About us

MORAVIAN   The National History Association

The X. International MORAVIAN Conference: October 11-13, 2024

     

  The main topic:
  Emigration - 300 years since the exile of the first inhabitants
  of Suchdol to Herrnhut

If you are interested, please register as soon as possible to participate
in the conference including any requirements for food and accommodation
- no later than 30.9.2024.

You can register electronically via the registration form here...
or you can fill out and send a scanned invitation (see next lines)
to the address: daniel.rican@seznam.cz
General information about the conference - invitation (EN)...
General information about the conference - invitation (DE)...
Conference program in detail (EN)...
Conference program in detail (DE)...
Anniversaries of missionaries in 2023, 2024, 2025...
Updates on the conference (news and changes) here...

  Conference recordings:

Highlight video 1 from the conference here...
Highlight video 2 from the conference here ...
Video recording of the program from 11.10.2024 here...

Events - What's the news?...
The Conference 2024...
History and the present...
The activity ahead...
The activity behind us...
Past conferences...
Acknowledgements...

Moravian Brethren – they are also called the Moravians

They are spiritual as well blood-related descendants of the Unity of the Brethren who emigrated from the Northern Moravia to Saxony because of their faith at the beginning     of the 18th century, where they founded the town Herrnhut, called Ochranov in Czech. They restored the Unity of the Brethren there and then they were establishing settlements and mission stations on six continents of the world.

The topic of the Moravian Brethren

The topic of the Moravian Brethren was inconvenient for the former socialistic regime and made a taboo, which meant it was quite forgotten also in northern Moravia. After the year 1990 the Club of friends of Suchdol n. Odrou tried to introduce the Moravians to the general public and organized also several successful actions. But such significant topic needed more attraction, therefore the citizens' association MORAVIAN, National History Association, came to existence in 1999 and started gathering the devoted admirers of the Moravians’ work. From the point of view of the present day it is especially their evangelistic enthusiasm, which seems us to be so extraordinary and which sets an example for many contemporaries. It was achieved to create a site with the Museum, Park of the Moravians and other places of interest, which are attractive mainly for foreign visitors, who encounter the Moravians often in the world. The Museum of Moravian Brethren is not only a building with exhibitions, but also an institution that initiates establishing or renovation of other places of historical interest which remind the Moravian Brethren. It produces other sources of study and also new publications
to get a deeper knowledge of the Moravians.

Our association is ecumenical and non-denominational. It unites friends from the Czech Baptist Union, Seventh-day Adventist Church, Church of Brethren, Evangelical Church    of Czech Brethren, The Unity of the Brethren, Christian Fellowship, Roman Catholic Church, Silesian Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession and people without confession.

The Moravian History Association has 68 members at present. It is governed by a committee consisting of 3 elected members. The members' meetings are held every fortnight in the Museum of Moravian Brethren, usually on Mondays at 6 p.m.

Statutes of the Moravian Association:

The activity ahead:

We are preparing

• X. International Conference Moravian 11-13 October 2024
• IV. stage of building the Museum of Moravian Brethren
• Completion of the cataloging of the library in the Museum of Moravian Brethren
• Work on the "Ohio" project in The Park of the Moravian Brethren
• The next phase of the implementation of the "Via exulantis" project, including the provision of 10 signposts
• Implementation of the next phase of the "Herzogwald" project, including a meeting with natives of Herzogwald in June 2024
• Publication of further parts of the "The Diaries of David Zeisberger" series
• Organizing a series of lectures on historical topics
• Other presentations of the "Reformation in Central and Eastern Europe" exhibition
• Takeover of the archive fund of "Brethren's community" Libavá (Alt Liebe)
• Repeated arrangement of traditional yearly actions organized by the Moravian assoc.:
      Workshop for the school pupils in the Museum MB by the end of school year,
      Divine Service in the Forest Church of Martin Schneider held on the third Sunday
        of September,
      possibly an Advent and Christmas programme for the public at the Museum MB
  
• and other events...

The activity behind us:

2023

• Publication of the next issue of the Moravian information bulletin.
• Placement of other memorial plaques on the Commemorative wall of the Moravian Brethren in the Park of MB.
• Implementation of the next phase of the "Herzogwald" project - realization of two reconnaissance events and teamworks in April and July 2023.
• Organization of a Museum Night, dedicated to Christian David, in cooperation with the municipality of Ženklava (Senftleben) in June 2023.
• Cooperation on the ceremonial opening of the Moravian Brethren Park in Mankovice (Mankendorf) in September 2023.
• Translation of other parts from the "The Diaries of David Zeisberger" series.
• Publication of the folding information leaflet "Guide to monuments in Suchdol nad Odrou".
• Organizing a series of lectures on last year's 430th anniversary of the birth of J.A.Comenius and other historical topics.
• Installation of the exhibition "Reformation in Central and Eastern Europe" in Suchdol n.O and Ženklava (Senftleben).
• Correspondence with those interested in the subject of the Moravian Brethren from the Czech Republic and abroad.
• Organization of traditional annual Moravian events: Workshop in the Museum MB
  for school youth at the beginning of the school year and Service in the Forest Church in September.
• Ongoing reception and guiding of domestic and foreign visits to the Museum MB.

