia." Miller Unterberger has an M.A. from Harvard and a Ph.D. from Duke University. She is a professor of history at Texas A & M University. The events and exhibition are sponsored by Humanities Iowa, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

For more information about Liberation! World War I and the Formation of Czechoslovakia and programs related to the exhibition, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading U.S. museum collecting, exhibiting, interpreting, and preserving Czech and Slovak history and culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 3, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, jan@NCSML.org, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 - 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. (319) 362-8500.

Learn at Lunch Spotlights Oral History

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is hosting Jerry Ferrie and Alan Eggers presentation "Conducting Oral Histories" on Thursday, September 18 at noon. The free program will be held in the museum’s Heritage Hall. Ferrie and Eggers have been collecting oral histories of Cedar Rapids locals for several years. See excerpts from locally collected oral histories of Czechs and Czech-Americans while you enjoy your sack lunch.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading U.S. museum collecting, exhibiting, interpreting, and preserving Czech and Slovak history and culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 3, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, jan@NCSML.org, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 - 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. (319) 362-8500.

Czech Historian Shares Immigration Research

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Dr. Štepánka Korytová-Magstadt, author of the book "To Reap a Bountiful Harvest: Czech Immigration Beyond the Mississippi, 1850 – 1900" presents "Czech Immigration from 1860 to the Present" at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library on Sunday, September 14. The free Life Long Learning program will be in the museum’s Heritage Hall at 2:00 p.m. In her presentation, Korytová-Magstadt will examine the series of immigration waves through commentary and sharing the personal experiences of various individuals. A book signing will follow.

Korytová-Magstadt will be a special guest presenter at the Monday, September 15 Káva a Knihy (Coffee & Books) meeting. The group will discuss her book, "To Reap a Bountiful Harvest: Czech Immigration Beyond the Mississippi, 1850 – 1900." The free program will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the museum’s Heritage Hall.

Currently, Štepánka Korytová-Magstadt is researching Czech and Slovak attitudes towards Masaryk and the creation of an independent country, Czechoslovakia. This fall, she will continue with this interest by looking at attitudes and perceptions of Vaclav Havel at the University of Pittsburgh.

For more information about programs at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, call (319) 362-8500.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading U.S. museum collecting, exhibiting, interpreting, and preserving Czech and Slovak history and culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA.

Note to editors:  Without the diacritical marks, her name is Stepanka Korytova-Magstadt.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 27, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, jan@NCSML.org, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 - 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. (319) 362-8500.

Czech & Slovak Museum Offers Wheat Weaving Class

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is offering a Wheat Weaving Class with instructor Robin Buckallew on Saturday, September 13, 2003 from 9:00 a.m. – noon in the museum’s Heritage Hall. Students will create lovely wheat stars, a wonderful addition to any Christmas tree. All ages and abilities are welcome. Class size is limited to 7, please enroll by Sept. 10 by calling (319) 362-8500. The fee, including materials, is $20.00.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 27, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, jan@NCSML.org, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 - 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. (319) 362-8500.

Exiled Artist to Speak at Czech & Slovak Museum

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Czech artist Dáša Baušová will present "Absurdity from the Czech View," a talk about how her experiences growing up in communist Czechoslovakia and later immigrating to the U.S. shaped her artistic vision. Baušová is visiting Cedar Rapids to help with the installation of an exhibit of her art called Improbable Narratives. Those who attend this presentation will receive a special preview gallery tour following the program. The free program begins at noon in the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library’s Heritage Hall on Thursday, September 4, 2003

Baušová will also conduct gallery tours on Friday, September 5 and Saturday, September 6 at 2:00 p.m. These special tours are free with paid admission to the museum galleries.

The Czech artist brings her colorful art to the walls of the Laska Gallery at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. Her exhibition, Improbable Narratives opens Friday, September 5, 2003. Baušová’s art is influenced by her upbringing in communist Czechoslovakia, from where she and her mother escaped.

Baušová studied painting, music, and theater at the People’s Schools of the Arts in Carlsbad, Czechoslovakia. In 1980, Baušová, at the age of 15, stole her and her mother’s passports from a tour guide in Yugoslavia. They escaped to Austria and lived in a refuge camp until they were able to immigrate to the United States in 1981. Baušová continued her education earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from Ohio University and a Master of Arts in arts administration from Indiana University.

Dáša Baušová lives and works in Aspen, Colorado. Her artwork is exhibited nationally and is collected throughout the U.S., Europe, and South America.

Improbable Narratives closes Nov. 2, 2003.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, jan@NCSML.org or Carmen Langel, clangel@ncsml.org, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 - 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. (319) 362-8500.

Czech & Slovak Museum Receives $7,500 from Humanities Iowa

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library has received $7,500.00 from Humanities Iowa, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, in support of the upcoming, original exhibition, Liberation! World War I and the Formation of Czechoslovakia, and exhibit related programs. The exhibition opens October 31, 2003 and exhibit-related programs will be offered throughout the four months of the exhibition.

Liberation! World War I and the Formation of Czechoslovakia will follow an epic, heroic struggle for freedom. As Europe suffered under the ravages of World War I, three men, Tomáš Masaryk, Edvard Beneš, and Milan Štefánik, worked in exile to promote the formation of a free Czech and Slovak country. Meanwhile, Czech and Slovak soldiers were forced to fight for their oppressors, the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Liberation! World War I and the Formation of Czechoslovakia will tell the story of the men who worked for the creation of Czechoslovakia and the soldiers who risked their lives and crossed "enemy" lines to fight in foreign legions and help defeat their oppressors. Their efforts were rewarded with the formation of a free Czechoslovak Nation at the end of the war. However, their challenges continued for months after the war when tens of thousands of Czech and Slovak legions were trapped in Russia. Liberation also will tell the harrowing story of the Czech and Slovak Legions in Siberia who commandeered the Trans-Siberian Railway to make the long journey to Vladivostok and promised ships that were to help them home. This original exhibition closes March 7, 2004.

Various programs will be held during the run of the exhibit. These include lecture, films, and a forum entitled, Nation Building: The Question of U.S. Intervention from Czechoslovakia to Iraq, moderated by U.S. Congressman Jim Leach.

For more information about Liberation! World War I and the Formation of Czechoslovakia, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 28, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, Museum Educator & Program Coordinator, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404, (319) 362-8500, jan@NCSML.org

Exiled Artist Found Freedom in U.S.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA -- Czech artist Dáša Baušová brings her colorful art to the walls of the Laska Gallery at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. Her exhibition, Improbable Narratives opens Friday, September 5, 2003. Baušová’s art is influenced by her upbringing in communist Czechoslovakia, from where she and her mother escaped in 1980.

Baušová studied painting, music, and theater at the People’s Schools of the Arts in Carlsbad, Czechoslovakia. In 1980, Baušová, at the age of 15, stole her and her mother’s passports from a tour guide in Yugoslavia. They escaped to Austria and lived in a refuge camp until they were able to immigrate to the United States in 1981. Baušová continued her education earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from Ohio University and a Master of Arts in arts administration from Indiana University.

