Josef Falta, Czech Heritage Papers
Title: Josef Falta, Czech Heritage
Papers
Creator: Falta, Josef, 1895-1973
Dates: 1941-1973
Quantity: 20
boxes (8.3 linear feet)
Collection Number: MS
0120
Language: English, Czech
Restrictions: None
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archives@unl.edu.
Historical Records Statement: Please see our statement on historical records and materials.
Preferred Citation: Josef Falta, Czech Heritage Papers (MS 0120). Archives & Special Collections, University
of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries.
Biography:
Josef Falta was born 17 October 1895 at Zelezny Brod (Czech Republic). In 1919 he volunteered
to serve in the Czechoslovak Army during the invasion of the communist Béla Kun in
Slovakia. When the fighting was over, Falta joined the Social Democratic Party and wrote for SDP
newspapers.
From 1927 to 1931 he served as a chief editor of Ruch, published
at Brno. Between 1921 and 1935 Falta worked as the parliamentary editor of the daily Pravo Lidu. From 1935 until 1939, he served as secretary to Frantisek
Soukup, the president of the Czechoslovak Senate. In 1939, Falta fled to the U.S. and settled in
Chicago, Illinois, in 1941. During WWII he did weekly broadcasts for the radio station WEDC.
Falta also worked for the Czechoslovak Information Service and the Czechoslovak American
National Council. From 1945 to 1948 he edited the monthly Svobodne
Ceskoslovensko published by the Czech National Committee. From 1951 to 1970 he edited
the Czech daily Denni Hlasatel published in Chicago. Josef Falta
died on 9 June 1973.
Scope and Content:
The collection consists of the papers of Josef Falta, including correspondence, diaries and
appointment books, manuscripts, and radio commentaries. The majority of the collection consists
of scripts of radio commentaries broadcast at WEDC in Chicago between 1941 and 1973.
Subjects:
Benes, Vojta -- Correspondence
Falta, Josef, 1895-1973 -- Archives
Papanek, Jan, 1896-1991 -- Correspondence
Taborsky, Edvard -- Correspondence
Zenkl, Petr -- Correspondence
Czechoslovak-Americans -- Archives
Radio broadcasting -- Illinois -- Chicago -- History
Radio broadcasting -- Political aspects
WEDC (Radio station: Chicago, IL) -- History
Series Description:
Series 1: Correspondence, Box 1-2This series contains correspondence between Josef Falta and friends and family in
Czechoslovakia and the U.S. The series also includes correspondence with Jan Papanek and Petr
Zenkl, and with organizations such as Voice of America and the United Council of Czechoslovak
Legionnaires.
Series 2: Diaries and Appointment Books, Box 3This series consists of diaries, appointment books and desk calendars showing Falta's daily
schedules and observations. This series covers the years 1940 to 1948 and 1952.
Series 3: Manuscripts, Box 3There is one folder of manuscripts by various authors. Most of the items are in Czech and
many have corrections and notes added to them, possibly by Falta.
Series 4: Radio Commentaries, Box 3-20This series consists of Falta's radio commentary scripts. The commentaries cover the years
1941 to 1973 with some gaps between 1958 and 1971. The scripts are written almost exclusively
in Czech.
Container List:
Series 1: CorrespondenceBox 1. Folder 1. Correspondence, Ansorg, 1946-1948, 1971Mainly personal correspondence to and from Falta about his son and requests for help and
advice.
Box 1. Folder 2. Benes, K.J., Ervina Brokesova, 1945-1948Apart from some personal matters, the correspondence covers reflections on the politcal
situation in Czechoslovakia, Benes' experience in a concentration camp during WWII, and
Benes's and Falta's literary works. Includes various information on Czechoslovak politics and
on the Czechoslovak Socialist parties during the years 1945-1948.
Box 1. Folder 3. Benes, Vojta, 1949-1950Subjects include quarrels among the U.S. emigrants and personal matters.
Box 1. Folder 4. Brod, Z., 1948-1949Mostly personal correspondence, such as letters of congratulations on completing
dissertation.
