Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Czech Life
More than 20 years after the fall of communism, a welcome normality has descen-
ded on the Czech Republic. Seen from any measure - from what they value, how
they work, what they study or how they relax - Czechs are well within the
European mainstream. And that's not a bad thing. After a combined 50 years of
war and communism, the over-riding social goal after 1989 was to create - or re-
create - a prosperous, fully functioning democracy in the heart of Europe. In that,
they've happily succeeded.
Guest Workers by Country
Ukraine (118,000 est)
Slovakia (84,000)
Vietnam (60,000)
Russia (38,000)
A NATION OF CZECHS ... & VIETNAMESE?
Compared with western European countries such as Germany, France and the Nether-
lands, the Czech Republic remains relatively homogenous. According to the 2011
census, nearly 95% of people living here identify themselves as either Czech or
Moravian. (The figures mask the number of Roma in the country, estimated at some-
where between 200,000 and 300,000.) Of the rest, only about 2% are Slovaks, with
smaller numbers of Poles, Germans and Hungarians.
It wasn't always this way. Until the start of WWII, the territory of the Czech Repub-
lic was home to around 3 million ethnic Germans (about 30% of the total population at
the time). Many of those people were either killed in the war or forcibly expelled in the
months after.
While the communists were in power, priesthood and church attendance
were greatly discouraged. Priests were hounded by the secret service
(StB) and people who attended services were also persecuted. Priests
were ordained in secret and performed religious rites behind closed doors.