The unusual experiences of her past create a unique backdrop for Baušová’s art. Her work reflects her life, and the bumpy road connecting east and west, and the paradox of confusion and clarity. She combines external influences with her personal experiences to create fanciful images and narratives using magic realism as her vehicle of expression. Each image contains many layers of paint, messages and cross-cultural influences.

Improbable Narratives explores the ambiguity and curiosity of her generation of Czechs who grew up without religion, fully immersed in the communist doctrine, and their hunger for freedom and pop culture. She explains, "For us, religion and pop culture were literally the forbidden fruit. For that reason, they always drew me. I could recite Darwin and Marx, and sing Cuban revolutionary songs, before I ever saw the Bible or heard Pink Floyd. Religion and popular culture became a fascination for me after we arrived in the U.S. and continues to be. This exhibition is a compilation of all these elements, a union of my Czech past and present and my American life."

Dáša Baušová lives and works in Aspen, Colorado. Her work is exhibited nationally and is collected throughout the U.S., Europe, and South America.

Improbable Narratives closes Nov. 2, 2003.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, Museum Educator & Program Coordinator, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404, (319) 362-8500, jan@NCSML.org

Czech & Slovak Literature Panel Presentation

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Thursday, July 17, the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library’s Learn at Lunch program will host "I Could Tell You Stories" presented by members of the museum’s Káva a Knihy (Coffee & Books) reading and discussion group. Attendees are encouraged to enjoy their lunch at this free noon program in the museum’s Heritage Hall.

Attendees will receive a unique introduction to popular and contemporary Czech and Slovak authors and literature from six area residents. Discover how social events influenced the lives and writings of some of these well-known, and maybe no-so-well-known, authors. From Capek to Sís, Hrabal to Hampl, Káva a Knihy members will share their favorite authors and their works. Panel participants include Bob Stone, Charles Opartny, Alicia Jackson, Inez Polpelka, Betty Truesdell, and Patricia Hikiji, the Káva a Knihy facilitator.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, Museum Educator & Program Coordinator, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404, (319) 362-8500, jan@NCSML.org

Explore the Original Czech Village, Saturday, June 28 and Saturday, July 5

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Learn about the first Czech Village in Cedar Rapids, located on the east side of the Bridge of Lions, on a guided walking tour with historian Mark Hunter and Jan Stoffer Tursi, the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library’s educator. Two tours are offered this year as part of Cedar Rapids’ Freedom Festival. The dates are Saturday, June 28 and Saturday, July 5. The 60-minute tours begins at 11:00 a.m. in the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library’s Grand Hall. Participants learn about early Czech, or Bohemian, immigrants to Cedar Rapids, and see most of the historic buildings included in the National Registry’s Historic Bohemian Commercial District. A water stop is scheduled. Tickets for the tours may be purchased at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library and are $6.00, or $5.00 with a Freedom Festival button. The tours are limited to 25 people. For more information or for early-bird registration, contact Jan at (319) 362-8500.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 24, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, Museum Educator & Program Coordinator, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404, (319) 362-8500, jan@NCSML.org

Kick Up Your Heels at the Czech & Slovak Museum, Sunday, July 20

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library’s 2nd Annual National Bohemian, Moravian, and Slovak Folk Dance Festival is Sunday, July 20, 2003. The festival will take place in the Czech & Slovak Museum’s garden, under a tent, with bleacher seating available, rain or shine. The Mark Vyhlidal Band kicks off the event at noon and the dancers take the stage at 1:00 p.m. Tickets to the festival will be sold at the Clock Tower. There are no advance ticket sales. Admission is $5.00 for adults and $2.00 for children ages 5 – 12. Children 4 and under are free. The dance festival is sponsored by the Iowa Arts Council.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library will extend gallery hours from 9:30 – 5:00 so dance festival attendees may tour the special temporary exhibitions Glass Behind the Iron Curtain: Czech Design, 1948 –1978, Czechoslovak Artists in Exile, and Slovak Contemporary Posters.

Folk dancers and performers from around the United States demonstrate and teach traditional Bohemian, Moravian, and Slovak folk dances. This year, the festival will feature Donna and Guenter Merkle from the Houston International Folk Dancers of Houston, TX, the United Moravian Societies Dancers from Berwyn, IL, and the Domaci Czech Dancers from New Prague, MN. The Mark Vyhlidal Band is from Nebraska. Audience members will have the opportunity to join in, learn and participate in a group dance finale!

Dostal’s Catering is providing bratwursts, hot dogs, hamburgers, and beverages, including beer, for the festival. And, the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library’s volunteers will sell popcorn, ice cream novelties, candy, kolace, and coffee. Coolers will not be allowed on the museum campus during the festival.

"The folk dance festival is a unique event. No other organization in the United States hosts a festival emphasizing Czech and Slovak folk dance," remarked Jan Stoffer Tursi, museum program coordinator. "This will be a fun day for all ages to come to the museum and experience something new."

Last year’s event drew over 200 people from across the United States.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 19, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi, Program Coordinator, or Carmen Langel, Curator, 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404, (319) 362-8500, jan@NCSML.org, clangel@NCSML.org

Gift from Slovak Museum to National Czech & Slovak Museum Complements Sunday Program

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is pleased to accept a gift of photographs of scenes from the 1944 Slovak National Uprising from the Museum of the Slovak National Uprising in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia. Dr. Arthur Pitz and his wife, Suzanne, carried the gift from Slovakia. Dr. Pitz will present "A Look at the 1944 Slovak National Uprising" at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library on Sunday, June 29, 2003 at 2:00 p.m. The program is free. Dr. Pitz will explain how the attempt failed and why it is so important to remember the Uprising nearly 60 years after it happened. The photographs will be presented to President/CEO Gail Naughton at the conclusion of the talk.

The photographs will add to the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library’s growing collection of artifacts from the World War II era. At the time of the Slovak National Uprising, Slovakia was a semi-autonomous state under the protection of Germany and thus a German ally. Though unsuccessful, the National Uprising illustrated that the Slovak people strongly opposed their president, Josef Tiso, and Nazism. Images featured in the collection include shots of downed American airmen who were caught up in the Uprising, Slovak nationalists preparing to fight, and the aftermath of destruction the Uprising left in the villages.

