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Photo: Moravian Museum in Brno
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Exhibition "Christmas Tree of the Republic" in Ringsted

A panel exhibition “Christmas Tree of the Republic – A Journey from Denmark to Czechoslovakia” was opened on 5 November 2019 in Ringsted Museum and Archives.

Contemporary Czech tradition of lavishly decorated and festively-lit Christmas trees was inspired by a public charitable Christmas tree in Copenhagen. The first Czechoslovak “Christmas tree of the Republic” was erected in Brno in 1924. During the first celebrations, a flagpole stood near the tree with Czechoslovak and Danish flags at the top, the orchestra played the Czech and Danish national anthems. The regular salutation to the city of Copenhagen dates back to 1925: on Christmas Eve this was delivered by the Mayor of Brno, the speech was broadcast on the radio.

The writer and journalist Rudolf Těsnohlídek was founder of the tradition and he also suggested the actual purpose: to build a children’s home. He also expressed the desire to have it named after the Danish queen Dagmar, born in the Přemyslid dynasty. The work of Rudolf Těsnohlídek and his friends from several organizations was part of a broader bond of strengthening links between the two countries in the newly-formed Europe of the interwar years.

The exhibition was made of documents from several Brno institutions: the Department of Literature of the Moravian Museum, the Brno City Archive, Dagmar Children´s Home, and the Moravian Library.

The exhibition was financially and organizationally supported by the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Copenhagen and will last until 31 December 2019.

Exhibition “Christmas Tree of the Republic” in Ringsted

Exhibition “Christmas Tree of the Republic” in Ringsted

Exhibition “Christmas Tree of the Republic” in Ringsted

Exhibition “Christmas Tree of the Republic” in Ringsted

Exhibition “Christmas Tree of the Republic” in Ringsted

Exhibition “Christmas Tree of the Republic” in Ringsted