Souvenirs & Treasures
Legendary Sokol Marie Provazniková’s collection of medals and pins (Czech Union Sokol)
Provazniková’s service:
• Director of Sokol Women
• Founding member of International Gymnastics organization; Professor, Charles University
• Organizer of Gymnastics for women at 1948 Olympic Games
•Leadership role in Prague Slets
• Defected from 1948 Olympics & immigrated to US
• Served American Sokols after 1948
Medals won by Czech Sokol gymnasts in Paris in 1889
The words on the medal on the right of the photo indicate the values of “courage, patriotism and morality.” (Czech Union Sokol)
Below: trophy awarded to Václav Procházka for his contributions during the 1926 Slet (Czech Union Sokol). Top right: 1909 Slet pin, and a souvenir plate from Sokol USA’s 100-year anniversary. Bottom right: first place plaques for National Union Sokol 1914 Slet and 1921 American Sokol Slet.
Sokol in Berlin (1914): poster for a masquerade ball.
Emblem for a local Sokol club in Česke Budějovice, a town in Southern Bohemia.
Medal won in 1938 X All-Sokol Slet (Festival)
Note: the years of the previous Slets are indicated on the medal.
Left: 1908 emblem of Slovak Gymnastic Union (later Sokol USA); center: medal from 1948 All-Sokol Slet in Prague; right: souvenir medal from 2002 World Gymnastics Competitions (Czech Union Sokol).
Medals: 1901 All-sokol Slet, Prague (left) and a District Slet in Hlinsko, Czech Republic (right). Poster advertises the 1912 All-Sokol Slet, Prague.
Poster for 1932 Slet in Prague honoring the 100th anniversary of Miroslav Tyrš’ birth. Medal from the 1938 Slet (below) & two medals from the 1948 Slet.
Olympic Gold Medal awarded in memoriam to a Czech gymnast in 1948
Eliška Misáková was an outstanding member of the women’s Czechoslovak gymnastic team that won the team gold. Unable to compete, she died of polio on the day of the competition in a London hospital. She is the only athlete to receive an Olympic gold medal in memoriam (photo of her medal is from Archive Czech Television).
The photo of Eliška is from CS Wikipedia.org.
Her sister, Miloslava Misákova was also a member of the gold medal team.
Sokol Prague, the first Sokol club; Board of Directors, circa 1882
(Sokol founder, Miroslav Tyrš – back row, 5th from right)
Souvenirs from Prague All-Sokol Slets (Festivals)
1901 Slet poster featuring man with sword and falcon in flight
1912 Slet postcard with flags of participating countries
2000 Slet picture puzzle (Charles bridge)
All-Sokol Slets (Festivals) in Prague left to right: 1912 poster, 1920 postcard and 1932 poster.
Poster (right image) is an ad for the upcoming 1907 Slet in Prague showing Sokols pleading with St. Peter for sunny weather. The postcard (below) is from a travel agency inviting American Czechs to the 1912 All-Sokol Slet in Prague.
Sokol pins & medals
(Joan Sedlacek's collection) Heart with falcon and Sokol pin, a gift to US participants.
Glass (greetings from Prague) is pre-World War I.
Sokol souvenirs (reproductions of medals) featuring Sokol’s symbol – the falcon.
Items from Joan Sedlacek’s collection.
Sokol 1990 Slets: Vienna, Paris, Prague.
Decal from Czech Sokol 1990 in celebration of reestablishment of Sokol.
Metal box from 1932 Slet in Prague, and scarf from 1948 Slet in Prague.
All items are from Joan Sedlacek’s collection.
X (1938) All Sokol Slet in Prague Souvenirs noting American participation. The pin signifies American Sokol Organization participants; the flag indicates Sokol Berwyn’ participation (Joan Sedlacek’s collection).
Souvenir pin from International Sport and Culture associated with 2009 American Sokol Slet in Fort Worth, and a collection of busts of famous Czechs (From Jerry Milan’s collection).
From right to left: Sokol founder M. Tyrš; martyr-reformer Jan Hus; Sokol co-founder Jindrich Fügner; and 15th century war hero general Jan Žižka.
Items from Czech Union Sokol: coin from VIII All-Sokol Slet in 1926 with images of Sokol founders Tyrš and Fügner (below); figurines from a glass factory in Nový Bor, Czech Republic for the 2000 Slet (top right), and a souvenir cup from 1920 Slet and globe from 1948 Slet (bottom right).