"We will use the photographs to enhance Homelands: The Story of the Czech and Slovak People in a revision of the sections on WWI and WWII scheduled for completion in 2004," commented Carmen Langel, curator.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

Suggestions for supplemental story:

1.  New partnership between the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library and the Museum of the Slovak National Uprising in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia. Contact: Gail Naughton, president/ceo, or Carmen Langel, curator, (319) 362-8500, gnaughton@ncsml.org or clangel@ncsml.org.   2.  Dr. Arthur Pitz and his wife, Suzanne, live and work in Slovakia off-and-on during the year. They collaborate with educational institutions in the United States and Slovakia. Contact: Dr. Arthur Pitz 309-736-0840, artpitz@hotmail.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17, 2003
CONTACT: Cathy Oslzly at 402-472-3121or coslzly1@unl.edu

Czechs in Eastern Iowa Motorcoach Tour

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Take a motorcoach tour through Czech communities of Cedar Rapids, Ely, and Solon, IA, Sunday, June 29, 2003 with area historian Mark Hunter and Jan Stoffer Tursi, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library educator. The Czechoslovak Society of Arts & Sciences (SVU) and the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML) are co-sponsoring the tour "Czechs in Eastern Iowa: Cedar Rapids, Ely, & Solon." Travelers will load the motorcoach from 8:45 – 9:00 a.m. at Coe College’s Gage Memorial Union. Departure is at 9:00 a.m. This full-day trip costs $25.00, and includes attraction fees. Lunch is not included. To register, contact Cathy Oslzly at 238 Burnett Hall, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Psychology Department, Lincoln, NE 68588-0308, (402) 472-3121, coslzly1@unl.edu, or via the web site at www.unl.edu/SVUNebraska. Space is limited to the first 25 people. Reserve your seat today.

The day begins and ends with a driving tour of the east side of Cedar Rapids’ Czech Village followed by a walking tour of the west side with Jan Stoffer Tursi. Lunch is on your own. After lunch, tour the 99-year-old St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, the Czech National Parish. Mark Hunter will join Stoffer Tursi as they guide the group through the Czech National Cemetery, and the rest of the day. Travelers will see the first Czech Protestant church in the United States, three cemeteries, and some wonderful farmsteads when they go through the Rural Bohemian Historic District. Solon offers tourists a look at Saints Peter & Paul Church and Cemetery, along with a snack. Come back to Cedar Rapids through Ivanhoe, Mt. Vernon, and on the Lincoln Highway. We will arrive at Coe College’s Gage Memorial Union around 5:00 p.m.

The tour concludes the SVU Conference held in Cedar Rapids, June 25 – 29, 2003: "Czech and Slovak Presence in North America: A Retrospective Look and Future Perspectives. The conference is open to anyone interested in learning more about Czech and Slovak Americana. To register for the conference, visit the SVU website, www.svu2000.org or contact Cathy Oslzly (402) 472-3121 or via e-mail at coslzly1@unl.edu.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States institution preserving and interpreting Czech and Slovak culture and history. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information about the NCSML, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site at www.ncsml.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

Czech Folk Music Concert at Czech & Slovak Museum

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library’s Learn at Lunch program for June 19, 2003 features "Styles of Folk Music" by Olga Drahozal and the Czech Heritage Singers. The free interpretive concert will begin at noon in the museum’s Heritage Hall. Audience members are encouraged to bring a sack lunch and learn about (and enjoy) Czech and Slovak folk music.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web sties, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2003
CONTACT: Carmen Langel, Curator, at (319) 362-8500 or clangel@ncsml.org

New Communist-Era Art Exhibition at the Czech & Slovak Museum

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is currently showing a new original exhibition, Czechoslovak Artists in Exile. It opens as the premier exhibition in the newly renamed Laska Gallery. Admission to the exhibition is included with the regular gallery fee. Czechoslovak Artists in Exile closes August 31, 2003.

Czechoslovak Artists in Exile features original paintings and sculpture by world-famous Czech artists including Jiri Kolar, Roman Kames, George Mathisen, Jan Koblasa, Vladimir Skoda, and others from the private collection of Drs. Jaroslav and Mila Kyncl. All of these artists escaped communist Czechoslovakia to in search of artistic freedom of expression. All of the pieces on exhibit were created after the artists left Czechoslovakia.

Jiri Kolar is prominently featured in the show. Kolar was a renowned poet and an internationally recognized visual artist. In 1979, after years of oppression and imprisonment under communism, Kolar left Czechoslovakia and settled in Paris. During this time, he discovered a wealth of other artists living in exile. In 1981, Kolar co-founded the publication "Revue K," a French-language art journal, to help raise awareness of these artists and their works. This publication is an important source of information about Czech culture at home and abroad.

The exhibition also includes prints featured in "Revue K." The prints are from a limited edition of 20 sets that were compiled by the editors of "Revue K" and purchased by the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2003
CONTACT: Laurie Robinson, Director of Development & Communications at (319) 362-8500 or lrobinson@ncsml.org

Generous Donation to the Czech & Slovak Museum

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library has received a generous gift from Dr. Vera Laska of Weston, Massachusetts. The South Hall Gallery will be renamed the Laska Gallery in honor of Dr. Laska and her late husband, Andrew. This gallery features three to four small historical and cultural exhibitions each year, usually artworks or photographic essays. Thanks to Dr. Laska’s gift, the gallery has been outfitted with additional lighting and wall covering to facilitate its frequent changes. The Laska Gallery will be formally dedicated at a reception on June 25, 2003.

The premier exhibition in the Laska Gallery is Czechoslovak Artists in Exile. This exhibition features original paintings and sculpture by world-famous Czech artists including Jiri Kolar, Roman Kames, George Mathisen, Jan Koblasa, Vladimir Skoda, and others from the private collection of Drs. Jaroslav and Mila Kyncl. It also includes limited edition prints featured in "Revue K," a French-language art journal was co-founded by Jiri Kolar and Roman Kames in 1981 to promote Czech artists in exile.

Andrew Laska was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of the pre-communist Czechoslovak ambassador to Mexico, Dr. Václav Laska. He received an international education, including a master’s degree in international economics from the University of Chicago, where he met and married Vera, a native of Czechoslovakia. Mr. Laska was a long-time employee of the Kendall Company and represented the firm abroad until his retirement in 1988. From 1992 – 1994, he was director of the Washington, D.C.-based Citizen’s Democracy Corps in Prague, facilitating the transformation of Czech and Slovak businesses to a free market system. He passed away in 2001, leaving a son, Paul Andrew Laska, and his wife of 52 years, Vera, author of seven books, and a professor of history at Regis College in Boston.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2003
CONTACT: Cathy Oslzly at 402-472-3121or coslzly1@unl.edu

Czechs in Eastern Iowa Motorcoach Tour

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Take a motorcoach tour through Czech communities of Cedar Rapids, Ely, and Solon, IA, Sunday, June 29, 2003 with area historian Mark Hunter and Jan Stoffer Tursi, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library educator. The Czechoslovak Society of Arts & Sciences (SVU) and the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML) are co-sponsoring the tour "Czechs in Eastern Iowa: Cedar Rapids, Ely, & Solon." Travelers will load the motorcoach from 8:45 – 9:00 a.m. at Coe College’s Gage Memorial Union. Departure is at 9:00 a.m. This full-day trip costs $25.00, and includes attraction fees. Lunch is not included. To register, contact Cathy Oslzly at 238 Burnett Hall, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Psychology Department, Lincoln, NE 68588-0308, (402) 472-3121, coslzly1@unl.edu, or via the web site at www.unl.edu/SVUNebraska. Space is limited to the first 25 people. Reserve your seat today.

The day begins and ends with a driving tour of the east side of Cedar Rapids’ Czech Village followed by a walking tour of the west side with Jan Stoffer Tursi. Lunch is on your own. After lunch, tour the 99-year-old St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, the Czech National Parish. Mark Hunter will join Stoffer Tursi as they guide the group through the Czech National Cemetery, and the rest of the day. Travelers will see the first Czech Protestant church in the United States, two cemeteries, and some wonderful farmsteads when they go through the Rural Bohemian Historic District. Solon offers tourists a look at Saints Peter & Paul Church and Cemetery, along with a snack. Come back to Cedar Rapids through Ivanhoe, Mt. Vernon, and on the Lincoln Highway. We will arrive at Coe College’s Gage Memorial Union around 5:00 p.m.

The tour concludes the SVU Conference held in Cedar Rapids, June 25 – 29, 2003: "Czech and Slovak Presence in North America: A Retrospective Look and Future Perspectives. The conference is open to anyone interested in learning more about Czech and Slovak Americana. To register for the conference, visit the SVU website, www.svu2000.org or contact Cathy Oslzly (402) 472-3121 or via e-mail at coslzly1@unl.edu.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States institution preserving and interpreting Czech and Slovak culture and history. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information about the NCSML, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site at www.ncsml.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 10, 2003
CONTACT: Carmen Langel at 319-362-8500 or clangel@ncsml.org

Czech & Slovak Museum Features Contemporary Slovak Graphic Art

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is currently exhibiting Slovak Contemporary Posters: Designs of Juraj Kralik & Vladislav Rostoka. The exhibition features the work of leading Slovak graphic designers Juraj Kralik and Vladislav Rostoka. The exhibition, in the museum’s north hall, is open until August 3, 2003.

Slovak Contemporary Posters was organized in cooperation with the Slovak Design Center (SDC) in Bratislava, Slovakia. Founded in 1991 as a grant-operated institution of the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic, the SDC’s mission is to promote and support Slovak design. The exhibition was most recently featured at the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Washington D.C.

Juraj Kralik (1963, Bratislava) studied at the School of Decorative Arts in Bratislava and at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. He is a free-lance photographer and the President of the Union of Slovak Professional Photographers. Vladislav Rostoka (1948, Gbelce) also studied at the School of Decorative Arts is Bratislava and at the Academy of Visual Arts in Bratislava. He is a free-lance graphic designer and a member of Alliance Graphique Internationale. Juraj Králik and Vladislav Rostoka work as a team since 1994, when they founded the Rabbit & Solution graphic design studio.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Slovak and Czech culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 6, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

2nd Annual National Bohemian, Moravian, & Slovak Dance Festival

The 2nd Annual National Bohemian, Moravian, & Slovak Dance Festival is Sunday, July 20, 2003 at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML). Join us as folk dancers from around the United States perform and teach traditional Bohemian, Moravian, and Slovak folk dances.

This year’s featured performers are:

The event will be held under a tent in the NCSML garden. Bleacher seating is available, or you may bring your own lawn chair. Music begins at noon and the dancing starts at 1:00. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children ages 5 – 12. Children 4 and under are free. Ticket sales begin at noon at the NCSML Clock Tower.

Food, such as popcorn, ice cream, koláce, hot dogs, hamburgers, and bratwurst, and drinks, including lemonade, water, soda, and beer, will be available on site.

While you’re here, see the special exhibition Glass Behind the Iron Curtain: Czech Design, 1948 – 1978, on loan from the Corning Museum of Glass, the permanent exhibition, Homelands: The Story of the Czech and Slovak People, and the Immigrant Home. We’ve extended our gallery hours to accommodate visitors wishing to visit the galleries and attend the festival. On July 20, the galleries will be open from 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Plan a motorcoach trip to the NCSML and the dance festival by calling Patricia Hikiji at (319) 362-8500 or via e-mail at phikiji@ncsml.org. Take advantage of a discounted group rate available to groups of ten or more with a confirmed reservation.

Barbara Holub at the Cedar Rapids Convention and Visitor’s Bureau can assist you in finding hotel rooms and learning about other attractions in Eastern Iowa. She can be reached at 1-800-735-5557 ext. 119, or you can visit their web site, www.cedar-rapids.com.

Please share this information with others in your fraternal organization. This will be one exceptional Czech and Slovak event you won’t want to miss!

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, WWW.NCSML.ORG.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

Czech & Slovak Museum Receives $2,400 Grant

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library has received $2,400 from the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass in support for the current special exhibition, Glass Behind the Iron Curtain: Czech Design, 1948 – 1978. The exhibition runs through September 28, 2003.

The Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass (AACG) is a membership non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the development and appreciation of art made from glass. AACG encourages and supports museum exhibitions, university glass departments, specialized teaching programs, regional collector groups, visits to private collections, and public seminars. For additional information, visit their web site, www.ContempGlass.org.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, WWW.NCSML.ORG.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

History of Czech Village Presented at Czech & Slovak Museum

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – "The History of an Ethnic Neighborhood, Czech Village, Cedar Rapids" will be presented on Sunday, June 1, 2003 by NCSML educator Jan Stoffer Tursi and Cedar Rapids’ historian Mark Hunter. The free Life Long Learning lecture begins at 2:00 p.m. in the museum’s WFLA Heritage Hall.

The first Bohemian immigrants arrived in Cedar Rapids in the 1850s. With the arrival of T. M. Sinclair's Meatpacking Plant in 1871, Bohemian immigration soared. Soon, the south side of Cedar Rapids had a distinct ethnic flavor. Czech Village, as it is now known, has changed over the years, and a new dawn may be on the horizon.

June 10th, the people of Cedar Rapids will decide if they want to use Vision Iowa money to revitalize this historic ethnic neighborhood. Several proposals have been put forth, and now Cedar Rapidians must make hard decisions about what should be done in this unique district.

