Mailbox
Today in Mailbox: Efforts by Czech conservationists in Kenya, response to Czech Books featuring Tereza Boučková's 2008 novel "Rok kohouta", listening to Radio Prague in North America and Asia, answers to our January mystery person quiz question. Listeners quoted: Gregory Lagat, Todd S Schneider, Michael Smith, Soutik Hati, Abhirikshma Nandi, Hans Verner Lollike, Deblina Biswas, Mary Lou Krenek, Jayanta Chakrabarty, Jahangir Alam Manto.
This one is from our regular listener Gregory Lagat from Kenya:
“I listened to Daniela's Panorama program early this month where she admirably featured efforts by Jan Stejskal of the Dvůr Králové Zoo, Prague and the Ol Pejeta Ranch in Kenya, to save the Northern White Rhino from extinction.
“These conservationists are true heroes. With just 5 of these rhinos remaining in the world, you have to wonder what reason drives man to wipe out a species and fail to arrest a lifestyle which will - in all probability, wipe him out too in the future. Greed comes nowhere near describing it.”
Todd S Schneider tuned in to our broadcast in Canada:
“For reception reasons, I have been many years away from shortwave listening. However, this day I tuned into your broadcast over the World Radio Network Internet stream to North America. It was an absolute delight. The stories of Prague life (cafes, antique shops, etc.), and especially the letter from a journalist about press conferences, made me smile and laugh out loud! I must tune in again soon. Keep up the great work!”
Michael Smith from Kolín, Czech Republic, responds to an older edition of Czech Books, dedicated to Tereza Boučková’s autobiographical novel “Rok kohouta”, or The Year of the Rooster, describing the disintegration of the author’s family life with her two adopted sons:
“Not sure how you can call Boučková's The Year of the Rooster ‘a thought-provoking and provocative contribution to a complex debate’- your words in the closing paragraph. This statement insinuates that the debate is equally weighted and should be taken seriously by reasonable people. It's not. The anti-Roma sentiment in the Czech Republic and elsewhere in Europe is deeply rooted in racism, myth and superstition. There is no debate about this. There are not two sides to this argument and responsible journalism shouldn't present it as such. Boučková's book concerns a topic in which she has no formal training or education - at all. She may as well have written a book detailing her observations of the rotation of the planets. We could then at least assume bigotry wasn't infecting her thoughts. Her book is anecdotal at best. Pure ignorance and racism at its worst and holds zero scientific merit. More like ‘a misinformed and detrimental addition to an already misunderstood topic infused with racism, bigotry and more ignorance’.”
Soutik Hati writes from West Bengal:
“Dear Radio Prague, I've been listening you since 2008. I miss short wave broadcasts. Is there any possibility to restart short wave?”
Radio Prague ended shortwave broadcasting on January 31, 2011 as a result of budget cuts. However, listeners in North America can tune in to Radio Prague’s English and Spanish broadcasts on the frequency 9955 kHz via Radio Miami International and we welcome all other opportunities to rebroadcast our programmes. We do issue QSL cards to confirm reception reports regardless of the way you tune in to our broadcasts. In 2015 the brand new set features notable industrial monuments in the Czech Republic.
And now it’s time for your quiz answers. Abhirikshma Nandi from West Bengal sent us this:
Hans Verner Lollike from Denmark is one of our regular contributors:
“Josef Sousedík came from a poor family, but learned to be an electrician. He participated in World War I, and after the war he took part in the political process of forming a free Czechoslovakia, as well as finishing his studies at the technical school. He opened his own business that grew until it was hit by the great depression and merged with another company, where Mr. Sousedík became director. He was a keen inventor in the field of electricity and machinery. In political life he served his town as mayor for 2 terms. He was very involved in the anti-nazi resistance on the ‘western’ branch. On December 15th, 1944 he was shot during an interrogation by the Gestapo. As in many other East- and Central European countries resistance fighters not belonging to communist-controlled units were not recognized by the communist regimes. His recognition came only after 1989.”
