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Winnipeg, September 26, 2003
4th Annual S.O.S. Dinner CCBA in Celebration of the 90th Aniversary of the AssociationCCBA
Presented by: Jerry Klimes, Past President
The beginning of the immigration of Czechs and Slovak cannot be firmly established. The Czechs and Slovaks weren’t united in one country until after WW 1. The immigration to Manitoba from Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, Slovakia and other provinces of former Austro – Hungarian Empire, began on a small scale towards the end of 19th century. Winnipeg became the largest center and gathering point of Czech and Slovak immigrants. At that time there wasn’t much of an entertainment in Winnipeg, it was rather a small town with muddy streets surrounded by swamp and bush. Social gathering was done at different houses and on those meetings the idea of having own benevolent association was born.
And on 27th of April 1913, was held a meeting of 70 people of which 54 became the founding members of The Czecho – Slavic Benevolent Association. First meeting ended with voluntary donations of founding members, where $9.20 was collected for first expenses.
As I mentioned earlier, Czechoslovakia has not been founded until 28th of October 1918, there fore the original name used the word Slavic, witch symbolized and respected the members of other nations being among the founding members. The Czechs though were in large majority, and that explain the original name Czecho-Slavic. The name was changed to Czecho-Slovak shortly after the birth of a new country and it stands until today despite the fact that Czechoslovakia doesn’t exist since 1993
In the early days of our organization the main purpose was to organize a good citizens speaking either Czech or Slovak, helping each other in the difficult times of sickness and such, common support in case of death in the family, supporting small businesses owned by their own countrymen, organize educational meetings, establishing own library and mainly preserve and maintain the mother tongue.
The organization was steadily growing and the idea of having own building became stronger by every months. So in the time The Czechs and Slovaks were celebrating founding of their own country, here, in Winnipeg, 45 members of a young organization donated $700.00 in cash and signed for another $3,480.00 in shares. At the same time it was agreed and recorded in meeting notes, that no-one will ever ask for share reimbursement, nor ask for dividends or profit sharing. Only people could’ve done such an act with their hearts fully devoted to the case of national unity and self-responsibility in front of a new country and the Lord.
Our organization was experiencing a dramatic grow in between WW1 and WW2 due to a great economical depression in Europe. The new gymnastic union Sokol was established. The association got involved in sponsorship of many social events. There were ethnic dancing groups, local broadcasting in Czech and Slovak language a many other activities. The association became very prosperous and therefore in 1936 it was possible to pay back all the shares.
Than came a sad years of 1938 and 39, which in a certain way injected a new strength to the feeling of national unity. A lot of young men were departing to battlefields of Europe to fight under a Canadian flag for freedom of their homeland and to conquer the Third Reich. Many of them sacrifice their lives as well as many of them came back to Manitoba as heroes. Of these WW2 veterans we still have Mr. Jiri Kuczera, who is the bearer of honorary cross or Monte Cassino.
After WW2, in 1948, when communist regime took over in Czechoslovakia, all ties with the homeland were severed. Czech and Slovak people steadily and gradually becoming a part and assimilating with other ethnic groups. Newcomers at this time are mostly intellectuals and political refugees, but only a small portion of them took a residence in Manitoba.
The huge wave of new immigrants was in 1968 and 69 after a surrpressing what appeared to be a new taste of freedom, commonly known as The Prague’s Spring. All the armies of Warsaw pact forcibly entered the country and abruptly ended the dream of many. People started flocking out of the country by thousands because of their fear what the future might bring. Many of them have found a new home in Canada and Winnipeg respectively. People from this wave are the largest part of our membership until present time.
Then in the next 20 years the immigration to Winnipeg was somehow slow but steady. Newcomers are the most important part of any ethnic organization including ours. This fact is so vitally important for maintaining the organization alive. We were doing quite a remarkable job until the year of 1989, when communist regime collapsed in Czechoslovakia. This virtually eliminated any needs of citizens to leave their homeland and therefore immigration to Canada almost stop entirely. The assimilation process started glooming again. The organization was having the hard time and somehow the danger of extinction was not seen soon enough. We have gotten to the situation of virtual death, when profitable organization suddenly became in debt.
In spring of 1997 (spring again!) a group of our country fellows finally realized that radical changes had to be made. Entirely new board of executives started rebuilding the organization almost from the ashes. New ideas came along, new type activities and social events were put together to attract and bring back our patrons (this SOS dinner is one of them), and the association started to be prosperous again. During last few years we have experienced some differences of what direction the organization should follow but these were mostly successfully reconciled.
At the present time our main task is (thanks to the assimilation again) to find the way, how to preserve what all of us carefully foster. We must find the way how, to replace our aging (and tirening) membership with the new second generation of our children. It is a very difficult and hard way. On this way, all of us being, involved and sincerely wishing the best to our organization are going through a lot of stress and difficulties. Nevertheless, with new energy (what I find sometimes unbelievable where we get it) we always attack and try to resolve any problem arising. However I am becoming a little afraid the energy will run out some day and our goal will not be quite finished. It is always same core of people who are endlessly putting in a lot of their own time, work, effort and even their own money for the cause.
From this position I’d like to thank to all of you for supporting our organization by coming here, especially to all the volunteers for their commitment. I am closing on my 5th year as a president of this organization and let me assure you of one thing. The fine effort and hard work of all volunteers in past as well as in present is something what I’ve always admired and greatly appreciated. It is the most important fact for the successful result of our common goal to free our self from any interpersonal differences, be willing to accept the advice of those having enough experience and solely concentrating on given task. I want to everyone to know that regardless of what future might bring I am very thankful for all the support I’ve got during my rein as a president, and very proud of all of you dedicating your time as much as I’ve done.
Thank you for your attention.
Jerry Klimes, Past President of CCBA.
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