slav90 10:23 notes - Wenceslas square is the heart of...

Wenceslas square is the heart of Prague, of the Czech Republic, but not necessarily bohemia.
Statue erected in 1887—Czechs are beginning to discover identity in 1
st
half of 19
th
century.
National patron saint is erected in the middle of Prague—revival is successful. These people are
now erecting monuments to their past.
St. Václav—born in beginning of 10 th century. 1054: Church splits officially. The Schism. Begin
speaking abt eastern and western Christianity.
Known for piety, meekness, and generosity. He is the “Good King Wenceslas.” Also known as a
just ruler. According to legend, was killed by his pagan brother Boleslav I. Was a martyr—a
Christian killed by a pagan. Died as “a witness to Christ’s truth.” Concept of truth is a theme thru
Czech history. “living in the truth” is preached by Jan Huss.
No Church vs. secular power story—it’s a martyred Christian ruler. The combo of church and
state rather than conflict of church and state. The merging of the church and the state.
The crown of St. Václav is the most important relic of this saint in Bohemia. The crown resides in
a church across the river from Old Town Prague. Called Small Town Prague.
National museum founded by Bohemian nobleman in 1818. Anomaly—after battle of White
Mountain, some Czech elite was expelled, killed, most converted to Catholicism and became
Germanified. Their lands go to loyal Habsburg nobilities. Hence, fact that the museum was
founded by Czech nobleman is an exception—founded by person whose desire was for the
Czechs to begin, after 200 years of Germanification, discovering who they are. Make it a place to
conserve, explore, analyze, and examine artifacts of Bohemian history.
František Palacký —considered father of the Czech nation. He is a historian, asked to
manage National Museum. Writes The History of Bohemia: a political history. Kings, queens,
princes, dynasties, wars, battles, and so on. Written in german. Shift from writing history of
state to the histry of the people who live there. Radical shift of historiography. History is not the
history of kings, queens, dynasties, states… but it is the history of the people. Ends the history in
1528 at the beginning of the Habsburg empire. Stops it here “if I were to continue it, I would be