Be it its world-famous politicians, top-class sportsmen, Nobel Prize laureates or globally lauded writers and musicians, the Czech Republic boasts many famous natives who significantly contributed to their diverse fields. Here is a list of some of the world-known Czechs who have earned unparalleled name and an irreplaceable place in the country’s history. Charles IV …
Source: Famous People from the Czech Republic – Live & Study – Czech Universities
Opinion:
Today I’m not looking at a travel video but at a cross-section of a place not too many think about but which nevertheless has produced a considerable number of world-class figures in the arts and sciences. Quite impressive considering the size and population of this oft-overlooked locale.
Every Czech I have met has been uncommonly clever, maybe a bit secretive but also intensely interior. I have never met a loud, verbose Czech but instead have encountered somewhat mysterious, taciturn individuals who always seem to be either hinting at something deeply esoteric or just avoiding any kind of real discussion with negating words like “hopeless” or, on the plus side, “fine.”
In fact, I had one professor who no matter what you asked would almost always reply, “Fine” “It’s fine’ “I’m fine.”
S/he kept their speech so closely guarded that I never really could break through to them. Once when earnestly suggesting that s/he should talk more, s/he momentarily appeared uncomfortable and then paradoxically replied (again), “No, it’s fine.”
A real communicator, that one!
And this leads me to the other side of the Czech experience. That of criminality and corruption. Now, I am not saying that just because a Czech doesn’t want to talk means they are a crook. That would be a ridiculous assumption. However, I do think some have learned to be unusually secretive and selective because they were raised in such a tiny hotbed of crime and corruption.
If you are not a crook, someone you know might be. And they could hurt you if you talk.
Get the picture? Not exactly a rosy one.
Do you think I’m being harsh?
Well, let’s look at some news and academic stories gathered earlier today.
And here are a whole bunch more: https://earthpages.tumblr.com/tagged/czech
To je prozatím vše. Děkuju!
Earthpages.org 
Edit – I just changed the word “many” to “some” to better reflect my thinking on this topic.
However, I do think some have learned to be unusually secretive and selective because…
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