In LN (24.11.2022), I read an article by Jana Soprová "An unpleasant but all the more important memory", a theatre publicist, and I couldn't help wondering. The performance of "Stavovské národu" - the only performance on 18.11.2022... It is clear that we can not only realize the mischief, but also to remind as little as possible - even after 102 years! It does not say anything nice about our character. If we are unable to admit our own failures, let us not be surprised that we continue to fail.
I visited the Estates Theatre in the belief that I would get the book "Stavovské to the Nation", too. I was referred to the ND shop in the former THEMOS building. They had the last two copies there. One was given to me, as well as to visitors. The book is about how the Estates Theatre became part of the National Theatre called "Estates to the Nation!". It was published in 1991 in the 1st edition. The number of copies is not stated, the 2nd edition was not published. The book cannot be purchased. Too bad, it would be enlightening even today. The behaviour of the Czech society and politicians of that time is not much different from today.
Czech plebeianism, provincialism and petty bourgeoisie were warned against by K. H. Borovský, F. Palacký, TGM and A. Švehla. They would also warn us today - that is why the world does not take us too seriously, even today...
Here are two excerpts from the book, where you can see for yourself - "BORE" and "... AND DISPUTES". It is about the unchanging Czech character, which is matched by the consequences. I also attach the English and German text from the end of the book. It tells the essentials of this national disgrace which has nothing to do with real culture.
I remembered the director Jiří Krejčík and my Petition to help the National Theatre (10 October 2003), which he fully supported, together with the Minister of Culture Pavel Dostál. Unfortunately, the bailiff, in violation of the law, destroyed my archive. Thus, articles before 2010, after the installation of the new website, are no longer available or difficult to find.
I informed about the shameful case and the staged auction of the THEMOS building earlier (the state gave 400 million crowns for the auction, the auction ended at this amount, when the director of the National Theatre Jan Burian wanted to call the government that the money would not be enough...)
Jiří Krejčík made a documentary about the case, eloquently titled "A NATION IN ITS OWN". Although the documentary was made with taxpayers' money, you will be greeted by the message "Sorry, but the video is not available" in the Czech Television's iBroadcast. If Jiří Krejčík were alive today, he would surely have made a documentary about the Estates Theatre. It would probably meet the same fate as "The Nation Within". The viewer rightly asks "Why are there documentaries on iBroadcast that he cannot watch?". The Nation is "still within itself". He would probably call it "Even today, the nation is still within itself...".
As I was leaving the Estates Theatre, I met a group of young tourists from the USA. I listened to the Czech guide's explanation. He did not know about this past and passed the word to me. The young Americans listened to my "lecture" with interest and amazement. Then I handed them my visiting card. So they too can read this article - and I rushed to National Thetare to get the book…
Jan Šinágl, 3.12.2022
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