Farewell Czech-style

Pan Vladimir, an owner of ‘Zlatá Stoupa’ Club Vinárna, has been keen on photography for many years. He likes putting his photos on the walls of his facility, and he updates them from time to time.

Pani Vera was a frequenter of ‘Zlatá Stoupa’ pub. For nearly 25 years, she used to come to ‘Zlatá Stoupa’ almost every day together with her husband, to meet the friends and enjoy a glass of wine. Even after her husband’s death, she remained loyal to this pub. She felt comfortable there, she was known and loved by many there.

Vera was not in ‘Zlatá Stoupa’ on that day, but everyone who was there was talking about her: her closest friends and next of kin, the host of the facility. They talked about Vera, recalled some funny stories, they were laughing and crying at the same time.

Vera left them a week ago. Vera was commemorated in the ‘Zlatá Stoupa’ pub two days after the funeral. Her next of kin drank her favorite wine and tasted her favorite snacks. She was there, together with those present, in their memories.

Vera’s daughter and son organized this meeting so that people could remember and commemorate Vera in the place she liked to visit most.

There is nothing surprising in this story. The Czechs are traditionally atheists, and unlike the neighboring European nations, they say farewell to their late beloved ones not in churches and cemetery, but rather in the places where the deceased loved to spend time when alive.

“We don’t go to church, we go to our favorite places, let’s say, pubs, because it has become an important part of our, Czech, culture and lifestyle. My brother used to work in ‘Zlatá Stoupa’ when he was a student, and then I also worked there. For my parents it was a permanent venue, where they met and spent time. We couldn’t do otherwise: my mother would surely have been angry and offended, if we had commemorated her in the place other than this,” says Gabriela, Vera’s daughter.

Published:  26.12.2016