Visit of Taiwanese students 2010

Getting to know each other About me This is me! Richard Selby

Getting to know each other About me This is me! Richard Selby

Traditional businesses in the Czech Republic

…..up to 1989

Austro-Hungarian Empire (1895)

An appreciation of dates Pre 1914 –Austro-Hungarian empire; Czechoslovakia created –German occupation –Communist regime (Influenced by Russia) –“Prague spring” 1968 –“Velvet revolution” November 1989 Post 1989

Traditional industries Three groups: –Engineering and “Heavy industry” –Specialised –Consumer items

Traditional industries (1) Engineering and “Heavy industry” –Engineering Skoda – cars, trucks and large engines Tesla – electronic items: radios & TVs etc, Lighting, generators –Mining “Black” coal “Soft” coal Clay Graphite Silver  Uranium

Traditional industries (1) Engineering and “Heavy industry” –Engineering Skoda – cars, trucks and large engines Tesla – electronic items: radios & TVs etc, Lighting, generators –Mining “Black” coal “Soft” coal Clay Graphite Silver  Uranium

“Open-cast” coal mining at Doly Bilina

Traditional industries (1) Engineering and “Heavy industry” –Engineering Skoda – cars, trucks and large engines Tesla – electronic items: radios & TVs etc, Lighting, generators –Mining “Black” coal “Soft” coal Clay Graphite Silver  Uranium

Traditional industries (2) Specialised –Chemical –Medical –Contact lenses –Films –Musical instruments –Agribusiness Livestock  milk/cheese/meat Timber Fruit/vegetables etc, etc, etc………

Prof. Otto Wichterle Inventor of the “soft” contact lens

On this home-built apparatus, Prof. Wichterle produced his first “soft” contact lens in his kitchen in 1961

Traditional industries (3) Consumer items –Glassware Lead crystal and cut-glass –Porcelain –Shoes The “Bata” company

In more detail…. Skoda Tesla Bata Shoe advertising

Traditional industries (3) Consumer items –Glassware Lead crystal and cut-glass –Porcelain –Shoes The “Bata” company –Brewing Beer …….also, wines, spirits and other beverages: fruit drinks and mineral water

Petrof pianos

Thank you See you next Thursday!