1945 Opětovný rozmach/en
Liga československých woodcrafterů ("League of Czechoslovak Woodcrafters", LČSW)
Picture from p. 136 1. The cover of the Delawares tribe's chronicle, 1945. ~z~ JS
Picture from p. 136 2. Post-war camping at Stvořidla. ~z~ PM
Picture from p. 136 3. The first post-war letter from E. T. Seton – Black Wolf to Czechoslovakia, 23. 11. 1945. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 136 4. LČSW's big camp at Stvořidla was led by Wapiton (standing on the left behind his wife), 1946. ~z~ RP
Picture from p. 137 5. The cover of Ink's handbook Stezka ("Path"), 1946. ~a~ FIC, ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 137 6. The cover of the new edition of the Roll, 1948. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 137 7. The cover of the first post-war Hlasatel ("Reporter"), 1945. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 137 8. Jason and Tarka, figthers from Prague's barricades 1945. ~z~ JP
Picture from p. 137 9. Sylva and Ještěrka embellishing the military fortress, 1945. ~z~ DR
Picture from p. 137 10. A "little pearl" diploma, 1946. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 137 11. The new eagle feather decree drawn by Katug, 1944. ~a~ VS, ~z~ AW
A request to renew the activities of the League was submitted to the relevant authorities as early as on 22 May 1945. The official permission was, however, issued only a year later on 18 June 1946 by means of Ministry of Internal Affairs' order. LČSW with headquarters in Prague operated from that day to 4 January 1951 when it was officially disbanded. During these few years of existence, LČSW has 20 tribes registered, and the number of its members never exceeded 500. Nevertheless, its activities were cheerful and enthusiastic as shown by the following photos as well.
Prague tribes
Picture from p. 138 1. Černí Havrani during an expedition, 1950. ~z~ JK
Picture from p. 138 2. A cover of the magazine Liška 2/1946. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 138 3. Camping at Štiřín, 1945. ~z~ SI
Picture from p. 138 4. The tribe Černí Havrani at the river Hřmící řeka, 1951. ~z~ JK
Picture from p. 138 5. The chronicle of Černí Havrani, 1949. ~z~ LA
Picture from p. 138 6. Sisseton wandering, 1948 ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 139 7.–8. The activities of Kmen Šelem, 1947. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 139 9. Prague woodcrafters' tribe at Klínové boudy, 1945. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 139 10. The tribe Wahkepute, Medvěd is holding the map. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 139 11.–12. Publications by the tribe Sisseton, 1949. ~z~ AW
With six active tribes Prague became the biggest center woodcraft of LČSW once again. Prague woodcrafters' tribe was catching up with studies at newly-opened universities, but its members would also help out as chiefs, fire wardens or patrons of children's tribes. Liščí kmen "Fox Tribe" was shortly led by Ink to be taken over by Kim again who founded Kmen Černého Vlka ("Black Wolf's Tribe") later on. The tribe Sisseton was led by Pirát (Mahykan), the tribe Wahpekute was let by Brother Tarka, Kmen Šelem ("The Farine Tribe") was led by Jezevec, and Černí Havrani ("Black Ravens") was led by Had.
Liščí kmen was the most agile in publishing literature; they issued around 20 publications and the magazine Liška ("Fox"), The Sisseton tribe issued three handbooks.
Brno tribes
Picture from p. 140 1. A watercolor painting by Kmen Přírody for LČSW chronicle. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 140 2. The younger kin of Kmen Ohně in Pouzdřanská step, 1951. ~z~ JC
Picture from p. 140 3.–4. Kmen Přírody heading out to camp at the pond Demák, 1947. ~z~ DR
Picture from p. 140 5. A cover of the magazine Za hlasem tam-tamu ("Following the voice tam-tam") 9–10/1946 {{{3}}}
Picture from p. 140 6. Sylva's LČSW membership card, 1948. ~z~ DR
Picture from p. 141 7. "Sedící Býk" ("A Bull Sitting Down"), a combined-technique drawing from Kmen Ohně's chronicle by Rys, 1947. ~a~ JC, ~z~ JC
Picture from p. 141 8. The campsite kitchen at the pond Holenský rybník, Kmen Ohně 1950. ~z~ JC
Picture from p. 141 9. Kmen Ohně holding a council at Lipový vrch, 1950. {{{3}}}
Picture from p. 141 10. Bedřich Homola – Osamělý Bobr (Lone Beaver) going for an overfall of a scout camp, Zelený potok in Jeseníky 1949. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 141 11. Jiřičky, a girls' tribe, at Walden, 1948. ~z~ RP
Post-war Brno region took pride in as many as four woodcrafter tribes: Kmen Ohně ("Tribe of Fire"), Kmen Přírody ("Tribe of Nature"), kmen Děti divočiny ("Tribe of Children of the Wild") a kmen Jiřičky ("House Martins").
