1936 On the Continent

(tzo).
    nic—nothing (nitz).
    jak—how (yak).
    bo—because (boh).
    i—and (short i).
    w—in (v).
    z—with, or from.
    o—about.
    od—from (someone).
    do—to (someone or somewhere).
    pod—under.
    nad—above.
    bez—without.
    poco—why (potzo, what for).
    dlaczego—why (dlachegoh).
    czemu—why (chemoo).
    kto—who.
    kiedy—when (kyedy).
    gdzie—where (gdzyeh).
    skd—where from (skond).
    dokad—where to (dokond).
    dla—for (dlah).
    ale—but (aleh).
    albo—or.
    nawet—even (nahvet).
    bardzo—very (bardzoh).
    raz—once.
    nigdy—never.
    zawsze—always (zavshe).
    moe—perhaps (mojeh).
    Pocig—train (potziong).
    osobowy—passenger train (slow) (osobovy).
    póspieszny—express train (pospieshny).
    pierwsza klasa—first class (see numericals).
    odjazd—departure (odyazd).
    przyjazd—arrival (pshy-yazd).
    przesiadanie—changing of trains (pshesyadanyeh).
    tragarz—porter (tragash).
    póczekalnia—waiting room (pochekalnyah).
    Wolny—vacant (volny).

CZECHOSLOVAKIA
by
FRANTIŠEK LANGER
    TABLE OF CONTENTS

CZECHOSLOVAKIA
    I F you look at the map of Europe you will see that Czechoslovakia occupies an oblong area almost in the very centre. Its population is about 15,000,000. It formed a thoroughfare for the nations ranging through Europe at the time of the migration of the Gauls, Germans and other peoples, before the Slavs ever entered it. It acted as a barrier to the Germans when they Germanised the Slav tribes who had settled along the Elbe in what is now Germany, and it bore the brunt of the last raids of the Avars, Tartars and Turks into Western Europe. Much later, a great German statesman made this noteworthy remark: “He who is master of Bohemia is master of Europe,” and this holds good to-day.
A Democratic Country
    To-day the whole of Czechoslovakia is at peace and dominated by the desire to keep the peace. This desire naturally makes itself felt in the internal conditions of the Republic, which was established on strictly democratic principles, the patterns for which it found in the old Anglo-Saxon forms of democracy. It has developed peaceably without any of those violent upheavals which have been witnessed in some of the neighbouring countries. For this reason it has not provided many sensational news items for the papers. But countries are like women, the best are those which are least talked about.
    Let us return to the map. From it you will see that from west to east the Czechoslovak Republic is nearly as long as Italy is from north to south. Later on you will see what features of interest this situation offers the tourist. It will simplify matters if I add that the whole country is divided up into several provinces which are geographically and historically distinct. The most western part consists of Bohemia, with its capital Prague, which is the metropolis of the Republic. More to the east lies Moravia, which is the centre of the Republic. Its capital is Brno. The part of Silesia which belongs to Czechoslovakia is incorporated with Moravia for administrative purposes. The eastern part of the Republic consists of Slovakia with its capitalBratislava on the Danube, while the territory to the extreme east is known as Carpathian Ruthenia, the capital of which is Užhorod.
    When you read the history of a country, do you skip any pages? I hope that you will not do so now if I promise not to write any history with dates and the names of kings which caused you so much trouble when you were at school. Moreover, I will sum up the history of Czechoslovakia in a few lines which, however, will suffice to show you that the story of the country which you intend to visit resembles an amazing drama which lasted for a thousand years.
A Little History
    From this you will see that present-day Czechoslovakia is not a new country. Seven hundred years ago it was the key-country of the Holy Roman Empire, of which in the following centuries it became and long remained the chief part; it possessed the first university in Central Europe; it had a courageous blind king, whose three plumes were taken from his helmet when he fell in the Battle of Cressy and adopted by the Prince of Wales as his badge. The son of this king was the wise Emperor Karl, who made his realm one of the richest and most powerful states in Europe. Buildings which he constructed are still left to remind us of his era. Here ends the first act of the drama. This prelude, full of splendour and glory, is followed by the second act.
    A nation