Box 1. Folder 5. Bruegel, J. W., 1970Correspondence on social democrats and their publications.
Box 1. Folder 6. Bures, J. and M., 1970Correspondence about the journey of Mrs. Buresova to Czechoslovakia
Box 1. Folder 7. Cada, Josef, 1950Two letters on the publication of "Masarykuv Pamatnik."
Box 1. Folder 8. Department of State, Voice of America, 1944-1945, 1950Various personal documents, curriculum, and resumes, an application for naturalization, and
an application to Voice of America. There are articles on F. Soukup and about J. Falta on his
75th birthday in Denni Hlasatel. In English and in Czech.
Box 1. Folder 9. Digrinova, Dagmar, 1946-1950Extensive personal correspondence mainly on Falta's son, including some reflections on
political and cultural life in Czechoslovakia.
Box 1. Folder 10. Dundr, Vojtech, 1947-1948Reflections on the political situation in Czechoslovakia and on Social Democrats, such as
who was killed during WWII.
Box 1. Folder 11. Elk, 1946Three letters between Falta and publishing company ELK on editing Falta's books.
Box 1. Folder 12. Falta, Stanislav, 1945-1950Personal correspondance with Falta's son.
Box 1. Folder 13. Falta, JirinaPersonal correspondance.
Box 1. Folder 14. Falta, Eva a Lida, 1961-1973Personal correspondance with family in Czechoslovakia.
Box 1. Folder 15. Fedar, A., 1946Correspondence in German.
Box 1. Folder 16. Firt, Julius, 1949On radio broadcasting.
Box 1. Folder 17. Holmerg, R., 1948Correspondance with Holmerg, a Danish merchant who visited Prague. Topics include Falta's
son, his plans after the communist putsch, and reflections on situation in Czechoslovakia.
Box 1. Folder 18. Hrachovska, 1946Two letters on post-war Czechoslovakia and on Falta's son.
Box 1. Folder 19. Jirakova, J. and B., 1949-1950Personal correspondence on political issues and quarrels in exile.
Box 1. Folder 20. Kerner, M., 1950Correspondence on lectures and the Social Democrat Party.
Box 1. Folder 21. Klatil, M. F., 1950, 1970, 1972Topics include internal quarrels between Czechoslovak exiles in the U.S.
Box 1. Folder 22. Klika, Bozena, 1947-1949Topics include cultural and political life in Czechoslovakia, information on friends, and
Falta's son.
Box 1. Folder 23. Kolaja, Jiri, 1947-1950Personal issues and Falta's work.
Box 1. Folder 24. Kopecky, Alois, 1949-1950Correspondence regarding emigrant activities in Chicago, such as meetings and clubs.
Box 1. Folder 25. Kralik, J. and L., 1970-1973Correspondence on personal and family issues
Box 1. Folder 26. Kulka, Ervin, 1950Information on the "Third Resistance," such as the "New Yorske listy" and Dr. Papanek.
Box 2. Folder 1. Libricka, Helena, 1969-1972Correspondence on personal and family issues.
Box 2. Folder 2. Libricka, Marie, 1946-1966Reflections on WWII and post-war political and social situation in Czechoslovakia and the
U.S. and personal and family issues. Photographs.
Box 2. Folder 3. Libricky, Hynek and Olga, 1946-1949Correspondence with members of Falta's family on personal issues.
Box 2. Folder 4. Libricka, Joska and Pavla, 1946-1972Personal correspondence with family in Czechoslovakia.
Box 2. Folder 5. Mansfeld, Ludvik, 1968-1970Correspondence on Falta's family and the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia.
Box 2. Folder 6. Mautnerova, M., 1968-1970Topics include the assassination of Martin Luther King and problems of African
Americans.
Box 2. Folder 7. Medilek, Arnost, 1968-1970Personal information on friends and Falta's life. Photographs.
Box 2. Folder 8. Miller, Ludvik, 1948Three letters between Miller, the director of "New Yorské listy."
Box 2. Folder 9. Myzet, Rudolph, 1947-1949Correspondence on publishing Falta's book.
