Czech Heritage Museum, Temple TX

 Treasure Awaits you in Temple, Texas!
   The Czech Heritage Museum
       & Genealogy Center

December 1, 2023

The Czech Heritage Museum in Temple hosted its annual Christmas Open House on this lovely Friday afternoon and I am so glad I decided to attend this year following my visit with Dad at the nursing home in Cameron.  

My goodness, how large their collection of archives and memorabilia has grown!

And I could not have picked a better time to tour this collection as I was blessed with a beautiful soundtrack - the Taylor Czech Chorus singing in the lobby familiar old Czech favorites I grew up listening to and Christmas carols as well.  

The Chorus is conducted by Diane Volek, who I have fond memories of collaborating with years ago on musical accompaniment at many worship services, weddings, etc.  My Aunt Angie sings in the chorus, and I was also delighted to see my old friend, Mayor Stojanik of Granger, and my neighbors here in Circleville Mr. and Mrs Werchan, and Betty Zimmerhanzel.

Great job Czech Chorus!

And great job Museum staff - Curator Kenny Lange, et al., - you really wow'd me!  The place will make every Czech-American proud, especially if you're Tex-Czech!

Extraordinary collection of 19th c. Marionette puppets
brought to U.S. in 1920s.
Our Czech relatives and ancestors who have
worked tirelessly and thoughtfully donated
family heirlooms in order to
make this remarkable museum possible
have my deepest respect and appreciation.

But, more importantly, this is a place everyone should visit - young and old - to learn not only about the unique Czech culture and its turbulent struggle for national independence but, as well, to gaze upon the fascinating artifacts and ephemera found here that tell the story of our shared past as Americans.

Appropriately my tour began with a nice tribute to two major figures in Czech history:

the man who worked so tirelessly
in the early 20th century for
the creation of the first Czech nation
- Tomáš Masaryk

and the man credited
with leading the
Velvet Revolution
that liberated
Czechoslovakia
from decades of
Soviet-controlled
Communist oppression
and would become the
First President of the
new Czech Republic
(1993-2003),
the playwright
Vaclav Havel. 

Even this old World History teacher learned a few things from this excellent Timeline of Czech History.

I was pleased with the objective
and respectful manner that the
15th and 16th century European
religious conflicts were presented,
especially the clarity with which John Hus
and his followers, the Hussites,
were explained as well as the mention
of the immigration of Moravian Brethren
to the U.S. in the 18th century
(all part of my own faith background).
New to me on this panel was the early date
the foundation was laid for the famous
Charles Bridge in Prague - 1357!  Wow!
 Personal side note: 640 years later,
crossing over Karlov Most (Charles Bridge)
under a full moon would begin one of the
most romantic evenings of my life.

Any Czech who doesn't know who
Cyril & Methodius were and what they did
for the ancient Slavic peoples
of Europe ... well, you get a failing grade!
Bad Czech! Go to the back of the class and
practice the Czech alphabet,
while thanking Cyril.
New to me on this panel -
the origin of the name Bohemia -
the Boii Tribe from the Alpines!
Really, who would have thunk it.
The Alpines?!
And I am definitely naming
my next dog Chief Cechus!

I love it that the very first of the
Czech immigrants to the U.S.
is named on the Timeline
as are the "push" factors of 1860-1911
that likely led my own ancestors
to migrate to Texas.

The Museum does a great job of telling the story behind Czech immigration to the United States and the early Czech settlements of Texas.

Disappointing to me was the absence of my own Machu family's history in Williamson County.  In fact, early 20th century maps of the county even reflect Machu as a community in that county.  And I was surprised there was no mention of one of the many contributions of family patriarch Pavel Machu to this part of Texas - the Moravia School - which I would have thought, as significant as this Czech school was for four generations of Texas Czechs, appropriate to mention especially in the museum's "Classroom" exhibit.

 

One of my fondest memories of childhood is participating in the little dance group directed by Mrs Krenek at the Taylor SPJST and getting to dress in the kroj costumes for the Taylor Lodge 20 annual May Fete celebration.  We never wore any kroj as elaborate in detail as these. The kroj costumes on display at the Czech Heritage Museum are fabulous:

"Beautiful Czech Kroj or costumes are often adorned with glass beading, silver and gold thread, elaborate embroidery or fabric dyed with indigo in a hand-stamped wax-resist design. Each [Czech] region is represented by a unique kroj design."
https://czechheritagemuseum.org/about 

Descendants of the Czech Protestant Hussites from Moravia would migrate to North Carolina and Pennsylvania and today the Moravian Church is still vibrant there.  I very nearly went to the Moravian Seminary in Bethlehem, PA (soon after completing my undergraduate studies at Southwestern had it not been minus 14 degrees when I stepped off the plane there. And so it was I chose Austin Seminary!  LOL!)  I grew up in the Texas Czech Moravian Brethren Church and it was a delight to see so much of that denomination's history here, including:

A 1915 hand-carved statue
of the 15th century priest
Jan (John) Hus.
This reform-minded
Bohemian was
"Protest"-ing the
scandalous behavior
of the Roman Church
a century before that
Luther chap who
later got all the credit
for the Reformation.
Likely because poor
Hus was burned at 
the stake in 1415, 
whereas Luther had
his protectors.

There would have been no Czech-Moravian
Unity of the Brethren Church in Texas
had it not been for this cleric,
the Rev. Adolph Chlumsky -
nor the novel and benevolent
Mutual Aid Society.
This case of artifacts presented by
his wife includes everything from the
family silver, to his Swiss and Austrian
awarded medals, and two very
interesting pipes - one that has
beautiful pearl inlay. 
Unfortunate this display cabinet
is at floor-level in the museum.

Steeple crown from the
old Holland Brethren Church,
said to have been brought
here from Czechoslovakia.
The lone star was featured
on many of the Czech
Brethren churches in Texas,
including my own in Granger
that included with the star
the faith's symbolic "chalice"
-- which Hus dared to serve
during Mass to the
masses! 

Wow! This former church organist
was blown away by this old Kimball
from the Ocker Brethren Church.
Interesting observation --
the plush velvet carpet on the
pedals show little wear.
Deduction:
It is a known fact,
among organists especially,
that the coordination required
to play two hands on keyboard
and work pedal stops
at the same time
is something few organists
truly mastered. Thus,
pedals were often avoided.

And speaking of organs, don't miss this rare item.  I'd heard of them, but ain't never seen one....til now!  What a treat!  A barrel organ, or Concert Roller Organ.

The Museum houses an amazing archive from an early 20th century Czech physician -- you literally step into his practice and the equipment on display will make you feel like you've time travelled into the past. 

There is a superb collection of antique household items one would have found in early Czech homes - kitchen gadgets that are quite innovative and educational to behold, farm tools, appliances, and wonderful examples of technology progressing over the years. Such as the evolution of cameras and victrolas / phonographs. 

No Texas Czech History is complete without mention of the famous photographer Jno. P. Trlica.  I loved this early photo of the photographer with one of his first cameras (below).  (Shown above) I still treasure my own copy of the great coffee-table book that every Czech should have in their home, Equal Before the Lens -- the title alone speaks volumes about true Czech values!

One area the museum has done especially well is recognizing Czechs who have served in the armed forces of the U.S.  I was riveted by this heroic tale of  Staff Sergeant F. Dominic Netek that earned him the Silver Star.

But the exhibit that really drew me into reading every descriptor board and shook me emotionally to the core was the well-done exhibit on the Massacre at Lidice.  

The Lidice massacre was the complete destruction of the Czech village of Lidice in June 1942 on orders from Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and his military henchman, Reinhard Heydrich.  

Soon after this tragedy that garnered international attention to Nazi atrocities, poet Edna St. Vincent Millay in 1942 was commissioned by the Writers’ War Board to write a poem immortalizing the village of Lidice, Czechoslovakia. This verse-narrative is provided on the display board and worth reading in its entirety.  

Any who dare defend Hitler and the Nazi Regime today need their heads examined. The gravity of their crimes are unparalleled in modern history. This one incident alone speaks to the evil nature of Nazi-ism.  

Knowing what we know of it must motivate us always to prevent such evil from returning to power -- it is insidious and moves stealthlike into our public discourse and politics and, before we know it, we're making gentle excuses for that charismatic savior spewing into our ears vile vitriol about his political opponents, hatred toward immigrants, Jews and other minorities. 
Don't be taken in by such small men desperate to seem big!
They've always disappointed. 

________

Thank you docents, volunteers, Curator and Staff, and SPJST for preserving our Czech history and culture! I truly appreciate the fine work you've accomplished!

____________

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