Slovak tribes
Picture from p. 142 1. Migisi's pastel drawing from the chronicle of Ojibways, 1947. ~a~ JPM ~z~ RP
Picture from p. 142 2. The Venédov tribe's PF 1947. ~z~ LA
Picture from p. 142 3. The Ojibways wandering, 1947. ~z~ RP
Picture from p. 142 4. The council site at Bielovodská dolina, 1947. ~z~ RP
Picture from p. 142 5. The Ojibways are climbing up to the hill Roštún, 1947. ~z~ RP
Picture from p. 142 6. Entertainment on the meadow at Walden awaken again after a year, 1948. ~z~ RP
Picture from p. 143 7. A cover of the magazine Karibú no. 2/194., ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 143 8. A cover of Migisi's book about camping, 1955. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 143 9. A cover of the Venédov tribe's tracing handbook, 1946. ~z~ RP
Picture from p. 143 10. The Ojibways at Walden, 1947. ~z~ RP
Picture from p. 143 11. Wandering around Biele Karpaty, 1950. ~z~ RP
Picture from p. 143 12. A cover of the camp's chronicle, 1948. ~a~ JPM, ~z~ RP
Picture from p. 143 13. Deti hôr getting registered in LČSW, 1948. ~z~ AW
After the war, woodcrafters' activity in Slovakia was considerably weakened. Jedinou výjimkou byl početný kmen Ojibway z Bratislavy, který vedli Migisi s Lišákem. The Venédov tribe operated in Žilina, and the section Deti hôr in Bánská Bystrica.
Other LČSW tribes
Picture from p. 144 1.–2. The Omaha Plzeň tribe's stamp and emblem, 1946. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 144 3. A pastel drawing from the chronicle of the tribe Dakota Červený Kostelec, 1945. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 144 4. A council of Delawares from Chválenice at the meadow Bendojc louka, 1945. ~z~ JS
Picture from p. 144 5. A cover of the magazine Mohykán ("Mohican") no. 3-4/1946. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 144 6.–7. A summer camp of Dakotů Červený Kostelec, Podolánky 1946. ~z~ RV
Picture from p. 145 8.–9. Activities of the tribe Hledači pravdy Tábor. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 145 10.–12. Covers of woodcraft handbooks from Letící Sokol's workshop, 1947. ~z~ LA
Picture from p. 145 13. LČSW's camp at Zelený potok. On the left: Sojka from Sisseton, on the right: Veverčák – the Chief of Děti Divočiny Litvínov, 1949. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 145 14. Emil Dlouhý – Malý Jestřáb from Děti Divočiny Litvínov ~z~ MJ
Woodcrafter tribes were, of course, not only in Prague and Brno, but all over the country. These are photos of the activities of tribes in the Pilsen region, Červený Kostelec, Tábor and Litvínov.