Deblina Biswas writes from India:
“In 1933 he patented the design of an aircraft with vertical takeoff. This was a tremendous achievement on the part of Josef since there was no jet engine at that time. He was called the ‘Edison’ from Moravia. He was also admired as a prominent anti-nazi leader during the German invasion in Czechoslovakia during World War II. He burnt a large number of his own patents so that those could not be used for military purposes by the enemy.”
“He spent some difficult years in World War I on the Russian and Italian fronts. He was fighting in the Austria-Hungarian Army and participated in the battle of Slovakia in 1918. After the War, he volunteered for the defense of the young Czechoslovak Republic against Hungarian attacks.
“From the beginning of occupation, Sousedík was one of the anti-Nazi resistance leaders during World War II collaborating with the Clay Eva group and the 1st Czechoslovak Partisan Brigade of Jan Žižka. He was arrested in 1944 and was shot dead after a fight during an interrogation. Sousedík was decorated with the Valečný kříž honor in memoriam by Czechoslovak President Edward Beneš.”
This answer is from Jayanta Chakrabarty from India:
“Recognised as one of the doyens of Czechoslovakia's industrial history, Josef began his career as an electrical fitter in Brno. He proved to the world that despite being born with hurdles and disadvantages, a person can achieve his dreams through sheer grit and sincere endeavours. He was able to cultivate his technical qualifications while still being engaged in work to meet his financial needs. His initial business venture started with the establishment of a workshop of electrical engineering and machining using his patents and inventions in Vsetín-Trávníky employing some 200 workers. This developed into a factory which subsequently merged with the Ringhoffer-Tatra company.
“As a true patriot he volunteered to fight for the defence of the young Czechoslovak republic against Hungarian attacks. Josef never forgot to show his indebtedness to his place of birth. He actively engaged in the social, cultural and political milieu of Vsetín. During his two tenures as Mayor, his unique creativeness and ingenuity helped in the development of Vsetín as an important industrial, economic and cultural centre. His inherent instinct to defend his Motherland again came to the forefront during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia wherein he joined the anti-fascist resistance movement of the 1st Czechoslovak Partisan Brigade in spite of threats to his life.
“It was a sad day for Czechoslovakia when his patriotic activities were betrayed and he was shot dead by the occupation forces. Though he was decorated with the Válečný kříž Honour by the then Czechoslovak President Edvard Beneš, the communists ignored his merits due to his yearning for factory ownership and Western collaboration. He was, however, rehabilitated in November 1989 when voices of democracy were being raised. This outstanding Czech hero and industrial pioneer is credited with over 50 patents in the field of electrical and mechanical engineering, including the electrical rudder and electrical parts of the famed Tatra 68 Rail Motor Coach.”
“As an electrical engineer, I admire the man of this month. This famous Czech engineer, inventor and resistance fighter is well remembered in the fields of electrical and mechanical engineering as well as industrial development and high speed motor car industry.
“His most important achievements include submitting 58 patents in his country and 163 more abroad. His name is widely remembered for his contributions to DC machines, AC generators, squirrel cage induction motor, hybrid motor, electrical transmission gear, electric wheel motor for boats, motor rail road vehicles, electrical machinery for industrial use, 3 phase self-excited generator and synchronous motor with an automatic starter etc.
Thank you very much for your contributions and this month the lucky listener who will receive a Radio Prague prize is Abhirikshma Nandi from India. Congratulations! And here’s a brand new mystery person for the coming weeks.
This time we’d like to know the name of the Austrian expressionist painter, poet and playwright, born in 1886, whose father came from a famous Prague family of goldsmiths. To escape Nazism in Austria, our mystery man moved to Czechoslovakia in 1934 and stayed until 1938.
Your answers are keenly awaited at the usual address [email protected] by March 18. Until then, keep your feedback coming, by e-mail, on Facebook or via reception reports. Mailbox will be back again in four weeks’ time. Until then, happy listening!
