Bohemian Citizens' Benevolent Society
Encyclopedia
The Bohemian Citizens' Benevolent Society is a private benevolent society
founded in 1892 in Astoria, Queens
to support Czech and Slovak
immigrants to the area, as well as people of Czech and Slovak ancestry. The Society is commonly known as "Bohemian Hall", for the historic structure (NRHP) in which it is located.
in which the Czech culture may be taught and blended with American traditions and culture which makes the people better Americans. The organization has an annual revenue of 1,000,000 and employs a staff of approximately 14. The president of the organization is Oldrich Holobar.
. There are old signs and flags from the Czech Republic inside the bar. There are beers from the Czech Republic and Slovakia like Golden Pheasant
, Brou-czech, Pilsner Urquell
, Krušovice, Czechvar, and Staropramen
. Most of the workers speak Czech
and English
. Most of the regular people that are there are middle-aged and elderly immigrants. The Hall hosts holiday parties, ethnic festivals, local jazz groups, Czech rock bands, and touring acts. The Bohemian Hall hosts the annual Czech and Slovak festival. The hall also has a Sokol
club and a Czech school. The Bohemian Hall keeps the people linked, visually and materially, to the past.
, was so moved by the outcome of the meeting that when he stopped by in 2000 he stayed for hours and held a conference.
Friendly society
A friendly society is a mutual association for insurance, pensions or savings and loan-like purposes, or cooperative banking. It is a mutual organization or benefit society composed of a body of people who join together for a common financial or social purpose...
founded in 1892 in Astoria, Queens
Astoria, Queens
Astoria is a neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. Located in Community Board 1, Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Sunnyside , and Woodside...
to support Czech and Slovak
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
immigrants to the area, as well as people of Czech and Slovak ancestry. The Society is commonly known as "Bohemian Hall", for the historic structure (NRHP) in which it is located.
Description
The founders of the organization said that the purpose of the society is to encourage, support, and maintain Bohemian schools, dramatics, and libraries for Czech children and children of Czech heritage; to maintain a non-profit-making home social for Czechs and people of Czech ancestryCzech American
Czech Americans are citizens of the United States who were born in, or who descended from, the territory of the historic Czech lands, , or succession states, now known as the Czech Republic...
in which the Czech culture may be taught and blended with American traditions and culture which makes the people better Americans. The organization has an annual revenue of 1,000,000 and employs a staff of approximately 14. The president of the organization is Oldrich Holobar.
Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden
The Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden has a big indoor and outdoor bar complex. The bar complex can hold 800 people and is open year-round. Food that the bar serves is Czech specialties. There is a lime tree that was planted by Václav HavelVáclav Havel
Václav Havel is a Czech playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and politician. He was the tenth and last President of Czechoslovakia and the first President of the Czech Republic . He has written over twenty plays and numerous non-fiction works, translated internationally...
. There are old signs and flags from the Czech Republic inside the bar. There are beers from the Czech Republic and Slovakia like Golden Pheasant
Golden Pheasant
The Golden Pheasant or "Chinese Pheasant", is a gamebird of the order Galliformes and the family Phasianidae...
, Brou-czech, Pilsner Urquell
Pilsner Urquell
Plzeňský Prazdroj , known better by its German name Pilsner Urquell , is a bottom-fermented beer produced since 1842 in Pilsen, part of today's Czech Republic. Pilsner Urquell was the first pilsner beer in the world...
, Krušovice, Czechvar, and Staropramen
Staropramen
Staropramen Brewery is the second largest brewery in the Czech Republic, situated in the Smíchov district of Prague. It was founded in 1869 and the brand name Staropramen, literally meaning “old spring,” was registered in 1911...
. Most of the workers speak Czech
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Most of the regular people that are there are middle-aged and elderly immigrants. The Hall hosts holiday parties, ethnic festivals, local jazz groups, Czech rock bands, and touring acts. The Bohemian Hall hosts the annual Czech and Slovak festival. The hall also has a Sokol
Sokol
The Sokol movement is a youth sport movement and gymnastics organization first founded in Czech region of Austria-Hungary, Prague, in 1862 by Miroslav Tyrš and Jindřich Fügner...
club and a Czech school. The Bohemian Hall keeps the people linked, visually and materially, to the past.
Closure
Revenue was so low in the early 1990s that the hall threatened to close. A large group of people, not all Czech, started a "Save the Hall" meeting. Václav Havel, the former president of CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, was so moved by the outcome of the meeting that when he stopped by in 2000 he stayed for hours and held a conference.