2022

• Publication of a collection of lectures from IX. MORAVIAN conference in 2021.
• Participation of members of the Moravian association in the celebrations of the
  300th anniversary of the founding of Herrnhut.
• Placement of other memorial plaques on the commemorative wall of the Moravian Brethren in the Park of MB.
• Supporting the journeys of several pilgrims along the Via exulantis way.
• Organization of several teamworks in the vanished village of Herzogwald, including the cleaning of the former cemetery of the Unity of the Brethren.
• Placement of a bench at the "Růžový palouček (Rose Glade)" memorial site.
• Provision of temporary accommodation for a Ukrainian family with children fleeing
  the war.
• Introduction of a series of lectures on the topic of the Czech Reformation "From Master Jan Hus to the Patent of Toleration".
• Publication of two more issues of Moravian information Newsletter.
• Ongoing reception and guiding of domestic and foreign visits to the MB Museum (outside the museum's closure period due to covid-19 epidemic).

2021

• IX. International Conference MORAVIAN with the main topic "David Zeisberger Born 300 years ago" and "Jubilees of Moravians in 2020, 2021, 2022".

Photo gallery here ....

• Placement of other memorial plaques on the commemorative wall of the Moravian Brethren in the Park of MB.
• Successful realization of the project to establish a memorial site "Rose Glade".
• Publishing a new study dealing with J.Teltschik in cooperation with British Province.
• Printing of several other publications (Zeisberger family, Diary of David Zeisberger - part 1/24).
• Carrying out another mapping expedition Via exulantis in August 2021.
• Organization of a teamwork to clean the former cemetery of the Unity of Brethren
  in the vanished village of Herzogwald, providing a bench for tourists, ensuring the restoration of writing on the village memorial.
• Replacement of floor coverings in the exhibition on the ground floor and painting
  in the Museum of the Moravian Brethren.
• Ongoing reception and guiding of domestic and foreign visits to the MB Museum (outside the museum's closure period due to covid-19 epidemic).

2020

• Participation in memorial ceremonies at the occasion of the 350 years death anniversary of J.A.Comenius in 2020.
• Placing other ten memorial plaques on the commemorative wall in the Park of MB.
• Starting a new project to establish a memorial site "Pink field" near Suchdol n.O.
• Another phase of realization of the project "Via exulantis" - implementation of
  a mapping expedition to Poland and Germany.
• Repeated organizing a three-day Workshop at the Museum for the school pupils
  in June.
• Completion of the publication "Jews in Suchdol n.O."
• Cleaning and modification of expositions and the premises of the Museum of the Moravian Brethren.
• Preparation of signposts and location of a symbolic guidepost in the Park of MB.
• Installation of signposts for the Forest Church of M.Schneider near Suchdol n.O.
• Arranging a traditional Sunday Worship Service in the Forest Church in September.
• Maintenance of the information board and the memorial of the Church of Unity
  of the Brethren in the place of the former village of Herzogwald.
• Continuous receiving and guiding of foreign and domestic visitors in the Museum MB (except for the museum closure period due to covid-19 epidemic).

2019

• The Advent and Christmas programme for the public at the Museum MB.
• Placing other three memorial plaques on the commemorative wall in the Park of the Moravians.
• Making a historical roof construction for the old well in The Park of the Moravian Brethren.
• Furnishing some rooms of the Museum with new bits of furniture.
• Organizing the X.three-day Workshop at the Museum for the school pupils in June.
• Arranging a traditional Sunday Worship Service in the Forest church of M.Schneider near Suchdol in September.
• Introductions of the exposition "The Reformation in the Central and Eastern Europe" at more places of our region.
• Organizing of a walking journey along Via exulantis for other participants.
• Extension of the Via exulantis project by establishing of a special Moravian section and winning other supporters.
• Giving a lecture on Jáchym Pantálek’s journey around the USA and Norway this year.
• Continuous receiving and guiding of foreign and domestic visitors in the Museum MB.

2018

• The Advent and Christmas programme for the public at the Museum MB.  
  
