• Filla painting fetches record 11.2 million crowns
    11/29/2009

    The 1914 oil-on-wood painting “Glass and Newspaper” by Cubist painter Emil Filla has fetched a record 11.2 million crowns in a Prague auction: the sum is the highest bid a Filla painting has ever received in auction in the Czech Republic. Bidding began at 9 million. The painting is considered one of Filla’s most important - comparable to other Cubist masterworks of the early 20th century.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Pop singer Gott wins Czech Nightingale for 35th time
    11/29/2009

    Czech pop singer Karel Gott, 70, has won the Český slavík (Czech Nightingale) award for the 35th time in his career. The ceremony was broadcast live on TV from the Prague State Opera on Saturday night. Others awarded on the evening were pop singer Lucie Bílá, in the female singers’ category, and the bestselling hard rock group Kabát. Martin Chodúr, a contestant on Česko-Slovenská Superstar, the local version of Pop Idol, won the award for best newcomer or find of the year. The Český slavík awards (formerly known as Zlatý slavík) began in 1962. Members of the public vote on the winners.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • MTV Czech begins broadcasting on Sunday
    11/29/2009

    The local version of MTV, MTV Czech, will kick off in the Czech Republic on Sunday evening at 9 pm local time. The Czech version is being operated by the international firm CME, owner of local private broadcaster TV Nova. MTV Czech’s launch on Sunday will feature a number of video premieres, including a new song by singer Aneta Langerová, the winner of the country’s first Pop Idol (Česko hledá superstar) several years back.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Bauer finishes ninth in his first World Cup race of season
    11/29/2009

    Cross-country skier Lukáš Bauer has finished ninth in the men’s 15 kilometre classic in the World Cup in Kuusamo, Finland. His finish, his first race of the season, was better than expected: a week ago Bauer missed the opener after suffering illness in October. After the race on Sunday, Bauer expressed satisfaction that he had managed to finish in the top ten. Bauer won the World Cup circuit in 2008.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • NHL action: Eliáš big in Devils’ win over Islanders
    11/29/2009

    Czech hockey forward Patrik Eliáš racked up two goals and two assists to help the New Jersey Devils down the New York Islanders on Saturday. The Devils won the lopsided match by a score of 6:1.

    In other action, the Bruins’ David Krejčí scored a goal and earned one assist against Ottawa. Boston won the game 4:3 on penalties. Despite his team’s loss, the Senators’ Michálek also had a memorable game, earning an assist and scoring two goals – the last coming just 20 seconds before the end of the 3rd period, forcing extra time.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Senator Karel Schwarzenberg elected chair of TOP 09
    11/28/2009

    Senator and former foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg was elected the chairman of the new Czech political party TOP 09 at its constituent conference in Prague on Saturday. Delegates also elected other members of party leadership. MP, former finance minister and one the party’s founders Miroslav Kalousek was elected the 1st deputy chair.

    The party, which defines itself as conservative, pro-European and anti-populist, was founded in June this year as a right-wing split from the Christian Democrats. It has since become quite popular in the Czech Republic. Polls repeatedly showed it could become the third strongest party in the Chamber of Deputies after the next general election scheduled for May, 2010.
    Author: Jan Richter

  • Army suspends officer for wearing Nazi symbols
    11/28/2009

    Another officer of the Czech Army has been suspended for wearing Nazi symbols. The Czech news agency ČTK reported that Military Police detained the officer at an anti-aircraft brigade in Strakonice, south Bohemia, on Thursday. The soldier was immediately suspended, and will be charged with supporting movements to suppress human rights and freedoms, an army spokesman said.

    The Czech Army launched thorough checks earlier this month to curb extremism in the ranks of the army. The measure was prompted by the case of two soldiers from the Czech army contingent in Afghanistan who wore Nazi symbols on their helmets.
    Author: Jan Richter

  • Thousands mark anniversary of Austerlitz
    11/28/2009

    Around 9,000 people marked the 204th anniversary of the Battle of Austerlitz in Slavkov, south Moravia, on Saturday. Some 800 volunteers took part in the re-enactment of the 1805 battle in which Napoleon defeated the armies of Russian Tzar Alexander I and Austrian Emperor Franz I.

    Also known as the Battle of Three Emperors, it was one of Napoleon’s greatest victories. It occurred just south of Brno, near the town of Slavkov, known as Austerlitz in German, on December 2, 1805.
    Author: Jan Richter

  • American tourist damages Charles Bridge statue
    11/28/2009

    An American tourist damaged a statue on Prague’s Charles Bridge, one of the city’s most significant monuments, in the early hours of Saturday, the news website idnes.cz reported. The man, around 30 years of age, broke off a sabre of an 18th century Baroque statue. The police detained the US national just minutes after the incident. If charged with misdemeanour, the man will face up to a year in prison.
    Author: Jan Richter

  • Brno art fair sees potential record-setting deal
    11/28/2009

    An interested buyer reserved the 1947 abstract painting Prisme by František Kupka at an art fair in Brno on Saturday, the news agency ČTK reported. If finalized, the 39 million crown, or 2.2 million US dollar deal will set a new record in the Czech art market.

    Prisme, an abstract painting by the Czech modernist painter František Kupka, was previously owned by a gallery in Japan that sold it to a Czech collector. The standing Czech auction record of 22.1 million crowns, or nearly 1.3 million US dollars, was set in 2007 when Kupka’s painting Élévation was sold at an auction in Prague.
    Author: Jan Richter

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