The first Czech that stepped on the Australian soil in the 18th century was a botanist Tadeas Haenke. His research group was financed by the Austrian emperor Josef II. to find new plant types which no one in Europe had heard of yet. The first Czech that actually settled down in Australia was – now it’s not very flattering, so get ready – a convict Marek Blucher. Mr. Blucher was born in Prague in 1801, later left his homeland to find a better work in England. There he was arrested for stealing and shipped on the “island of convicts” – Australia. The Commonwealth census in 1921 counted 264 citizens of a Czech descend. The World War II brought in about 5,000 Czechoslovakians; most of them, however, had to sign a document that said that for the first 2 years they were to accept ANY kind of work offered to them. Even after their “slavery” time was up most of these people, especially the ones with university degrees, could not find other work. [click to continue…]
{ 5 comments }
Loading ...