A cultural history of Bohemia details the rise of a Czech national identity and the major role the area played as a crossroads of Europe, with an importance often overlooked because the region was only a part of a larger political entit Presents a comprehensive history of the Czech people that is a remarkably original history of modern Europe. This book describes how Bohemia's ambiguities and contradictions are those of Europe itself, and it considers the ironies of viewing Europe, the West, and modernity from the vantage point of a country that has been too often ignored. List of Maps and Illustrations ix Acknowledgements xiii A Note on Czech Pronunciation xvii Bearings 5(13) The Company of Our Great Minds 18(11) A Great Artist and a Great Czech 18(4) The End of Culture 22(3) Faithful We Shall Remain 25(4) Materials of Memory 29(24) The Crown of Saint Wenceslas 29(6) Against All 35(7) Three Hundred Years We Suffered 42(11) Rebirth 53(29) The Count's National Theater 53(9) Enlightenment 62(7) Home Cooking 69(13) Mirrors of Identity 82(72) A Burghers' Banquet 82(6) The Affordable National Library 88(10) Little Golden Chapel on the Vltava 98(9) A Cathedral and a Fortress 107(11) A Procession of Servant Girls 118(9) Palacky's Looking-Glass 127(14) A Discovery in Dvur Kralove 141(6) Memories of Ivancice 147(7) Modernisms and Modernities 154(67) Futurist Manifestos 154(9) Guten Tag und auf Wiedersehen 163(13) The Completion of Saint Vitus's 176(8) New Hussite Armies 184(11) The International Style 195(13) Emily Comes in a Dream 208(13) Eternal Returns 221(28) The Art of Remaining Standing 221(6) Grave Far Away 227(10) Bila hora Redressed---Again 237(12) Future Perfect 249(74) Neither the Swan nor the Moon 249(8) Prayer for Marta 257(13) The Lineup for Meat 270(12) In the Land Where Tomorrow Already Means Yesterday 282(12) Father Ales and Old Mr. Jirasek 294(9) Children's Eyes and Fiery Tongues 303(10) Love Is at Work It Is Tireless 313(10) Notes 323(62) Sources 385(30) Index 415