Undergraduate Research Spotlight: Exploring Texas Czech heritage sites in Moravia
Last summer Celeste Banda, a junior at UT-Austin pursuing her BA in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies, received a scholarship from the Texas Chair in Czech Studies Endowment to conduct research on Moravian hometowns of Texas Czech settlers and to continue her study of the Czech language. As a result, she spent last summer exploring sites of interest across Moravia and tracing the origins of Milam County Czech communities. Celeste is from Cameron, Texas, herself, so she made sure to bring her summer experience home to the Texas Czech community:
“This summer, I studied abroad for one month at the Summer School of Slavonic Languages at Palacký University in Olomouc, Czech Republic, with 98 students from 30 countries, including 3 American students. Several cultural activities, film showings, and excursions were offered throughout the course of the program. I was even able to take a beginner Russian language class while furthering my knowledge of the Czech language and culture. In the classroom, we also learned traditional folk songsand tried Olomoucké tvarůžky, a favorite “stinky” cheese of the area.
“Olomoucis located in Moravia, the eastern region of the Czech Republic. A majority of the Czechs who immigrated to Texas in the mid-1800s through early 1900s came from the Moravia region. During the weekends, I traveled to the Czech towns of origin to the Texas Czech families in Milam County, since it was the Czech influence in Milam County that originally got me interested in Czech related studies.
“I visited the museum in Frenštát pod Radhoštěm, where there is an exhibit on Czech emigration to Texas. From Frenštát, I visited Tichá and Horní Sklenov, towns where the Marak family was from. Marak is a small community in northwest Milam County, named after that family. Due to its proximity to Horní Sklenov, I even managed a trip to Hukvaldy Castle in Hukvaldy, the hometown of Czech composer,Leoš Janáček. I also visited Vsetín and the surrounding towns of Jasenka, Janová, and Hovězí, which are also small towns from which Texas Czech families came. Žarošice was by far my favorite place to visit.
“I chose to visit Žarošice, a small town near Brno, because at least seven Milam County families came from there. I stayed with the Hroudný family, who were very kind and generous, and took me on a tour of the town and surrounding areasof interest. We visited the towns of Archlebov, Ždánice, and Slavkov u Brna (a town from which another five Milam County families emigrated to Texas).
“Slavkovu Brna is also known as Austerlitz in German and is known for the Battle of Austerlitz, or the Battle of Three Emperors, which is considered one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s greatest victories. The Hroudný family took me to various sites related to the battle. Within Žarošice is a marker showing where Ferdinand von Tiesenhausen died. Von Tiesenhausen was an assistant to Czar Alexander I and is said to be the inspiration for a character in Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. In Uhřice,we visited the mill where Napoleon met with Emperor Franz I of Austria after the battle. We also visited Žurán hill, where Napoleon’s army was head quartered, and Pracé hill, where there is a Cairn of Peace Memorial and Battle of Austerlitz museum.
“Before I left, Mr. Hroudný, who works at the Žarošicetown museum, gave me several books, some of which even mentioned my small hometown of Cameron, Texas! I greatly enjoyed furthering my knowledge of the Czech language, my adventures traveling to Texas Czech towns of origin, and even getting the chance to share my experiences with Texas Czech friends back home. Upon my return, I visited with a 93-year-old Milam County resident whose father was born in Moravia. He was so happy to see my photos and hear my stories about visiting the town where his father was born and grew up.
“I greatly appreciate all of these experiences made possible with the help of the Czech Summer Studies Scholarship.”
-Celeste Banda, Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies major