BOOKS
Quitting Bohemia:
Discovering the 19th Century World That Created the Czech Diaspora
Quitting Bohemia explores the 19th century world of the Czech peasantry during a time of industrialization, political revolution, and global pandemics, all through the lens of Česká Třebová, a rural crafts town in a region that became a hotspot of emigration. Drawing heavily on parish vital records and other contemporary sources of local history, the traditions and turmoil of this evolving town are set against the backdrop of national and international events. This book also offers a toolbox of simple strategies and resources for family historians wishing to research vital records from other Czech towns and villages, where their own family stories reside.
Tales from the Czech Archives:
The Way from Česká Třebová to Iowa
When a married couple, the parents of five young children, turn their backs on friends, family, and the community their family called home for centuries, something has gone seriously wrong. Follow the events leading up to the Spring of 1855 when Josef Hrdlička, his wife Terezie, and their children depart their East Bohemian town of Česká Třebová bound for the Iowa prairies. New information now available from the Czech archives reveals the story of this family, their neighbors and the tumultuous history of this little corner of the Austrian Empire during a time of dramatic transformation.