Cultural and social life of the German minority in the Karlovy Vary/Carlsbad region since 1989

The diploma thesis deals with cultural and social life of the German minority in the Czech lands with the focus on its development in the Karlovy Vary border region since 1989. The study is based on an analysis of the German minority press, especially the periodicals Aufbau und Frieden, Prager Volkszeitung, Landeszeitung, LandesEcho and Eghaland Bladl, and a research survey based on interviews with members of the German minority and questionnaires addressed to the representatives of local authorities of the towns in which the research took place. First of all, the basic concepts and minority policy at the national and international levels are defined. Next, the thesis concentrates on the historical and legislative development and social-demographic situation of the German minority in the Czech lands after 1945. The next part of the thesis discusses the development of the cultural and social life of the German minority in the Czech lands and closely characterizes four main areas - organization activity, cultural and social activity, language situation and media. These four areas are explored within the research survey in the main part of the thesis. The aim is to analyze the development of the cultural and social life of the German minority in the Karlovy Vary Region, and to depict the current status