More about the Talk:
Czech comedians Jiří Voskovec and Jan Werich (V+W) were pioneers of avant-garde performances at Prague's Liberated Theatre, which encouraged resistance to Nazi aggression well into the mid-1930s. Both men were forced to emigrate from Czechoslovakia to the United States in 1939.

During the hour-long talk, delve into Voskovec and Werich's transatlantic journey, learn about new discoveries in the process of uncovering information, and see documents about the comic duo in connection with their work in the United States during WWII. Such discoveries include expanded information about the venues and performances in V+W’s travels through the United States. Also, expanded research into additional collaborators with V+W, such as Hugo Haas and Adolf Hoffmeister, has yielded more context and recorded evidence, including sound recordings in the Library of Congress collections.

This work is specifically based on research, archival evidence, and documentary activities connected with V+W’s work, and later preservation of their wartime recordings which were recorded on discs that were broadcasted by the BBC and Voice of America under the U.S. Office of War Information. 

About the Guest Speaker:
Born in 1987, Filip Šír studied Library Information Science at Charles University. He is an expert sound archivist at the National Museum in Prague and the principal researcher for the New Phonograph: Listening to the History of Sound project. He is an esteemed member of the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives (IASA). In 2016, he received the INFORUM 2016 Prize for the Virtual National Phonotheque project. In 2017, with Gabriel Gössel, he was awarded the ARSC Certificate of Merit for his contribution to the Recorded Sound in Czech Lands research project. 

Event Details:     

Date/Time: September 28, 2022, 6 pm     

Location: Embassy of the Czech Republic     
3900 Spring of Freedom Street, NW             
Washington, DC 20008     

RSVP required:  https://VWjourney.eventbrite.com/     

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