CZECH-LAtiGOAGE v By Mila Saskova-Pierce' The first Czech emigration started prove their economic status and support Czech. But, in the multi-national during the Thirty Years War (1618-48) families. The first Nebraska Czech Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, identifi­ after the Catholic Habsburgs defeated villages and towns were settled by cation of nationality according to terri­ the army of the predominantly Protes­ people who learned of the settlements tory of residence was not always tant Czech Estates in 1620 at the battle and available land through friends and possible because many Czechs resided of the White Mountain (fig. 2). The relatives or from newspaper advertise­ outside of the Czech crownlands; and Habsburgs' execution of the rebellion's ments or American railway land agents conversely, in the same lands lived leaders and their confiscation of the (figs. 24,92).2 other nationalities, notably a German property of Protestant nobles prompted Czech immigrants were highly minority in northern Bohemia and a Protestant exodus from the Czech literate, in the upper ninetieth percen­ Moravia. Consequently, use of the lands to the Netherlands, England, tile.3 Very quickly they turned to self Czech language became for all Czechs Scandinavia, several Protestant German help and founded Czech-language the strongest symbol of their national states, and later to the English colonies periodicals through which they dis­ identity.5 in North America. seminated information about the new Even in the Czech lands, where The victorious Catholic Counter­ country and its many opportunities, Czechs constituted more than two­ Reformation, supported by the including-very necessary for settle­ thirds of the population, the Czech Habsburgs, largely identified the Czech ment in Nebraska-dryland farming, language had an inferior position to language with what Catholics consid­ with which Czechs were not familiar German in governmental administra­ ered to be a heretical religious literature (fig. 90).4 As soon as Czech farmers tion. Higher educational opportunities written in Czech by Hussites and Prot­ experienced a rising level of economic were mostly in German as well. Under estants (fig. 34). By suppressing Czech well-being and believed that their these conditions of cultural inequality, as a language of political administra­ immediate dream of economic prosper­ Czech intellectuals perceived the culti­ tion and Protestant religious expression ity was in sight, they turned their eyes vation of the Czech language through during the seventeenth and eighteenth to the cultural realm. educational, fraternal, and civic organi­ centuries ' "period of darkness" (Doba Czechs brought to the United States zations to be a fundamental condition temna), the Habsburgs laid the founda­ political opinions as well as cultural for the survival of their nation.6 tion for the Czechs' subsequent perse­ interests from the Austro-Hungarian Czech immigrants adapted to their cution complex and protective Empire, in which an authoritarian new American situation some of the relationship toward their language. imperial government proved increas­ strategies they had used in their Throughout this "darkness" and the ingly unable to maintain its great power struggle for national autonomy against subsequent period of National Revival status or to moderate domestic nation­ the politically dominant German and (Narodni obrozeni) (1780-1848), ality and class conflicts. American Hungarian nationalities in the Austro­ Czechs identified preservation of their Czechs, like the Czechs in Austria­ Hungarian Empire. The settlers estab­ national consciousness with mainte­ Hungary, perceived the maintenance of lished many Czech-language nance of the Czech language. the Czech language to be a guarantee organizations and periodicals. It is Nebraska's first Czechs began to that the Czech nation would survive as estimated that in 1900 about 150,000 arrive in the 1860s, with the majority a distinct entity. Knowledge of Czech Czechs subscribed to one Czech news­ arriving during the last quarter of the language and culture became the best paper or another. According to the nineteenth century. Czechs came to indicator of membership in a national 1900 census, there were 156,891 Nebraska because there was cheap land Czech community. A person was Czechs in the United States.? How­ available, which allowed them to im- deemed to belong to the Czech nation ever, this census much underestimated because of the following criteria: she or the number of Czechs because it classi­ Dr. Mila Saskowi-Pierce is assistant pro­ he was born in the Czech lands to fied many of them as Austrians in fessor of modern languages and literature parents of Czech origin who spoke accordance with a policy of