In this new episode of Czechast, host Vít Pohanka meets Jean Svoboda and her partner Richard in person for the first time. Jean, an Australian with Czech and Latvian roots, is back in Czechia to continue piecing together her family history. Richard, who had never been to Europe before their first trip, joins her again and shares what this journey has meant to him. Together, they reflect on identity, heritage, and the enduring pull of ancestral memory.

In this special episode of Czechast, long-time host Vít Pohanka becomes the guest. Interviewed by his colleague Danny Bate, he reflects on the complicated Czech relationship with Russia—from wartime liberation to post-Soviet tensions and today’s polarized opinions. Drawing on personal memories and historical milestones, Pohanka unpacks how deep emotions, nostalgia, and geopolitical shifts continue to shape public opinion. The conversation explores what it means to remember, to forget, and to rethink a relationship marked by both admiration and anxiety.

In a new episode, Czechast speaks to Jan Trčka, a Czech citizen who left his civilian life behind to fight in Ukraine. In a wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation, Trčka explains his motivations, battlefield experiences, and the moral clarity that drives his commitment.

In May 1945, World War II came to an end in Czechoslovakia with scenes of liberation and chaos. While most of western Bohemia was freed by the American army under General George S. Patton, Soviet forces took control of Prague and much of the rest of the country.

Celtic symbols and festivals remain surprisingly popular in Czechia. But how much did 19th-century historians really know about the ancient Boii who once lived here? František Palacký’s classic history offers a revealing glimpse into early efforts to understand the region’s pre-Slavic past.

This Czechast special features the winners of the 2025 Czexpats in Science Award. These outstanding researchers have worked at top institutions around the world. Now they’re bringing their expertise back to Czechia—and helping shape the future of Czech science.

What does it mean to represent Czech culture in one of the most diverse and dynamic cities in the world? Tereza Porybná brings Czech culture to life in New York — through bold programming, unexpected encounters, and a deep belief in creative dialogue.

Once the industrial powerhouse of Czechoslovakia, Ostrava is reinventing itself. In the latest episode of Czechast, geographer Jan Hradecký from Ostrava University shares how the city is embracing its industrial heritage while reconnecting with nature.

Born in France, Constantin Kinský studied there, and made a successful career in international finance. But when communism fell in Central and Eastern Europe, Constantin Kinský came back. With his late father, he returned to the family's ancestral estate in Žďár nad Sázavou — my very own hometown — and set about reclaiming not just a chateau, but a legacy.

Czechast with Jaromír Marek, journalist and author who produced a TV documentary and a whole book about a story that takes us far from Central Europe—deep into the heart of Soviet Central Asia, to what is today Kyrgyzstan.