• Publishing the Conference proceedings from the VIII.International MORAVIAN conference.
• VIII. International MORAVIAN Conference 21.-23.9.2018.
  The topics : How the Moravian Brethren enriched the countries and the nations; Johann Teltschik – church planter in England and Ireland; 275 years of mission work among the Mohicans; 2017, 2018, 2019: Jubilees of the Moravians.

Photo gallery here ...

• Placement of other memorial plaques on the commemorative wall in the Park MB.
• Embedding a historical stone signpost in the Park MB.
• Gaining of the bilingual travelling exhibition “The Reformation in Czech lands” from the Cultural forum for the Eastern Europe in Germany.
• Organizing of a walking journey along Via exulantis for three participants from Brno.
• Continuous receiving and guiding of foreign and domestic visitors in the Museum MB.

2017

• Five other memorial plaques concerning missionaries were placed on the commemorative wall in the Park of the Moravians.
• Obtaining an apple tree "Schöne von Herrnhut" and its planting in the Park of the Moravians.
• Putting up an information board in former Herzogwald at the place of the former Brethren' church.
• Holding talks on conservation of the historical building of the former magistracy
  in Suchdol with Teltschik family from Germany.
• Extending the Moravian web-pages by an English-language version.
• We took part in making a film about the life of Jerome of Prague.
• We made a new exhibition for celebration of 500th anniversary of the Reformation
  in the evang.church in Suchdol and we took part in the programme.
• Traditional Sunday Worship Service was held in the Forest church of M.Schneider near Suchdol in September.
• The year-round receiving and guiding of foreign and domestic visitors in the Museum of the Moravian Brethren.

2016

• The Museum has got a new custodian - Mrs.Kamila Jasaňová.
• The library of Moravian was moved to the Museum of MB.
• Five other memorial plaques concerning missionaries were created for the commemorative wall in the Park of the Moravians.
• Other stone plates to trees in the Park of the Moravians were made.
• An information board was made to be put in former Herzogwald at the place of the former Brethren' school.
• Attendance of our members at the international conference about exiles in Litomyšl.
• The travelling exhibition "D.Zeisberger" was moved to the south of Moravia.
• The effort to save the former magistracy (reeve’s house) and adjacent land in Suchdol, a valuable cultural heritage.
• In September Daniel and Miriam Říčan made a journey to the USA following the ways of the Moravians. During three weeks they visited 7 U.S. states.
• A growing amount of foreign contacts has resulted in establishing of the institute of foreign correspondence.

2015

• Conference proceedings from the 7th MORAVIAN conference
• 15.-17. 11. 2015. Delaware delegation from Canada. The description of their tour is here. Manhattan Connection Programme in Suchdol.
• VII. International MORAVIAN Conference 16.-18. 10. 2015. Theme : The Women of Moravian Brethren.
• Conference proceedings from the 6th MORAVIAN conference
• Publication from prof.Rollmann about the Moravians in Labrador.

2014

• Workshop for the school pupils in the museum;
• Hosting the members of the tour from Bethlehem 4. 7. 2014;
• Unveiling ceremony of a memorial plaque at the place of the vanished congregation of the Unity of the Brethren in Herzogwald 23. 8. 2014;
• Project of building of a commemorative wall in the Park of the Moravians, including information board and the leaflets;
• A new travelling exhibition “Nelson Mandela and the Moravians” established by Horst Schinzel.

2013

• The museum has got a permanent employee – a custodian;
• A tour of 15 members of Moravian Association to Herzogwald;
• Workshop for the school pupils in the museum;
• We published the publication “The Moravian Brethren from Suchdol” in Korean language.

2012

• The Sixth International Moravian Conference, the topic: The Moravians in Polar Areas;
• Building of the “Forest church of Martin Schneider“ in a valley near to Suchdol n. O.;
• A memorial plaque in Mankovice, devoted to Mattheus Stach, the missionary in Greenland;
• The Kleinschmidt’s lamp in the Park of the Moravian Brethren;
• Two new publications: Christian David and Matouš Stach;
• The travelling exhibition “David Zeisberger” stayed in the towns Nový Jičín, Hranice, Krnov.

2011

• The travelling exhibition “David Zeisberger” stayed in the towns Moravská Třebová, Šumperk, Přerov, Nový Jičín;
• A meeting with the members of the tour from Latvia 1. 5. 2011;
• Workshop for students took place in museum 22. – 24. 6. 2011;
• Zdeněk Valchář arranged the exhibition “Guttenberg” during the traditional Fair of Suchdol on 19. 6. 2011. He emphasized the importance of printing for spreading of the Bible and let the visitors to experience various ways of printing;
• 1. 9. 2011 the descendants of J. A. Komenský and emigrants of the Jäschke family, the Weisses from the Hamburg area, visited our museum and our region;
• 21. 9. 2011 members of a tour from Czech Rixdorf – Berlin visited Suchdol within the celebration of the 275th anniversary of founding of Czech Rixdorf.