Box 2. Folder 10. Novotna, J., 1948-1949Personal correspondence.
Box 2. Folder 11. Papanek, Jan, 1950-1971Topics include Falta's professional career, his activities relating to exile institutions,
and quarrels among emigrants in Chicago in the 1950s.
Box 2. Folder 12. Pejskar, Josef, 1957Two letters on an article.
Box 2. Folder 13. Peroutka, Ferdinand, 1950Correspondence on potential cooperation of Falta with Radio Free Europe and some personal
information on Falta.
Box 2. Folder 14. Redlich family, 1947-1950Several letters dealing with post-war society in Czechoslovakia, mostly in German, and
information on people from the Social Democrat Party.
Box 2. Folder 15. Schimmerl, Martha, 1946-1950Correspondence in German.
Box 2. Folder 16. Swarz, Johann, 1950Three letters on the refugees in Innsbruck, regarding the supply of books and manuals.
Box 2. Folder 17. Sedlak, Mirko, 1949-1950Correspondence about radio broadcasting in Chicago, lectures on Czechoslovak issues,
quarrels in exile.
Box 2. Folder 18. Spackova, 1967-1971Personal correspondence.
Box 2. Folder 19. Steinbach, K., 1967, 1970Personal correspondence.
Box 2. Folder 20. Stolfa, L., 1950Reflections on American courts and judical system.
Box 2. Folder 21. Taborsky, Edvard, 1949-1950, 1957Correspondence on the American Fund For Czechoslovak refugees, an invitation to join the
club, and Falta's activities in Chicago.
Box 2. Folder 22. Traub, George, 1971-1972Correspondence on friends and Jews in Czechoslovakia and an article in "Leaflet of Jewish religious villages in Czechoslovakia" about
journalist Max Poper.
Box 2. Folder 23. Tvrzicka, Anna, 1946-1950Commentaries on exile periodicals such as Reflektor.
Box 2. Folder 24. United Council of Czechoslovak Legionnaires, 1951Two letters on Falta and financing the publication of a book on the occasion of T.G.
Masaryk's anniversary.
Box 2. Folder 25. Vares, G. and L., 1946-1971Personal correspondence on exile experiences in the U.S., such as new jobs, housing, the
first Czechoslovak pub in Los Angeles, and information about books dealing with Czech
issues.
Box 2. Folder 26. Vogel, Richard, 1945-1950Correspondence on Falta's works, social conditions, and letters of condolence.
Box 2. Folder 27. Zaruba, Quido and Vera, 1948, 1973Personal correspondence covering the wedding of Falta's son.
Box 2. Folder 28. Zenkl, Petr, 1949-1964Radio broadcasts on internal quarrels of Czechoslovak exiles, institutions, and
organizations, Falta's jobs and financial troubles, and differences between emigrants after
1948 and old "country men."
Box 2. Folder 29. Correspondence, short letters, 1945-1972
Box 2. Folder 30. Correspondence, unidentified, 1942-1972
Series 2: Diaries and Appointment BooksBox 3. Folder 1. Diaries, 1940-1943Expenses and short notes on daily plans, and descriptions of daily activities.
Box 3. Folder 2. Diaries, 1944-1945Detailed description of expenses and activities.
Box 3. Folder 3. Diaries, 1946-1948Descriptions of daily activities and expenses. One includes a photograph of Falta's
wife.
Box 3. Folder 4. Diaries, 1952, undatedContain few notes, some hard to read.
Series 3: ManuscriptsBox 3. Folder 5. Manuscripts, by various authorsArticles and essays on topics such as cultural exchange with Czechoslovakia by A. Salamoun,
"Contribution of Czech Jews to Czech Cult and Political
Life" by Dr. Kamil Neuman, and an article on Czech writer Karel Capek.
Series 4: Radio CommentariesBox 3. Folder 6. Radio commentaries, 1947-1950, 1964, 1965, 1967Commentary on international politics, Vietnam, and Cuba.
Box 4. Folder 1. Radio commentaries, 1941Day-to-day information on the war activities.
