Czech in Austria

Introduction / History

Ethnic Czechs are part of the West Slavic subgroup of Slavic peoples. They settled into Central Europe at a time when Germanic tribes were on the move. Linguistically they are closely related to the Slovaks, whom they shared a country with from 1918-1992.

Their nation, what we now call the Czech Republic, was dominated by Germany and other foreign powers for hundreds of years. For that reason, the Czech people initiated an attempt to revive their culture and language. They called this Pan-Slavism.

The Czech people have had a major spiritual impact on the world. Bohemia and Moravia were two nations in their part of Europe. Jan Huss was an important Protestant reformer from Bohemia. Out of Moravia came an international Protestant mission effort led by Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf. Today the Czech Republic is mainly Roman Catholic.

Though the Czech people live mainly in the Czech Republic, they also live in 28 other countries, mainly in Europe. At a time when their economy was suffering in the late 1800s, Czech people came to Austria for low-wage jobs. When the Austro-Hungarian Empire fell, many Czech people returned home. There was a wave of Czech people leaving their country after WWII when the Soviets took control of it. Others left after the failed Prague Spring protests in 1968. When the Czech Republic joined the European Union in 2004, Czechs were free to enter the work force of Western nations with strong economies like Austria.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Czechs tend to be reserved with strangers, but with friends, they like to sit and drink, deepening relationships.

Czech society is patriarchal. Women will take on the husband's name after marriage and husbands take pride in providing for their families. However, this is changing. Today women are expected to work after marriage, because it is nearly impossible to raise a family on a single income salary in most of Europe.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Even though they claim to be secularists, many Czechs believe in certain occult practices such as tarot reading, astrology, fortune telling and astral projection. When asked what they believe in, they would say "there is something," which typically refers to spiritual powers or destiny. Yet they deny the existence of one personal God. Eastern religious practices have gained popularity, namely yoga and eastern meditation. Officially they are usually Roman Catholic.

In the Christian community and church life, local evangelical churches are scattered. They do not cooperate with other churches harming the cause of Christ.

What Are Their Needs?

Some of their ancestors were great Christian reformers. No matter where they live, the Czech people need to put Christ first in their lives.

Prayer Points

Pray for spiritual hunger and a discernment that will keep them away from spiritual counterfeits.

Pray for the Czech people to forsake New Age beliefs.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to revive the Czech church, leading them to make disciples who make more disciples.

Pray for Czech fellowships to be Christ centered rather than tradition centered.

Pray there will soon come a day when the Czech people will send loving workers to the unreached people groups.

Text Source:   Joshua Project