History of Czechs in Pittsburgh

Between the years of 1880 and 1914, a significant concentration of Czech families settled in the eastern neighborhoods of Allegheny City in a section of Pittsburgh known today as Troy Hill. A small section of this hilltop community became the destination of many Czech immigrants and was called “Bohemian Hill.”  It is believed that some Czech immigrants used Bohemian Hill as a gateway to communities in the Midwest and Texas. Others came and stayed, creating one of several Czech clusters in Western Pennsylvania. 

To read more about this Czech cluster, which helped establish St. Wenceslaus Church, Troy Hill Presbyterian Church and the Bohemian National Hall on Vinial Street, click here.

Central European Linkage Program
Program started in 1996 under the direction of William Lafe with the purpose of funding fledgling environmental programs in the Czech and Slovak Republics and Poland with support from the Howard Heinz Endowment and  the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. For further information go to www.post-gazette.com/oldcountry/part1b.asp

Sister City Ostrava Committee
The committee was instrumental in making Ostrava, Czech Republic a sister city with Pittsburgh in 2001 under the leadership of William Lafe and Carol Hochman and other committee members including Miloslav Novak, Carrie Abels, Joan Miles, Jim Pashek, Therese Lewis, Patricia Rambasek, and Robin Zoufalik.  For further information go to www.svu2000.org/headlines/b29.htm

Sister City Ostrava
Ostrava is the third largest city in Czech Republic.  For further info go to www.mmo.cz/ostrava/city.html

Friends of VIA
The Pittsburgh based US partner organization to the Via Foundation (Nadace Via) is led by Carol Hochman, President Board of Directors, with the mission of increasing the awareness of Via and its purpose in the US and also to be a link to US donors to the Via Foundation.  Founded in 2005, the Friends of Via was instrumental in hosting a fundraiser  in celebration of Via Foundation’s 10th Anniversary at the Duquesne Club in Pittsburgh featuring Madeleine Albright, a native of Prague and the first female Secretary of State.  For further information go to www.en.nadacevia.cz/friends-of-via

Czech Film Series at Pitt
The Czech films are presented with the Center for Russian and East European Studies at the University of Pittsburgh by the Sister City Ostrava Committee and Czech’s in the Burgh.  The following films were featured in March 2007. Stesti (Something Like Happiness) 2005, Obecna Skola (The Elementary School) 1991, Saxana (The Girl on a Broomstick) 1972. and Limonadovy Joe (Lemonade Joe) 1964.   Look for announcements of upcoming series in the REES Calendar of Events.

Czechs in the Burgh
Started as Czech Meet Up, utilizing meetup.com website to form a group of Czech immigrants and Pittsburghers interested in the Czech Republic to meet on a monthly basis.  Robin Zoufalik, a native of Prague and living in the U.S. since 1967 was the initial leader to organize the meetings and try to grow the group.   As the meetings grew in attendance and more Czech natives were discovered through various sources, the name for the group became Czechs in the Burgh.  The monthly meetings center around social discussions and related events.

Czechs in the Burgh may become a nonprofit organization with the mission of supporting economic, cultural, and social programs utilizing resources available in Pittsburgh and the Czech Republic.