Box 4. Folder 2. Radio commentaries, 1941-1942Information on repression and international issues.
Box 4. Folder 3. Radio commentaries, 1942Day-to-day commentary on Bohemia, Moravia, and international issues.
Box 4. Folder 4. Radio commentaries, 1943Radio commentaries on international issues.
Box 5. Folder 1. Radio commentaries, 1943Information on international news, Czechoslovakia resistance, and political activities.
Box 5. Folder 2. Radio commentaries, 1944Information on world events.
Box 5. Folder 3. Radio commentaries, 1944Day-to-day international news, with a focus on Czechoslovakia.
Box 6. Folder 1. Radio commentaries, 1945Commentaries on post-war Europe, war crime trials, Czechoslovakia, and East Asia.
Box 6. Folder 2. Radio commentaries, 1945Commentaries on war criminals trials and post-war Czechoslovakia.
Box 6. Folder 3. Radio commentaries, 1946Information on post-war Czechoslovakia and U.S., specifically on Czech economics, politics,
and elections.
Box 7. Folder 1. Radio commentaries, news, 1946Commentary on China, East Asia, Europe, and U.S. political and social issues, the Nuremberg
trials, Czechoslovakia elections, economical troubles, the Yalta Conference, and the Peace
Conference.
Box 7. Folder 2. Radio commentaries, news, 1947Information on Nazi trials and collaborators, Czechoslovakia, U.S. domestic politics, and
global political issues.
Box 7. Folder 3. Radio commentaries, "News on Parade," 1947Information on Nazi trials, Czechoslovakia, U.S. domestic politics, and international
political issues.
Box 8. Folder 1. Radio commentaries, news, 1948Information on Czechoslovakia government and domestic politics, U.S. domestic affairs, the
U.S.S.R., and the Coup d'Etat of 1948.
Box 8. Folder 2. Radio commentaries, "News on Parade," 1948Information on attitudes toward Czechoslovakia.
Box 8. Folder 3. Radio commentaries, news, 1949Topics related to Czechoslovakia political trials, political leaders, reforms, and U.S.
domestic affairs.
Box 9. Folder 1. Radio commentaries, "News on Parade," 1949Includes commentaries on communist Czechoslovakia, the Cold War, and international events
related to the Near East, East Asia, and Germany.
Box 9. Folder 2. Radio commentaries, news, 1950Information on Czechoslovakia, political trials, armament in Eastern and Western blocks,
and Korea.
Box 9. Folder 3. Radio commentaries, " News on Parade," 1950, Sept-Dec.News from Czechoslovakia and from Czechoslovak emigrant groups.
Box 10. Folder 1. Radio commentaries, "News on Parade," 1950Information on U.S. domestic policy, espionage, Czechoslovakia, the U.S.S.R., the United
Nations, and the Cold War.
Box 10. Folder 2. Radio commentaries, news, 1950Day-to-day news on Czechoslovakia, the U.S., Korea, Nazi-related trials, and atomic
bombs.
Box 10. Folder 3. Radio commentaries, "News on Parade," 1951General commentaries.
Box 11. Folder 1. Radio commentaries, 1951, Jan.-JuneInformation on the District Committee of the Czechoslovakia National Council in America,
Czech traditions, culture, life stories, and famous Czechs authors.
Box 11. Folder 2. Radio commentaries, 1951, July-Aug.On Czechoslovak cutural issues.
Box 11. Folder 3. Radio commentaries,"News on Parade," 1952Information on U.S. domestic politics, presidential election, and relations with the
U.S.S.R.
Box 12. Folder 1. Radio commentaries, news, 1952Topics include the armistice in Korea and the United Nations.
Box 12. Folder 2. Radio commentaries, 1952, Jan.-JuneInformation on Czechoslovakia, culture, activities of Czechoslovak emigrants, and the
District Committee of the Czechoslovakia National Council in America.
Box 12. Folder 3. Radio commentaries, 1952, July-Dec.Information on Czechoslovakia, culture, and activities of Czechoslovak emigrants.
