Mailbox
This week in Mailbox we discuss the "Greatest Ever Czech" poll and announce questions for Radio Prague's listeners' competitions. We quote from e-mails sent by Ivan Matousek, Canada; David Eldridge, United Kingdom.
It's time again to read from letters and e-mails from our listeners and answer their questions and comments. Let's begin with this one that arrived from Ivan Matousek who lives in Vancouver, Canada. He writes that he found out on Radio Prague about the "Greatest Ever Czech" contest.
"I would like to contribute and vote as well here from Canada. I am not sure whether this e-mail would reach the right place but my ballot would definitely go to composer Antonin Dvorak. At work I listen to the public radio station CBC II as background music (playing symphony music) and Dvorak is played a lot. I would suggest that here in North America he is the best-known Czech ever."
You will be pleased to hear that Antonin Dvorak did make it among the top ten greatest Czechs and therefore still has a chance to be elected. A few weeks ago the shortlist was revealed by Czech Television, which is running the contest. The only living person in the top ten is former president Vaclav Havel. Among the others are first Czechoslovak president Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, writers Karel Capek and Bozena Nemcova, the father of modern education Jan Amos Komensky and actor Jan Werich. The list also includes the important historical figures of Jan Hus, Jan Zizka and Charles IV. The name of the "Greatest Ever Czech" will be announced on June 10. If you'd like to vote for one of the personalities, you can do so at Czech Television's website, www.czech-tv.cz
Besides "The Greatest Ever Czech" Czech Television also encouraged people to vote for the greatest ever scoundrel and the results have now been released. The "winner" of the poll is the first communist president of Czechoslovakia, Klement Gottwald, followed by the former Prime Minister Stanislav Gross who was recently forced to step down over controversies in his personal finances, and the third is the current Czech president, Vaclav Klaus.
And you will have noticed that this year in Mailbox we also devote time to great Czechs in our monthly competition. But because this is the international service of Czech Radio, we focus on Czechs who became famous and successful abroad. Before I repeat the question for May, here is an e-mail from David Eldridge from the United Kingdom.
"I must say I have found this month's competition interesting, but I cannot find the exact answer. In fact, I think the question is wrong. I think you are referring to Mr XYZ, who was born in Prague 1607 but died in London in 1677. Your question refers to him as having died in 1667."
Thank you very much, Mr Eldridge, for noticing the error, and there is gift from Radio Prague for you in the post. We apologise to all those who might have been confused by the mistake - of course, our mystery man died in 1677.
But now the whole question with the appropriate dates:
"The man we are asking about this month is a Czech printmaker and engraver. He was born in 1607 in Prague, where he also spent his youth. Along with other Czechs of Protestant belief he left Bohemia following 1620 and moved to Germany. He finally settled in England where he also died in 1677. After the restoration of the Stuarts he became a painter at the royal court of Charles II. His engravings can be seen in the National Gallery in London, in Prague and in many other galleries all over the world. Among his works are also many views of Prague."
You still have more than a week to find the answer and send it to us to the usual address, Radio Prague, 12099 Prague or [email protected]. And I apologise once again for the mistake in the date of the artist's death that got repeated in previous Mailboxes. There's a CD of Czech classical music waiting for the lucky winner this month.
And if you think you should aim higher than a CD, you can take part in Radio Prague annual listeners' contest and win a week's stay in Prague. To enter this year, just send us a few lines on the following subject:
"What Czech beer means to me."
The winner will receive a week's stay for two in the Czech Republic and there are other attractive prizes for the runners-up.
The winning entry will be read on all six Radio Prague's different language broadcasts, in the original and in translations.
The winner and a partner will be accommodated in family style in the heart of Prague, at the Hotel Falkensteiner Maria Prag, while your flight will be courtesy of Czech Airlines - your travel partner to the Czech Republic.
Your entries should reach us by June 15th at the following address:
Radio Prague, Vinohradska 12, 12099, Prague 2, Czech Republic, or you can use our e-mail address [email protected]
