LINDAT/CLARIAH-CZ

The Munich Agreement

THE MUNICH AGREEMENT is an online collection of thirty-four pieces of newsreel material made by the Aktualita film company between 1937 and 1938. The collection focuses on political and social events that took place in Czechoslovakia shortly before and after Italy, France and Great Britain signed the Munich Agreement with Germany, effectively ordering Czechoslovakia to surrender its border regions – the Sudentenland – to Nazi Germany. It describes the immediate consequences of the Munich Dictate as well as the situation that led to it, characterised by intense preparations for a looming war conflict. The international context is outlined in seven newsreel segments that show the various responses of the international community in the aftermath of what happened in Czechoslovakia.

ONLINE COLLECTIONS

Bohumil Vesely Gallery

The on-line collections called BOHUMIL VESELÝ’S GALLERY OF FAMOUS MEN AND WOMEN and BOHUMIL VESELÝ’S GALLERY OF FILMMAKERS consist of an exceptional series of 787 portrait-style film segments that capture famous figures of Czechoslovak public life from the first sixty years of the 20th century. The original footage was filmed and compiled from archive materials by Bohumil Veselý, a remarkable person who dedicated his life to film collecting and amateur film production. As an expert on film prehistory, he collected records associated with first films, photographs, old film apparatuses, various music boxes, and other mechanical curios. But most of all, he became the first Czech systematic collector of films, who, thanks to his private activities and contacts, also learnt to use a range of special preservation and restoration techniques.

The Heydrich Terror

The online collection called THE HEYDRICH TERROR consists of 29 newsreel pieces, mostly segments of Českého zvukového týdeníku Aktualita (Czechoslovak Aktualita Sound Newsreel) from 27 September 1941, when SS-Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich became the Deputy Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, until the first anniversary of his assassination, which was carried out on 27 May 1942 by paratroopers of the Czechoslovak Exile Army.

Birth of Czechoslovakia and celebrations of its anniversaries

The on-line collection called BIRTH OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA AND CELEBRATIONS OF ITS ANNIVERSARIES contains footage from the revolutionary days of October and November 1918 as well as coverage reflecting the extraordinary importance of these events for political and social life of the First Czechoslovak Republic.

Memorable Funerals

The on-line collection called MEMORABLE FUNERALS consists of film footage from the public funerals of major figures from Czech history – national luminaries as well as ordinary victims of disasters and tragic events. It is a compilation of 61 newsreel segments made by Czech film production studios between 1918 and 1945. The first part of the collection offers scenes from funeral ceremonies from the First Republic, which became important socio-political events, and often also demonstrations of national confidence and cohesion.

Board of Trustees for the Education of Youth in Bohemia and Moravia

The collection called BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUTH IN BOHEMIA AND MORAVIA contains 45 newsreel segments from Český zvukový týdeník Aktualita (Czech Aktualita Sound Newsreel) and the UFA weekly newsreel from 1942 to 1945. The Board of Trustees for the Education of Youth in Bohemia and Moravia was established on 28 May 1942, the day after the assassination of Acting Reich Protector Reinhard Heydrich, with the main objective to re-educate Czech children and teenagers in the spirit of Nazi ideology. 

The National Theatre throughout history

The online collection THE NATIONAL THEATRE THROUGHOUT HISTORY consists of 35 newsreel segments illustrating events from the first half of the 20th century related to the institution. The founding of the most important Czech theatre was at the time an assertion of the nation’s cultural and political emancipation. Over time, the Theatre became a symbol of national identity and a part of the European cultural scene. The section charting the period of the First Republic (1918-38) includes newsreel segments primarily by the film production company Bratři Deglové (Degl Brothers), while the period of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (1939-45) is represented by segments from Český zvukový týdeník Aktualita (Czech Aktualita Sound Newsreel).

Health and Social Welfare in the Czech Lands

he online collection HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELFARE IN THE CZECH LANDS contains 66 newsreel segments from 1910-44 depicting the development and institutionalization of health and social care in the Czech lands in the first half of the 20th century. The Czech healthcare system experienced a period of unprecedented advancement at the end of the 19th century and in the first half of the 20th century, right at a time when it became possible to chronicle it in film form. A network of key hospital institutions was established in big city centers. Several sanatoriums were founded in quieter locations outside of major urban agglomerations.