Petr Pavel Visits the "Czech Capital" of the USA — the Town of Wilber, Nebraska

On September 24, Czech President Petr Pavel visited the town of Wilber in the U.S. state of Nebraska — the so-called Czech Capital of the USA, a title the town has held unofficially since 1987 by decision of President Ronald Reagan. Despite pouring rain, descendants of Czech immigrants gave the head of state a warm welcome, with a tour of the town and a concert at the local "Sokol" hall.

Only about two thousand people live in Wilber, but surnames like Kohout, Karpisek and Novak — a legacy of Czech settlers — turn up again and again on the streets. It is thanks to the sheer number of their descendants that the town earned its honorary title. "We're proud Americans first and foremost, but it's nice to live in a country that lets us honor our heritage and our past," said local resident Sheryl Kastanek. Reminders of Czech roots are everywhere here: the town hall's coat of arms bears the motto "Truth Prevails," Czech-language signs appear in shops along the main street, and American and Czech flags fly side by side.

Petr Pavel Day

The president's fellow countrymen gave him a lavish welcome. Despite the bad weather, Pavel was taken on a tour of the streets that ended at the museum, home to folk costumes and other artifacts from every corner of Czechia. A festive program followed at the "Sokol" hall, drawing hundreds of spectators. "I have a very warm feeling about how enthusiastically the local people preserve their traditions and culture and take care of their ancestors' artifacts," Pavel shared. He admitted he rarely gets emotional, but this time he couldn't hold back. At the "Sokol" hall, the president was made an honorary member of the local compatriots' association, and the town's mayor declared September 24 the official Petr Pavel Day. The ceremony opened with the American anthem, followed by the Czech one — though noticeably fewer people could sing along to the second tune.

Traditions with a life of their own

Children and teenagers performed traditional dances, including one set to the tune of "Šla Nanynka za kapustou" (Nanynka Went to Fetch Cabbage) sung in both Czech and English, and an orchestra of adult musicians in folk costumes took the stage. The day wrapped up with a tasting of sweet kolache pastries, which locals insist come out tastier than those made by Czech descendants in Texas. Czech in Wilber isn't just a nostalgic tradition — it's taught at the local university. A unifying symbol for the townspeople is the embroidered vest in the style of Czech folk costume, often with a surname stitched on the back, and on some of them a Harley-Davidson logo sits right alongside it.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz