Section Archive Special
John Paul II: the Pope who helped to overthrow communism
Pope John Paul II was a respected figure worldwide. Even though he was
often criticised for his conservative stances in questions like abortion,
contraception or gay marriages, he still enjoyed great popularity that can
be hardly compared to his predecessors. One factor contributing to his
general popularity had been his energetic image as well as the enormous
number of trips he made around the globe. John Paul II was also popular in
the generally non-religious Czech Republic, even though the reasons for his
popularity here may have been slightly different.
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Music for Easter: Dvorak's Stabat Mater - one of the most powerful declarations of faith in musical history.
Antonin Dvorak's Stabat Mater has to be one of the most beautiful and most
moving pieces of music ever to come out of the Czech lands. The text is a
devotional poem written in Latin in the 13th century, probably by the
Franciscan monk Jacopone da Todi. It opens with the grief of the Virgin
Mary at Christ's crucifixion, but then turns into a prayer, written in the
first person and addressed to the Virgin - in which the writer longs to be
reunited with Christ. The poem ends with the hope of the resurrection. The
poetry is powerful in its very simplicity.
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Peter Osicka: "North Bay was pitch black!"
In today's special my guest is businessman Peter Osicka - one of the many
Czechs who left their homeland following the Soviet-led invasion of 1968.
Just nineteen at the time, with little English, Peter made his way to
Canada and like many new immigrants was sent to parts of the country that
didn't exactly fit his expectations. Nevertheless, he made it through, and
eventually founded his own marketing company, which he still operates
today.
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Joe Schlesinger: Foreign correspondent
In today's Special Jan's guest is Joe Schlesinger, one of Canada's most
respected journalists, who for years was the CBC's - that is, the Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation's - top foreign correspondent. Fifteen years ago -
in 1989 during the fall of communism - Joe Schlesinger's news reports
carried special resonance precisely because they marked a return to his
homeland Czechoslovakia. As a boy Joe had been sent out of the country to
escape the Nazis and the Holocaust. When he returned after the war, he
learned his parents had not survived. And, the future looked dim again as
Czechoslovakia's communists assumed power. Working then for the AP - the
Associated Press -Schlesinger saw the first arrests and decided it was
only a matter of time before he'd have to get out.
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The 'Devouring': A look at the Romani Holocaust
The Porrajmos, literally "the Devouring," is the term that the
Roma use to describe the Nazi regime's attempt to wipe their people off
the face of the Earth; for the genocidal wave of terror known to most of
the world as the Holocaust. An estimated half million Roma were killed
during the Second World War — only five percent of the Czech-born
population survived. Nearly all who lived through internment in the
Czech-run labour camps near Hodonin and Lety — now the site of a pig farm
— later perished in the so-called "Gypsy family camp" at
Auschwitz-Birkenau.
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A journey into sound - a behind-the-scenes look into how radio sound effects are made
Have you ever wondered how radio people make the sound of a creaking door,
a Christmas tree falling over, or even an atomic hair polisher? In this
programme we find out. David Vaughan has been looking into the magic of
how sounds are made for radio, and meets somebody who has devoted his life
to sound.
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Vanocka: Czech Christmas bread done right
For centuries, Czechs have enjoyed the Christmas treat vanocka, which means
bakers have labored to make the sweet, fruity bread for just as many
centuries. Radio Prague's Eric Martin found out just how difficult the
bread is to make. The product of his hours-long solo attempt was
practically inedible, so we sent him to get his act together at a
well-known Prague bakery as it prepared for the Christmas season's first
batch of vanocka.
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A brief look at 'protest' music plus the underground scene in Czechoslovakia from 1968 - 1989
Fifteen years ago to the day student protestors took to the streets of
Prague demanding an end to one-party rule, kicking off a process that
would quickly - far more quickly than anyone expected - lead to the
unravelling of Czechoslovakia's Communist regime. Music, too, played an
important role: with the outcome of those turbulent days far from certain,
tens of thousands demonstrated on Wenceslas Square, singing the civil
rights anthem, 'We Shall Overcome'.
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The foundation of Czechoslovakia and how its anniversary is perceived by Czechs today - a special debate
Radio Prague has prepared a special programme, to mark the Czech Republic's
national holiday, the 28th October. It's been 86 years since the
Czechoslovak Republic was established - in 1918. Martin Mikule has hosted
a debate to look at the significance of this day, both historically and in
today's Czech Republic. Why is the foundation of Czechoslovakia still the
Czech national holiday even though Czechoslovakia no longer exists? Is it
really a day of celebration or is it nothing more than another day off
work? And how do people in neighbouring Slovakia - the other successor
state of Czechoslovakia - see the anniversary?
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A tribute to Ivan Hlinka
Just over two weeks ago the Czech Republic lost one of its all-time great
sports heroes, former hockey player and later coach, Ivan Hlinka, who was
killed in a car accident just outside the west Bohemian town of Karlovy
Vary. In this Special we look back at Ivan Hlinka - the player, the hockey
legend - as recalled by players and friends, a man mourned by many and now
sorely missed.
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