2001 – 2010

• creating the travelling exhibition “David Zeisberger” by our member Dr.Horst Schinzel;
• workshops for the school pupils and students in museum;
• planting seedlings of trees from places across the world where the Moravians acted;
• travelling alongside the Via exulantis following the way of Moravian exiles;
• organizing International Moravian Conferences every third year;
• publishing the Conference proceedings from the International Moravian Conferences;
• publishing the books “David Zeisberger” in German language (500 copies), “Odkaz Moravských bratří” by J. Dymáček (500 copies), “Obnovená Jednota bratrská” by J. Pavlán (500 copies);
• publishing the book “Die Mährische Brüder aus Zauchtel” in German language and other publications;
• taking part in celebrations in our region concerning life and history of the Moravians;
• opening a new exposition about David Zeisberger in the museum;
• hosting guests and tours from abroad who came to visit us;
• reconstruction of the museum’s building, establishing a hostel there, creating a new exposition “To all the corners of the world”;
• opening a nature trail “Via exulantis” from Suchdol to Herrnhut;
• negotiating with domestic as well foreign partners about getting investment grants from EU-funds;
• working out historical studies for renovation of some historical buildings in Suchdol n. O.

1990 – 2000

• publishing first publications on the subject of the Moravian Brethren;
• -making contacts with Herrnhut, Czech Rixdorf and researchers abroad;
• arranging a coach tour to Herrnhut;
• establishing of “The Park of the Moravian Brethren”, planting a tree from Herrnhut as the first of many other trees from places across the world where the Moravians lived;
• establishing the citizen’s association Moravian, The National History Association, in Suchdol n. Odrou;
• travelling on foot of several Moravian’s members alongside the Via exulantis from Suchdol to Herrnhut to the celebration of the 300th anniversary of N. L. Zinzendorf’s birth;
• establishing The Museum of the Moravian Brethren with its basic expositions: “History of the Kuhländchen region before the exile”, “David Nitschmann, Melchior Zeisberger, Johan Münster”.

In 1963–1973 The minister of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, Gustav Adolf Říčan (1912–73), concerned himself intensively with the history of the Moravian Brethren. The impulse for this work was given by the writer Leontina Mašínová who was collecting material for her novel “The Moravians”. He published articles in periodicals and published also at his own cost several lesser, but significant, pieces of work. He also made contacts with Herrnhut and in 1970 created the first exposition about the Moravians. He succeeded in collecting a large fund of documents, which forms a basis even for contemporary research.

Past Moravian Conferences

• 1996 David Nitschmann – the First Bishop of the Renewed Unity of the Brethren, the 300th anniversary of birth
• 2001 Kristian David – the 250th anniversary of death, Melchior Zeisberger – the 300th anniversary of birth, Opening the Museum of the Moravian Brethren
• 2003 David Nitschmann – Syndikus, the 300th anniversary of birth
• 2006 David Schneider – the Leading Personality of Descendants of the Unity of the Brethren in Suchdol, the 275th anniversary of the Unity of the Brethren’s Mission
• 2009 David Zeisberger – the Apostle to the Indians, the 200th anniversary of death
• 2012 The Moravians in Polar Areas, Martin Schneider – the 400th anniversary of birth
• 2015 The Women of Moravian Brethren, 275th anniversary of the mission among Indians in Pennsylvania
• 2018 How the Moravian Brethren enriched the countries and the nations; Johann Teltschik – church planter in England and Ireland; 275 years of mission work among the Mohicans; 2017, 2018, 2019: Jubilees of the Moravians.

Photo gallery from 21.09.2018:







Photo gallery from 22.09.2018:





Photo gallery from 23.09.2018:





• 300th Birth Anniversary of David Zeisberger, the Apostle of the Indians, Jubilees of Moravians in 2020, 2021, 2022.

Photo gallery from 24.–26.9.2021:

Acknowledgements:

The Hyundai Endowment Fund and the OSF Foundation supported the IX.international conference and other Moravian projects

The church Jednota bratrská (The Unity of the Brethren) dedicated the domain moravian.cz

Česko-německý fond budoucnosti (The Czech-German Fond for Future) supported new exposition David Zeisberger and supported also publishing
              of two publications.

German Culture Forum for Central and Eastern Europe enables a long-term holding of exhibition 'The Reformation in the Central and Eastern Europe'
              and provides us with accompanying brochures.

Silesia Euroregion Silesia.

European Union