Box 13. Folder 1. Radio commentaries, news, 1953Topics include Korea, Czechoslovakia, domestic U.S. politics, and international
espionage.
Box 13. Folder 2. Radio commentaries, 1953, Jan.-JuneIncludes political and cultural information on Czechoslovakia and Czechoslovak emigrants,
schools, factories, economic, social and political issues, and the District Committee of the
Czechoslovakia National Council in America.
Box 13. Folder 3. Radio commentaries, 1953, July-Dec.Information on Czechoslovakia and Czechoslovak emigrants, including schools, factories, and
economic and cultural issues.
Box 14. Folder 1. Radio commentaries, "News on Parade," 1945-1953Commentaries on U.S. domestic politics, Czechoslovakia relations, the Soviet Union, and
Stalin's death.
Box 14. Folder 2. Radio commentaries, news, 1945-1953Handwritten volumes on international news, particularly related to Western Europe and
Russia.
Box 14. Folder 3. Radio programs, 1954Commentaries on emigrant groups, associations, and activities, and the District Committee
of the Czechoslovak National Council in America.
Box 15. Folder 1. Radio commentaries, news, 1954Commentary on Czechoslovak government, the Korean war, U.S. foreign policy, U.S.S.R.
foreign and domestic policy, and other international political news.
Box 15. Folder 2. Radio commentaries, "News on Parade," 1954Information on U.S. domestic policy and Czechoslovak emigrant life and events.
Box 15. Folder 3. Radio commentaries, news, 1955News on U.S. domestic policy, China and East Asia, Vietnam, and Hungary.
Box 16. Folder 1. Radio commentaries, "News on Parade," 1955Commentaries on the Geneva Conference, U.S. domestic policy, the Iron Curtain, particularly
in Czechoslovakia, and the Czechoslovak position in the Soviet block.
Box 16. Folder 2. Radio commentaries, 1955District Committee of the Czechoslovak National Council in America information,
commentaries on the life of Czechoslovak emigrants and associations in the U.S., cultural
events, and the U.S.S.R.
Box 16. Folder 3. Radio commentaries, "News on Parade," 1956Commentaries on U.S.S.R. foreign policy and influence, quarrels in the Near East (Israel),
and U.S. elections and foreign policy.
Box 17. Folder 1. Radio commentaries, news, 1956Information on politics in East Asia, Egypt, Israel, U.S.S.R. internal and international
affairs, and U.S. domestic and international affairs.
Box 17. Folder 2. Radio commentaries, 1956District Committee of the Czechoslovak National Council in America information, weekly
report on activities of emigrant associations, U.S. affairs, and Czechoslovakia.
Box 17. Folder 3. Radio commentaries, 1957District Committee of the Czechoslovak National Council in America information, U.S.
affairs, and Czechoslovakia.
Box 18. Folder 1. Radio commentaries, "News on Parade," 1957Weekly news on U.S. domestic policy, and reflections on world politics.
Box 18. Folder 2. Radio commentaries, news, 1957Day-to-day news on the Middle East, Asia, Czechoslovakia, and the U.S.
Box 18. Folder 3. Radio commentaries, 1958District Committee of the Czechoslovak National Council in America information, news and
commentaries on emigrants and their activities, and reflections on Czechoslovakia under the
Communist regime.
Box 19. Folder 1. Radio commentaries, news, 1958Day-to-day news focused on political events and international politics such as Near East,
East Asia, and Czechoslovakia.
Box 19. Folder 2. Radio commentaries, "News on Parade," 1958On various political issues.
Box 20. Folder 1. Radio commentaries, news, newspaper articles, 1971Political news on the Near and Middle East, U.S. domestic politics, Vietnam, repression in
Czechoslovakia, the U.S. and Soviet relations.
Box 20. Folder 2. Radio commentaries, news, 1972Political issues relating to Pakistan, China, Northern Ireland, Vietnam, Israel and the
Middle East, and U.S. domestic and foreign policy.
Box 20. Folder 3. Radio commentaries, news, newspaper articles, 1973Commentaries titled "Free village" ("Svobodna obec") about the U.S.
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