Quitting Bohemia: Discovering the 19th Century World that Created the Czech Diaspora

by Diana J Bigelow

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. While history books often fail to capture the reality of life in the countryside, parish vital records hold the history of a community from the perspective of its people. These records preserve the stories of all of the town’s residents, not just its leaders, but include the servant, the factory worker, the railroad man, the single mother, and the beggar. From meticulous research and statistical analyses of parish records with the life stories they contain, Diana Bigelow brings to life the traditions and turmoil of this evolving town set against the backdrop of national and international events. Quitting Bohemia describes the defining quality-of-life features of local institutions, health care challenges, and the ever-present difficulties of poverty. At the same time, social, economic, and political pressures are revealed, that for some, would eventually motivate abandonment of ancestral homes for the uncertainty of new futures in America. While Česká Třebová’s story offers one window into the wider world that created the Czech diaspora, this book also offers a toolbox of simple strategies and resources for family historians wishing to research the vital records from other Czech towns and villages, where their own familys' stories reside.

261 pages, Paperback

Published May 28, 2022

Reviews

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bigelow's book is a treasure for anyone wanting to read and understand more about the massive emigration of Europeans in the 19th century particularly those from the eastern part of Bohemia which is now part of the Czech Republic. The author focuses on one town, Česká Třebová, and using church and other records, documents what life was like there. She places ordinary life within historical context but also looks at culture, economic and religious trends. She has done a masterful job of researching the records and detailing what they mean. Bigelow also give the reader tools and suggestions for their own research. Quitting Bohemia may have a limited audience but for anyone with Czech ancestry, it will have special significance.