This slide show presentation shows historic and contemporary photographs of Czech Village and puts forth ideas and possible changes for the future of the neighborhood.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The NCSML is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

June Painting Class at the Czech & Slovak Museum

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library offers area residents a class in porcelain painting this June. The class features four different birdhouse designs on four little plates. A wall-mounted plate holder is included with the materials fee. The instructor is JoAnne Neff. The class will meet Thursdays, June 5, 12, and 19, 2003 from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. in the museum’s WFLA Heritage Hall. Class size is limited to 15 students, all abilities from novice to master artist are welcome. Class fee is $25.00, materials fee is $7.50. Please enroll by June 1 by calling Jan at (319) 362-8500.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The NCSML is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

Painting Techniques Course Offered at Czech & Slovak Museum

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is offering a free porcelain painting techniques class on Thursday, May 29, 2003. This class is for any student who has already completed one regular porcelain painting class at the NCSML with instructor JoAnne Neff. The class will meet at 6:30 p.m. in the NCSML’s WFLA Heritage Hall. Please register for the class by May 27 by calling Jan at (319) 362-8500.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The NCSML is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, WWW.NCSML.ORG.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 13, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

NCSML Receives Statewide Recognition for Outstanding Museum Project

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library was among five institutions recognized for outstanding history projects from across Iowa that have earned recognition from the State Historical Society of Iowa for increasing awareness and participation in Iowa history at the local level. A special awards ceremony at the State Historical Building was held Monday for the recipients of the State Historical Society's 2003 Loren Horton Community History Awards. These awards, as well as many others, are presented annually in conjunction with National Historic Preservation Week. Groups were presented certificates of recognition by Anita Walker, State Historical Society administrator, and Robert Neymeyer, State Historical Society Board chair. Loren Horton Community History Award certificates of recognition are given in five categories: Outstanding Program, Outstanding Museum Project, Outstanding Research, Outstanding Use of Volunteers, and Outstanding Youth Project. Loren Horton was a longtime field historian with the State Historical Society of Iowa.

The NCSML received an waward for "Outstanding Museum Project" for its Walking Tour of Czech Village. In 2002, the NCSML hired a professional historian to organize and research archival materials related to Czech Village, a historic, traditional, ethnic community. Using this research, NCSML staff wrote the "Walking Tour of Czech Village" brochure, which allows people the opportunity to learn about Czech Village on their own. In addition, the NCSML collaborated with The History Center and Brucemore to create guided walking tours of both the east and west sides of Czech Village and put together two public slide presentations about the history of the community as it relates to current city developments.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The NCSML is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

Czech Dance Program at the Czech & Slovak Museum

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library will host Helen Chadima as she presents "Beseda: The Czech National Dance in Cedar Rapids, IA," Thursday, May 15, 2003. The free Learn at Lunch program will begin at noon in the WFLA Heritage Hall. Attendees are invited to enjoy their lunch during the program.

The beseda is a highly stylized form of Czech dance and is considered by some to be the Czech national dance. Chadima will present the results of her research regarding this popular dance form. This presentation will set the stage for the NCSML’s National Bohemian, Moravian, and Slovak Dance Festival July 20, 2003.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The NCSML is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2003
CONTACT: Mila Saskova-Pierce (402-472-1336), Cathy Oslzly (402-472-3121, coslzly1@unl.edu) or Mila Rechcigl (SVU1@aol.com)

International Czech & Slovak Conference Coming to Cedar Rapids, IA

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences (SVU) will hold its conference, The Czech & Slovak Presence in America: A Retrospective Look and Future Perspectives, at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, IA June 26 – 28, 2003. It is co-sponsored by the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. The conference has the support of Václav Klaus, President of the Czech Republic and their Excellencies, Martin Butora, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the United States, and Martin Palouš, Ambassador of Czech Republic to the United States.

The conference program will consist of a variety of lectures, discussion panels, and symposia relating to Czech and Slovak Americans, and the efforts to preserve their cultural heritage. Part of the proceedings will be devoted to the concerns of Czech and Slovak Americans, Czech and Slovak culture in America, and American culture in the Czech and Slovak Republics. Two bus trips have been planned. One will tour historic Spillville, where Czech composer Antonin Dvorak spent one summer. Loren Horton, Michael Klimesh, and Steven Klimesh guide this Saturday, June 28 tour. The other will take a closer look at the Czechs in Cedar Rapids, Ely, and Solon with local historian Mark Hunter and Jan Stoffer Tursi from the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library on Sunday, June 29. In addition to the lectures and tours, conferees will have the opportunity to attend various concerts, including a performance by Michael Cwach on the dudy, Czech bagpipes.

"We are honored to co-host SVU’s conference this year," commented Gail Naughton, president/ceo of the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. "They are wonderful supporters of the NCSML and we're happy they chose Cedar Rapids as the site for this year's conference."

Conference organizer Cathy Oslzly said, "We purposely selected Cedar Rapids as the conference site to give attendees and presenters an opportunity to visit the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library and because this area reminded the Czech and Slovak immigrants of their homeland."

SVU is an independent international nonprofit cultural organization with some 3000 members with headquarters in Washington, DC and chapters in major cities throughout the world.

The conference is open to anyone interested in learning more about Czech and Slovak Americana. To register for the conference, visit the SVU website, www.svu2000.org or contact Mila Saskova-Pierce (402-472-1336), Cathy Oslzly (402-472-3121, coslzly1@unl.edu) or Mila Rechcigl (SVU1@aol.com)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

26th Annual Houby Days to Hit Czech Village, May 16 –18

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Houby Days, the Czech Village Association’s 26th Annual Czech festival, is May 16, 17 & 18, 2003. The festival features a carnival, parade, food, craft venders, demonstrations, the Cabbage Roll Relay Race, the Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa pageant and a lot of other fun filled activities. It kicks off with a Taste of Czech and Slovak at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library on Friday, May 16. The celebration continues on Saturday and Sunday with outstanding music, dancing, parades, activities, crafts, and demonstrations, not to mention the food. May pole dancing and the Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa Pageant are part of the fun. For more information, call (319) 364-0001. For more information about events at the NCSML, call (319) 362-8500.

Events sponsored by the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library are featured below.

May 16, 17, & 18, 2003: Gallery Admission Discount. Visitors to the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library receive $1.00 off admission during the festival for knowing houby are mushrooms or wearing red (we don’t ask to see it). Take advantage of this special offer to see the stunning travelling exhibition, Glass Behind the Iron Curtain: Czech Design, 1948 – 1978, from the Corning Museum of Glass. Gallery hours are Friday 9:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Saturday 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., and Sunday noon – 4:00 p.m.

May 16, 2003: Extended Gallery and Museum Store Hours. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library galleries and Museum Store will be stay open late! Enjoy the Taste of Czech & Slovak before or after touring Glass Behind the Iron Curtain: Czech Design, 1948 – 1978, Homelands: The Story of the Czech & Slovak People, and Czechoslovak Artists in Exile. Take $1.00 off admission for wearing red or knowing houby are mushrooms. Browse the Museum Store for some unique and interesting import items from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Museum Store and gallery hours are 9:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. FRIDAY ONLY.

May 16, 2003: 3rd Annual Taste of Czech and Slovak. Presented by the Museum Guild of the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, this popular event invites you to sample Czech and Slovak recipes selected from the Museum Guild’s cookbook, Kucharka Kuchara. Samples are $6.00 for 20. 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Heritage Hall.

May 16, 2003: Historic Walking Tour of Czech Village. Learn about the west side of Czech Village with city historian Mark Hunter and Jan Stoffer Tursi, NCSML Museum Educator. The 45 minute tour starts at 6:00 p.m. at the NCSML’s Grand Hall. Tour limited to 25 people. $4.00 for NCSML members, $6.00 for non-members.

