Vaclav Havel

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On 18 December, it was announced that Vaclav Havel had died.  For those who do not know, Havel was the face of the revolution that pushed communism from power in the Velvet Revolution in 1989.  He was a playwright who was imprisoned for a number of years for his activities.  He served as the president of Czechoslovakia for a time and then became the first president of the newly formed Czech Republic. 

On that Sunday night, after the announcement, one of the Czech churches in Prague set out to do a memorial on Wenceslas Square, the main square in Prague.  I went, at the urging of Billy.  The mix of emotions was rather great.  People of my parent’s generation and older were visibly shaken, upset that the face of the movement that had freed them from Communism 22 years earlier was now dead.  Many people were in tears.  People of my generation, those who were born just before the fall of communism, or soon after it, had the widest range of emotions.  Most were respectfully somber, others celebratory of the life of a man and the end of an era of which they had no part, but are directly affected by.

Memorial candles were placed at the base of the statue, as well as flowers, pictures, and other memorials.   A traditional Czech hymn was sung.  A large flag was unfurled in front of the statue.  The Czech National Anthem was started spontaneously, a rarity since Czechs aren't generally given to shows of patriotism.  A remarkable moment came when people started to shake their keys and giving the peace sign.  Shaking keys was a symbol during the revolution. I'm not sure of what, but my best guess is a simple symbol of ownership.  Ownership of something often leads to individuality, which is something that is often suppressed under Communism.

Statue of St. Wenceslas

Base of the Statue

The ceremony then marched down Wenceslas Square and across the river, backtracking part of the march made by the Protestors of the Velvet Revolution in 1989.  On their way across the river, they passed a memorial to the protestors that was erected where they encountered the state police.  One day of protests and marching in 1989 led to violence.  The next day they were allowed to walk right though to the square.  

The memorial march ended on the river front there an impromptu concert and memorial was organized.  A musician played and a few people got up to speak, including the French ambassador to the Czech Republic. 

A few days later, the Czech government declared a week of national mourning leading up to Havel's funeral on Friday.  Business went on as usual, with the exception of the entertainment industries.  Theaters, cinemas, and casinos were all to be shut down. 

Memorial to the Velvet Revolution

I returned to the square on Wednesday and then again on Friday to see that the circle of candles and memorials continued to get larger.  The Czech Government declared three days of national mourning, which culminated in Havel's funeral on Friday, December 23.  The funeral was attended by Bill and Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State who was born in Prague.  The funeral was followed by memorial concerts.  Havel was known to be a fan of Rock and Roll music.  The funeral and concerts were broadcast throughout the city on huge screens set up.  

Havel Concert Broadcast on Wenceslas Square

The entire week was a remarkable thing to witness, especially from the standpoint of an American.  Havel was a giant here, the likes of which America itself has not seen.  Havel is often seen as a better revolutionary than a president and was often said to be more popular outside the Czech Republic than within it.  However, in light of his passing, one can only look back on the life of an artist who became a revolutionary who then became a president.

Perhaps the greatest testament to the man was the presence of two men at the initial Sunday night memorial.  One man was openly protesting something (I'm not sure what, I could not read his sign).  And another man was standing at the front of the crowd saying "It did not work.  Our country is a wreck," not realizing that the freedom he had to say that was possible because of Vaclav Havel, the principles he stood for, and the cause he represented.

Christmas in Prague

The city of Prague does a lot for Christmas.  The Christmas markets here rank in the top five around the world.  It was fun to go down to the markets, try all of the food, and see what everyone was selling.  The Christmas trees and lights around Old Town Square were absolutely amazing.

My brother Seth asked me how Czech Christmas was different than American Christmas.  Not an easy thing to sum up in a facebook conversation, so I will flush a few things out here in my blog.  Now keep in mind these are not all of the differences, but these are the ones that I either noticed or took part in myself. 

The Day

The major gathering day for Czechs is actually Christmas Eve.  This is when people gather to have their meal, open presents, and enjoy most of the Christmas traditions.

The Food

The traditional Czech Christmas Eve meal is a first round of soup, followed by a main course of fried carp and potato salad.  The carp is a longstanding tradition.  Often, families will buy their carp some days or weeks in advance and keep it in their bathtubs until it is time to dispatch it for dinner.  Carp vendors begin to pop up about the second week of December selling fish out of large pools (think kiddie pools with deeper sides).  You can either take your fish home and put it in the tub, or the vendor can butcher and scale it for you on the spot. 

If you put a scale from the fish under your dinner plate, then put it in your wallet, supposedly you will have good fortune in the next year. 

Santa

They do have a Santa looking character that comes out in December.  His name is Mikulas (St. Nicolas).  He appears on the eve of December 6, which happens to be St. Nicolas day on the calendar, with Andel (angel) and Cert (little devil).  This trio makes the rounds to various houses.  Good kids will recite poems and songs for the trio.  Kids receive little gifts and sweets if they have been good or coal or a raw potato if they have been bad.  While gift giving is involved, as well as a Santa looking figure (actually should be reversed, Santa is a Mikulas looking figure), there is no connection with the Christmas holiday.

So who delivers the presents on Christmas?  That would be Ježíšek, or baby Jesus.  No one knows what Ježíšek looks like because no one has ever actually seen him.  He arrives usually after dinner on Christmas Eve to deliver the presents.  The kids are usually otherwise occupied elsewhere in the house (depending on the ruse employed by Ježíšek’s accomplices, the parents).  Once the drop has been made Ježíšek rings a bell hanging on the tree and leaves. 

I was lucky enough to spend Christmas Eve with the family of one of my players.  I was able to take part in the traditional meal (cod instead of carp) and see “Ježíšek” in action.  The parents tried their hardest to get their 3½ year old to leave the room but he was not having any of it.  He knew once he left, Ježíšek would do his business and their son wanted to see it happen.  Eventually, they got him to leave, Ježíšek delivered the toys, rung the bell, and presents were opened. 

I spent Christmas day with Billy, my director, and his family for a more traditional American Christmas.  Billy’s kids are always entertaining to be around and he and Adrianne, his wife, made an amazing meal. 

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas with your family and friends.  I pray that God blesses you in this new year!