Women, sport and emancipation (1900-1938)

The thesis dealt with the history of the Czech female sport. It also pointed out that the first steps women made into the public life were connected with sport which started to be in vogue in the 19th century. Firstly, I presented the primary features of public life of women living in the Czech lands. It was obvious that there was a difference between social status of women in 19th century and in the present world and female sport needed to develop. The first steps led to philantrophy, where women were introduced to the public activities. Consecutively, I was concerned with founding activities under the supervision of educated and less conservative men who supported women emancipation. There could be included also beginnings of Sokol where the first steps of women towards the physical education. On the turn of the century the society was slightly changing into more liberal and started to identify with the fact of girls engaged in sports. The main focus of the thesis was the Czech university sport which was formed by women in the 20th century as well. I found rich archival sources for female figure skating, especially for Mr. and Mrs. Veselí who became a famous figure skating pair in the 20s of 20th century