May 17, 2003: Glass Making Demonstration. Dr. Steven Feller, Coe College, will demonstrate the science of glass making at the museum. 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Free.

May 17, 2003: May Pole Dance. Join us in the NCSML Garden for a May Pole Dance. Open to all ages and abilities. 1:00 p.m. (right before the 2:00 parade!). Free.

May 17, 2003: Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa Pageant. Throughout the day, contestants in the Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa pageant will be competing at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. The public is invited to the talent portion of the event at 3:00 in Heritage Hall and the crowning at 6:00 p.m. in the NCSML’s Grand Hall. Free.

May 18, 2003: May Pole Dance. Join us in the NCSML Garden for a May Pole Dance. Open to all ages and abilities. 1:00 p.m. Free.

May 18, 2003: Life Long Learning. "Bohemian Glass -- Tradition, Present, and Prospects" by Bob and Deb Truitt. The Truitts will present an overview examining the wealth of Bohemian glass, with emphasis on post-WWII designs. They will depict how the glass industry works, artistic trends, and examples of collectible glass. Attendees are encouraged to bring glass for identification and discussion. No appraisals will be provided. 2:00 p.m. Heritage Hall. Free.

May 18, 2003: Historic Walking Tour of Czech Village. Learn about the west side of Czech Village with city historian Mark Hunter and Jan Stoffer Tursi, NCSML Museum Educator. The 45 minute tour starts at 3:00 p.m. at the NCSML’s Grand Hall. Tour limited to 25 people. $4.00 for NCSML members, $6.00 for non-members.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The NCSML is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

Experts Share Knowledge of Czech Glass

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML) is pleased to host Bob and Deb Truitt on Sunday, May 18, 2003. In their talk, "Bohemian Glass -- Tradition, Present, and Prospects," the Truitts will present an overview examining the wealth of Bohemian glass, with emphasis on post-WWII designs. They will depict how the glass industry works, artistic trends, and examples of collectible glass. Attendees are encouraged to bring glass for identification and discussion. No appraisals will be provided. This free program begins at 2:00 p.m. in the NCSML’s Heritage Hall. This Life Long Learning lecture compliments the NCSML’s current summer exhibition Glass Behind the Iron Curtain: Czech Design, 1948 –1978 from the Corning Museum of Glass.

Bob and Deb Truitt developed their admiration for Bohemian glass during a visit to Czechoslovakia in 1991 to research their first book, Mary Gregory Glassware, 1880-1990. The Truitts returned to the Czech Republic in 1993 to research their book Collectible Bohemian Glass, 1880-1940. They have made nine trips, resulting in new friendships and an opportunity for Americans to learn more of the history of Bohemian/Czech glass. Their third book, Collectible Bohemian Glass, Volume II, 1915-1945, was published in 1998.

In 1999, the Truitts were honored at a testimonial dinner at the American Embassy in Prague in recognition of their efforts to disseminate information about Bohemian glass. They contribute several articles a year to antique trade journals, speak on the subject of Bohemian glass, and are consultants for museums and auction companies. In 2002, they addressed the 41st Seminar on Glass at the Corning Museum of Glass discussing the contributions the Bohemian glass industry has made to the glass industry worldwide.

Bob is a retired cabinet-maker and Deb recently retired after 23 years as a management consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton. They live in Kensington, Maryland.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The NCSML is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

Czech & Slovak Museum to Throw Old Mother Winter Out

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library’s Learn at Lunch program for April will focus on Czech and Slovak Easter traditions. "Eggs & More" will be presented by folk artists Marj Nejdl and Frank Novotny, Patricia Hikiji, and Jan Stoffer Tursi. They will discuss egg decorating techniques, sprouted grain centerpieces, and create and dispose of Morena, Old Mother Winter. The free program will be on Thursday, April 17 at noon in the museum’s WFLA Heritage Hall.

Master folk artist Marj Nejdl will discuss and demonstrate the batik or wax resist method of decorating Easter eggs. Frank Novotny will demonstrate his ability to decorate eggs using tiny pieces of wheat and straw. Sprouted grain has long been a way Czech and Slovaks have welcomed spring into their home at Easter-time. NCSML volunteer coordinator Patricia Hikiji will discuss the significance of the grain and how to get it sprouting in your home. Finally, NCSML educator Jan Stoffer Tursi will create Morena, Old Mother Winter. Czech and Slovak children create a Morena every spring only to dispose of her, symbolically saying good-bye to winter and inviting spring to come. Several other Czech and Slovak Easter traditions will be shared.

Attendees are invited to bring their own lunch and learn more about these fascinating traditions.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The NCSML is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

Czech Egg Decorating Classes Offered at Czech & Slovak Museum

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Make a traditional Czech Easter egg with master folk artist Marj Nejdl. Nejdl creates beautiful designs on eggs using the batik or wax resist method. Two sessions will be offered Saturday, April 12, 2003. Class sizes are limited to 15 students, ages 8 and up. An adult must accompany 8 – 11 year-olds. Please enroll by April 10 for either the morning session, 9:00 – noon, or the afternoon session, 1:00 – 4:00. Classes will be held in the NCSML’s Heritage Hall. The fee is $25.00. For more information or to enroll, call Jan at (319) 362-8500.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The NCSML is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 12, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

It’s Festival Time in Czech Village

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA -- March 22, 2003 is St. Joseph’s Day in Cedar Rapids’ Czech Village and the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library has several things planned for the occasion.

Learn how to make kolace on Thursday, March 20, 2003. The museum’s monthly Learn at Lunch program, called "Let’s Make Kolace," will be presented by Irma Kelly and Lydia Elias. The free program begins at noon and will be held in the WFLA Heritage Hall. Attendees are encouraged to bring a sack lunch and learn how to make this delicious treat.

On Saturday, March 22, 2003, celebrate St. Joseph’s Day & the 2nd National Kolác Bake-Off. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library welcomes everyone; but, on March 22, if your name is Joe, Joseph, Josie, Jody, or any derivation of Joseph/Josephine or if you are wearing red, receive $1 off admission. By the way, we won’t ask to see your red item…

Calling all kolác bakers!!! Kolác bakers are invited to submit their entries in the following categories: Open Kolác, Closed Kolác, or Specialty Kolác (including the large traditional Czech kolác and kolác with non-traditional fillings). Participants are encouraged to use their own special family recipe; but, they needn’t share their recipes. Prized will be awarded to first place winners in each category as selected by a panel of distinguished judges. A People’s Choice Prize will also be awarded. One winner from each category will receive The Museum Guild of the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library Cookbook, a $25.00 gift certificate to the Museum Store, and a gift certificate to Sykora’s Bakery. Winners are announced at 3:00 p.m. The event will be in the WFLA Heritage Hall and begins at noon. Tickets are $1.00 for five samples or $0.25 for one sample. Please enter by March 21, 2003. For more information or to register, please call (319) 362-8500 or consult the web site at WWW.NCSML.ORG.