A. Gold Sokol pin, circa 1900 (from Barbara and Donald Pulkrab). B. Medal from 1920 All-Sokol Slet in Prague. C. Porcelain doll from 1948 All-Sokol Slet in Prague (from Linda Malek).
A
B
C
Souvenir Plates from 1953 and 1977 American Sokol Slets
Flags of Sokol Prague
(photographs by Hana Rysová; provided by Czech National Museum and Archives)
Pre-teen girls
Josef Mánes’ flag designed for the 1862 establishment of Sokol Prague
Junior girls
Symbols of Czech Governments
Top left: Czech & Slovak Federative Republics 1990-1992 - State coat of arms & Presidential fag of the Republics. Bottom left: Flag of the President of the Czech Republic since 1993 with “Pravda Vítězí,” (truth triumphs), the moto of the Czech Republic, also used by Czech Sokols. Bottom right: Emblem of the Castle Guards since 1993. Images from Czech Archives (Czech Sovereigns and State’s Symbols, 2002).
Drawing of the seal of the Czech Crown, 1492 (left) and Great seal of the Czech Crown on a deed of 1620 with St. Wenceslas in the center (right). Images from Czech Archives (Czech Sovereigns and State’s Symbols, 2002).
Evolution of Sokol Uniforms
(photos from Czech Union Sokol)
Sokol performer’s uniforms for the 1912 Slet in Prague: Czech Sokols (left) & American Sokols (right).
Official women’s dress uniform in 1936.
Sokol Dress Uniforms in 1948 (photos from Czech Union Sokol)
Sokol Uniforms (Kroje) Since 1989
(from Časopis Sokol 2017, Czech Union Sokol)
100 Years of Sokol in the United States (1865-1965)
The first Sokol club in the US was formed on February 14, 1865, by three Czech immigrants. The stamp was issued on February 15, 1965, following the efforts of many American Sokols, led by Sokol historian, James Cihak. The medal honors 150 years of Sokol in America, celebrated in in 1990.
• Souvenir album from Slovak Sokol USA Slet, 1910 (below). The shield on the left shows the Tatra mountains and the Christian cross, symbols of Slovakia.
• The flyer (right) advertises a Sokol evening at Detroit’s Sokol Podlipný Hall in 1909.
Sokol Display at Czech & Slovak Educational & Cultural Museum in Omaha
Included are Henrietta Milan's paintings of Sokol Omaha trained Olympians Jim Hartung (left) and Phil Cahoy Jr. (right) , and Nebraska Gymnastic Coach Chuck Chmelka (middle). Photo by Janet Radish.
Ad in Amateur Athletic Federation Handbook (1929-1930)
American Sokol Gymnastic Team in Prague for the 1932 Slet with leader Jarka Jelinek (first from left in back row)
Men of Sokol Komensky, Chicago (circa about 1915-1920), and Women of Sokol Slavsky (circa 1916)
Photos from Jan Polz
Sokol Legends: Alois Hudec (left) and Marie Provazniková (right)
Portrait by S. Soucka
Renata Tyršová (1854-1934), wife of Miroslav Tyrš and daughter of Jindřich Fügner
Tyršová as a young women
Sokol Vyškov remembers Eliška Misákova member of 1948 Olympic Czechoslovak gold medal team who died from polio on the day of the competition
1926 All-Sokol Slet in Prague: 12,300 Junior Girls Performing a Drill with Rings
“A picture is worth a thousand words”
1948 Slet in Prague
Gymnasts in Motion: the Art of Milan Med (1930 - 2010)
Czech artist, Med, a Sokol member, has featured gymnasts in motion. His works have been published in gymnastic magazines and displayed in galleries. He also painted dancers and religious figures.
Photos provided by Jerry Milan
Art by Milan Med
Art by Milan Med
Art by Milan Med
Puppet Collection at Sokol Greater Cleveland Museum
Czech Theater in Sokols
Stage painted curtain in Sokol Štěpánovice (photo from Czech Union Sokol)
Czech Theater in Sokols
Stage backdrop in Sokol Beroun, circa 1936 (photo from Czech Union Sokol)
Czech Theater in Sokols
Stage painted curtain in Sokol Svratka (photo from Czech Union Sokol)