identifying at the University ofNebraska-Lincoln. Czech and who could read and write in immigrants by country of origin.8 Yet 209 Fig.8S. University ofNebraska chapter of the KomenskY Club, 1911; Club co-founder Sarka Hrbkova isfront row, second from right. (Courtesy Czech Heritage Collection, University ofNebraska-Lincoln, Archives & Special Collections; NSHS C998.I-567) even these numbers indicate that the America enhanced their social contacts readership of Czech periodicals must and sense of solidarity. As a group, have been considerable. they were committed to carrying·on a Everyday use of the Czech language meaningful Czech life, that is, cultivat­ played several functions in the lives of ing their Czech heritage and identifying the first generation of settlers in the with the Czech nation while working to United States. It facilitated the trans­ integrate themselves successfully into mission of knowledge among Czechs the economy and politics of the United about new American conditions, since States. They consciously became few understood English well (fig. 22). producers and consumers of Czech Czech-American newspapers dissemi­ culture and considered themselves an nated information concerning the new overseas part of a Czech cultural world milieu, farming practices, health, and centered in Bohemia and Moravia. much other impOI;tant information that Their need to adapt to their new Ameri­ newly-arrived settlers needed to be­ can environment, while maintaining come successful citizens. Of course Czech culture as an enjoyable part of these periodicals were also read for their lives, conditioned their develop­ entertainment. The Czech language ment of private Czech schools and Fig.86. Jan Amos KomenskY (Comenius), further provided Czech immigrants organizations as well as their interpre­ portayed on the Kollar Hall proscenium curtain, DuBois, Nebraska. (P. Michael with a sense of cultural continuity and tation of their American experiences Whye, NSHS C998.l -494) fostered the preservation of their Old through writing Czech-language litera­ World heritage. Knowledge of the ture and history. Their efforts to build Czech-Americans in Nebraska orga­ language gave these immigrants intra­ a Czech scholarly community also took nized their social life either around group identification and greater oppor­ an interesting path, which will be churches or within numerous fraternal tunities for mutual support. 9 treated elsewhere. Their publication of benevolent associations, which offered The Czech immigrants who settled hundreds of Czech-language newspa­ life insurance and space in their meet­ in the Great Plains states constituted a pers and periodicals also testifies to ing halls for stage productions, lan­ functioning society. There were few their desire to communicate with one guage classes, and other amusements or significant social disparities among another over great distances within educational activities. II There were these settlers, and their sharing of the Nebraska and across the United forty-two Western Fraternal Associa­ difficulties in making a new home in States. 10 tion lodges in Nebraska. 12 The Sokol 210 Sa~ova·Pierce . Czech.Language Maintenance gymnastic associations also built halls Czechs; and in general to do everything history subjects in the Czech language. with stages for theatrical productions which can lead to a greater honor of the These and other attempts by Czech­ Czech people.14 and other cultural activities perceived Americans to advertise the achieve­ as necessary to the cultural health of Articles published in Komenskj, the ments of their ethnic community were Czech communities (fig. 7). periodical of this association of mainly responses to those English­ Education ranked high on the agenda Komensky clubs, expressed su~h goals speaking Americans who had long of Czech settlers both for self-improve­ as (1) disseminate news concerning the looked with misgivings or open hostil­ ment and the preparation of their chil­ intellectual achievements of Czech­ ity and prejudice on that community's dren for success in an English-speaking Americans, (2) spread culture to the efforts to preserve its language and Old world. As a result of free and universal wider masses of Czech-Americans, World culture. 16 primary and secondary English­ including the farming communities of Other Czech organizations also language education, the second Czech­ American generation became bilingual, and more comfortable with English as a language of higher culture. Some members of this generation used En­ glish exclusively, although many oth­ ers, unwilling to lose their uniqueness and cease to belong to Czech culture, maintained or created opportunities to improve their knowledge and use of the Czech language. At the same time, they