Also on March 22, 2003, the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library unveils its latest program, an Historic Walking Tours of Czech Village with Mark Hunter & Jan Stoffer Tursi. Learn about the west side of Czech Village with city historian Mark Hunter from The History Center and Jan Stoffer Tursi, NCSML educator, with a tour at 11:00 a.m. and two tours at 3:15 p.m. The tours last approximately 45 minutes, beginning and ending in the NCSML’s Grand Hall. Tours are limited to 25 people. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Cost is $4.00 for NCSML members, $6.00 for non-members. For more information or to register, please call (319) 362-8500.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. For more information about St. Joseph’s Day at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, call (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 28, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

Daughter of Lidice Survivor to Speak at Czech & Slovak Museum

In 1942, Reinhard Heydrich, the mastermind behind the Nazi genocide, was assassinated by two Czech men. In retaliation for this act, the Nazis destroyed the Czech village of Lidice. All of the men were murdered – 192. All of the women were sent to Ravensbruck, a concentration camp – 203. Only 143 would survive. Children were gassed – 82. Sixteen children survived. Buildings were destroyed, the landscape was changed, and the river’s path was diverted. It was as if Lidice never existed.

Sunday, March 9, 2003, the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library presents Jerri Zbiral’s "Survival Stories from W.W. II Czechoslovakia." Zbiral’s mother and sister were among the women and children who survived the atrocities of Lidice. She will share the stories told to her by her mother, sister, and other survivors of this horrible war. The program is free and open to the public. It begins at 2:00 p.m. in the WFLA Heritage Hall. This program is sponsored by Humanities Iowa, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. For more information, please contact the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library at (319) 362-8500 or visit the web site, www.NCSML.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 28, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

Czech & Slovak Museum Shows "Dark Blue World"

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML) will show the Academy Award nominated film "Dark Blue World" Thursday, March 6, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. in the WFLA Heritage Hall. Admission is free and open to the public.

Setting the stage for tomorrow’s conference, the NCSML will show "Dark Blue World" (2001), a sweeping World War II epic about a Czech pilot who flew with the British Royal Air Force. Commentary provided by Dr. Pavel Cernoch, of Charles University in Prague, and Natasa Durovicova, of the University of Iowa.

This film is rated R and is approximately 115 minutes long. It is in Czech and English with English subtitles. This program is sponsored by Humanities Iowa, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is located at 30 16th Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. For more information, contact the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library at 319.362.8500.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 6, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

Czech & Slovak Museum’s W.W. II Conference Planned

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML) announces their plans for their 3rd Czech and Slovak History and Culture Conference. The March 7 – 8, 2003 conference, titled The 20th Century in Retrospect: 1938 – 1948, The Decade of Turmoil will address the issues surrounding Czechoslovakia in the period before, during, and after World War II. All of these events are sponsored all or in part by Humanities Iowa, International Programs at The University of Iowa, and Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies at The University of Iowa.

In preparation for the upcoming Czech and Slovak History and Culture Conference’s topic of Czechoslovakia during World War II, the NCSML will show 5 films related to Czechoslovakia and WWII. All films will be shown in the NCSML’s WFLA Heritage Hall at 2:00 p.m. and are free and open to the public.

On Saturday, Feb. 15, see "A Prayer for Katarina Horovitzova" (1991). This film is based on the powerful novel by Arnost Lustig. During World War II, Jewish lives were traded for Nazi officers held by Americans. Lustig’s Katarina Horovitzova shows us how the human spirit can triumph in the face of terror. This film is not rated and is approximately 60 minutes long. Czech language with English subtitles. Commentary by Nataša Durovicová.

On Sunday, Feb. 16, the NCSML will show "Divided We Fall" (2000). This Academy Award nominated film tells the story of Czechoslovak couple living in a Nazi occupied village during World War II and their attempt to hide a young Jewish neighbor. Their efforts to protect themselves result in life-changing consequences. This film is rated PG-13 and is approximately 122 minutes long. In Czech with English subtitles.

Saturday, Feb. 22, you won’t want to miss "The Last Butterfly" (1994). Academy Award nominated actor Tom Courtenay portrays Antoine, a famous French actor, imprisoned by the Gestapo at Terezin. Shortly after his arrival, Antoine discovers the horrifying truth about this seemingly ideal "City of the Jews." This film is rated PG-13 and is approximately 106 minutes long. In Czech with English subtitles.

Sunday, Feb. 23, the NCSML closes this cinema series with "Closely Watched Trains" (1966). This Academy Award winning film is a gem. Set at a Czechoslovak train station during World War II, this offbeat comedy tells the story of a young man on his own for the first time. This film is rated PG-13 and is approximately 89 minutes long. Commentary by Nataša Durovicová.

On March 6, setting the stage for tomorrow’s conference, the NCSML will show "Dark Blue World" (2001), a sweeping World War II epic about a Czech pilot who flew with the British Royal Air Force. Commentary provided by Dr. Pavel Cernoch, of Charles University in Prague, and Natasa Durovicova, of the University of Iowa. This film is rated R and is approximately 115 minutes long. The film will show at 7:00 p.m. in the WFLA Heritage Hall. This program is free and open to the public.

Every other year, the NCSML hosts the Czech and Slovak History and Culture Conference. The last conference, in 2001, addressed the First Republic of Czechoslovakia. This year, we are continuing in the second of a four part series titled, The 20th Century in Retrospect. This conference is subtitled The Decade in Turmoil, 1938 – 1948. The primary focus is the Czech and Slovak lands during and immediately after World War II. Some of the topics being presented include crimes against humanity, Tiso, Freedom Fighters, politics, liberation of Pilsen, economics, and the transition to communism. We will also offer first-person accounts of what the war was like for those living and fighting in Pilsen and Slovakia. The conference will be held at the Collins Plaza Hotel and Convention Center March 7 and 8, 2003. Advance registration for sessions and meals is required. To receive a registration form, call Jan at (319) 362-8500 or consult the web site, WWW.NCSML.ORG/CONFERENCE-2003.HTM.

In addition to the conference, the NCSML is hosting special dinners Friday and Saturday evenings, featuring keynote speakers. Friday night will feature an Author’s Forum and Book Signing. Authors included in the forum include Dr. Milan Hauner, Dr. Radomir Luza, Mr. Jim Downs, and Mr. Richard Moulton. Tickets are $30.00 and the dinner will be held at the Collins Plaza Hotel and Convention Center at 7:00 p.m. To reserve a seat at the dinner, call (319) 362-8500.

