17th November in the Czech Republic

17th November is the National Holiday in the Czech Republic. People stay at home and children do not go to school. That is why we celebrate it earlier at school. The programme is prepared by the students and the teachers themselves. It begins in the gym, where we can watch some dances and gymnastics. After this performance students can choose, some sports or music and drama. They can also draw pictures in the Art room or take part in the chemistry and physics laboratiories. This year there was also a new drama group. They played a fairy tale which they had written themselves and acted, too. No adults helped them. They were great. My younges students sang English songs in the Music room.

We celebrate 17th November to remember the year 1939 when Czech students took part in the funeral of one of them and they protested against German troops in Czechoslovakia. As the result of this demonstration, Czech Universities were closed for 6 years. A lot of Czech students were sent to concentration camps.


On 17th November 1989- Czech students protested against the Communist government and the polical situation in the country. They were stopped by the State police, but the whole nation wasn´t stopped and the Velvet revolution started. We have become free. Since that time we have been trying to live in democracy and we would never like to have the communist government back.