Publisher's Synopsis
The national emancipation of the Czechs in the 19th century is regarded as a model case of the formation of a stateless "language and cultural nation". It took place within the Habsburg multi-ethnic state in direct competition with German-speaking society, its culture and politics in Bohemia and the monarchy, but without ever striving for state independence. Architecture and urban planning as well as many works of visual art in public space defined cultural individuality and difference. In this way, a canon could be drawn up, which at the same time represented an offer of identification and positioned the "specific" Czech culture in relation to competing national cultures. At the same time, the "art policy" of the Czech national movement was an important instrument for the integration and differentiation of national society from the start.