The keynote speaker on Saturday evening is Alan Levy, founding editor-in-chief of The Prague Post, an English language newspaper distributed in the Czech Republic. Levy founded the newspaper shortly after the fall of communism in the early 1900s. Levy’s presentation is titled "On the Trail of the Nazi Hunter in Prague." Levy is known outside the Czech capital for his landmark book, now called Nazi Hunter: The Wiesenthal File, which won him non-fiction's US Author of the Year award in 1995. Levy comes from Prague to Cedar Rapids to tell us the back story of his relationship with Simon Wiesenthal, his friend since 1974. Hear why and how Levy came to write the unvarnished, sometimes critical, saga of his friend's survival and mission. A reception at the NCSML at 5:30 p.m. will precede the dinner at Collins Plaza Hotel and Convention Center at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $35.00 and may be purchased by calling (319) 362-8500.

The busy conference weekend will conclude on Sunday, March 9 with Jerri Zbiral’s Life Long Learning presentation, "Survival Stories from W.W.II Czechoslovakia." This free program is at 2:00 p.m. in the NCSML’s WFLA Heritage Hall.

For more information about The Czech and Slovak History and Culture Conference events, please call Jan at (319) 362-8500 or consult the web site at www.ncsml.org.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The NCSML is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids. For more information, call (319) 362-8500.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 30, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

Renowned Czech Glass Artist in CR, 21 – 23 February

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML) is pleased to announce renowned Czech glass artist Jiri Harcuba will be in Cedar Rapids for the opening reception to Glass Behind the Iron Curtain: Czech Design, 1948 – 1978. Glass Behind the Iron Curtain: Czech Design, 1948-1978 documents the artistic courage and dynamic vision of Czech artists and designers working in glass who managed to preserve their creative independence under a repressive political regime. Several of Harcuba’s pieces are included in the show.

During his stay in Cedar Rapids, Harcuba will present a Life Long Learning lecture at the NCSML on Sunday, February 23, 2003 at 1:00 p.m. in the WFLA Heritage Hall. He will discuss the art of glass engraving in this interesting slide presentation.

A renowned engraver and teacher, Jirí Harcuba learned engraving at a local training school in Harrachov before attending the Specialized School of Glassmaking in Nový Bor from 1945 to 1948. He then worked at the Academy of Applied Arts in Prague, until 1954. In 1961, Harcuba began his career as a teacher at the Academy of Applied Arts, and he was invited to teach at the Royal Academy of Art, in London, from 1965 to 1966. In the early 1970s, he was fired from his teaching job at the Academy and he was held as a political prisoner for designing a medal that openly criticized the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Russian troops.

Despite his troubles with the communist government, he received many awards. In 1965, 1968, 1971, and 1976, he placed first in competitive exhibitions in Czechoslovakia, and he was invited to participate in Expo ’67 in Montreal. The American Numismatic Society honored Harcuba in 1988 for lifetime achievement in the art of medals. The Corning Museum of Glass presented him with the Rakow Award for Excellence in the Art of Glass in 1995. In the last 20 years, his work has been exhibited in galleries and museums in Europe and the United States. Harcuba is the last outstanding portrait engraver in Europe and he holds workshops at glass studios around the world to pass on the difficult techniques of glass engraving to a new generation of artists.

Go to the media kit for Glass Behind the Iron Curtain for a high-resolution image of one of Harcuba's works.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. The NCSML is located at 30 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. For more information, call (319) 362-8500.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 27, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

Czech Virtuoso Pianist to Perform in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is honored to present Lukáš Vondrácek, 16-year old virtuoso pianist from the Czech Republic Tuesday, February 25, 2003, 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 310 5th Street SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Tickets are $10.00 at the door. A reception in the Fellowship Hall will follow. This concert is possible due to the generous sponsorship of Mr. and Mrs. Victor F. Naxera, and George J. Naxera, Jr. The reception is courtesy of Sokol Cedar Rapids.

Lukáš Vondrácek was born on October 21, 1986 in Opava, Czech Republic. His parents, both professional pianists, recognized his great talent at a very early age. Vondrácek began formal piano lessons at the age of two, and made his first public appearance at the age of four. By the age of nine, after performing solo recitals for several years, he began playing concertos and has since appeared with European symphony orchestras. He has won a number of competitions including the International Mozartian Competition "Amadeus" in Brno, at the age of ten.

He combines his compulsory primary education with advanced musical studies at the University of Ostrava, Czech Republic, the youngest to be admitted for their graduate program, and Musik Hochschule in Vienna, Austria. Vondrácek performs profusely throughout Europe with the total number of performances approaching 500. His talents and sincerity of performing activities have been recognized by the Society for International Cooperation, which bestowed upon him the first Hanno R. Ellenbogen Award, 2000, honoring him "the outstanding performing talent of the year." Vondrácek is regularly working with maestro Vladimir Ashkenazy as his sole private student, and performs as a soloist with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and other world-renowned ensembles under Ashkenazy’s baton.

Currently on a 15-city U.S. tour with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vondrácek is coming to Cedar Rapids for a solo concert direct from Carnegie Hall in New York City on the way to San Diego. His program will include works from L. van Beethoven, K. Slavický, B. Smetana, F. Liszt, and L. Janácek. Critics have praised his performances, most recently,

"In sharing with the audience his own sense of pleasure in and discovery of the music, Vondracek demonstrated exactly the point of concerts – communication of spontaneity possible only in real time, in a single place, the endless recreation of art by performance." (The Classical Source. Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, concert review 11.13.02.)

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the leading United States museum collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting Czech and Slovak culture. For more information, call the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 319-362-8500.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 15, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa to Speak at Czech & Slovak Museum Sunday

On Jan. 19, 2003, the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library's Life Long Learning program will feature Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa Katie Ziskovsky.  Ziskovsky will talk about youth involvement in preserving Czech and Slovak heritage, the May Miss Czech-Slovak Iowa Pageant, and her participation in the Wilbur Czech Festival and the Miss Czech-Slovak USA Pageant.  The free program will be held in the NCSML's Heritage Hall from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.  A reception will follow.  For more information, consult the web site www.ncsml.org or call (319) 362-8500.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 13, 2003
CONTACT: Jan Stoffer Tursi at 319-362-8500 or jan@ncsml.org

Glass Behind The Iron Curtain: Czech Design, 1948-1978 Opens at NCSML

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML) opens Glass Behind the Iron Curtain: Czech Design, 1948-1978, on Saturday, February, 22, 2003, in the Robert J. Petrik Gallery. This powerful exhibition is drawn from the permanent collection at The Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG) in Corning, New York, and will be displayed through September 28, 2003. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library is the only place you can see this fantastic exhibition outside of New York state.

The exhibit explores glass design in Czechoslovakia during a time of limited artistic freedom. When the Communist Party gained control of Czechoslovakia in 1948, painters, sculptors, and graphic artists were closely monitored, and ran the risk of persecution for creating non-approved abstract art. Glass design, however, was largely overlooked. Artists working in glass were allowed to continue their activities relatively unhindered because glass was not considered a potentially subversive medium; some painters and sculptors migrated to the world of glass. This period in Czech glass is characterized by innovative designs that document an important "underground"