The castles action
Picture from p. 146 1. Šaman's linocut "The Castles Action", 1995. ~a~ LR, ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 146 2. Children's play in front of the Štiřín castle, 1945. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 146 3. The cover of Pitter's paper about The Castles Action, 1947. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 146 4. Přemysl Pitter with the youngest children at Emil Vogl M.D. – Wučiček's medicine house, 1945. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 146 5. Pitter at the Lojovice castle, 1945. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 147 6. An almanac of a woodcrafter summer camp at Štiřín, 1945. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 147 7. LČSW youth led by Ink set up their teepees in the park at Štiřín, 1945. ~z~ SI
Picture from p. 147 8. Pitter's youth in front of the Štiřín castle, 1945. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 147 9. Children at the Olešovice castle, 1945. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 147 10. The cover of Pitter's book with woodcraft novels, 2005. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 147 11. A cover of Pitter's magazine Sbratření ("Befriending"), 5/1936. ~z~ AW
Right after the war, Přemysl Pitter, his coworkers from Milíč House and woodcrafters from the Walden group started the extensive project "The Castles Action" that ran for two years Pitter managed to include three castles (Štiřín, Kamenice, Olešovice) left after baron Ringhoffer and the Lojovice castle in national administration. The aim of the project was to help the children coming back from concentration camps and internment camps for Germans.
At first, its activity was financed especially by the inheritance left after the late Miloš Seifert as well as from financial donations. The sanatoria staff worked for free.
For their educational work they often drew on the thoughts of E. T. Seton – Black Wolf as well as Miloš Seifert – Woowotanna, his most loyal student. In the period 15–28 July 1945, a shared summer camp for younger boys from Prague (the tribes Wahpekute, Lišky, Šelmy) under the leadership of František Chudáček – Ink was even held at Štiřín, one of the castles. It contributed to the integration of children from concetration camps into the world where they did not have to be scared for their lives anymore.
What heritage did they leave behind? This was best expressed by Jan Niebauer – Wo in his book U hasnoucího ohníčku ("By the Fire Dying Away"): "The introduced an ideal of people who worked selflessly for children for their entire lives. In fact, they became the perfect heroes."
The cottage Klínové boudy
Picture from p. 148 1. The cottage Klínové boudy, 1947. ~z~ JK
Picture from p. 148 2.–4. Kmen Šelem at Klínové boudy, Easter, 1947. ~z~ JK
Picture from p. 148 5. Hukwim in a tailcoat and a top-hat, ready for the traditional New Year's Eve masks race, 31. 12. 1947. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 148 6. Prague woodcrafter tribe at Klínové boudy. From the left: Wakin, Ink, Katug and Hukwim, 1945. ~z~ AW
On 2 October 1945 already, Jiří Novák – Mýval (Hukwim) provided the League with a cottage in Volský důl at Klínové boudy no. 83. LČSW would then go to the Giant Mountains for many meetings, trainings and winter camps.
LČSW's last event at Klínové boudy was a winter camp in the period 25 December 1948 – 5 January 1949. Soon after that, Mýval had to hand the base in to National Administration.
The last day at Klínová bouda:
On the fifth day of the Snow Month we were leaving... We were unusually sad as we knew that we would not come back here; at the same time, however, we were convinced that we would create just as beautiful and cozy conditions in any other cottage in any other mountain range. Therefore, the saying "a low cottage banged upon by the chief" will not perish...
Woodcraft Rangers (WR)
Picture from p. 149 1. Woodcraft Rangers' council, cca 1930. ~z~ WR
Picture from p. 149 2. Warriors with scarves, 1936. ~z~ WR
Picture from p. 149 3. Seton and the chiefs of Woodcraft Rangers, 1936. ~z~ WR
Picture from p. 149 4. WR youth with Walt Disney, cca 1955. ~z~ WR
Picture from p. 149 5. Woodcraft Rangers' leadership, cca 1960. ~z~ WR
The emergence of Woodcraft Rangers in Los Angeles was initiated around 1917 by Harry C. James. In 1934 they were renamed Woodcraft Rangers. At that time it was a western branch of WLA, which was, of course, taking over E. T. Seton's entire organizational structure and methodology too.
After the Black Wolf's death in 1946, Woodcraft Rangers become WLA's successor organization. Unfortunately, Woodcraft Rangers would gradually abandon the ideas and traditions of woodcraft throughout the following decades.
Ladislav Vodák - Letící sokol, Přemysl Pitter
Picture from p. 150 L. Vodák, 1945. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 150 L. Vodák in Šumava, 1946. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 151 P. Pitter, 1945. ~z~ PM
Picture from p. 151 Pitter, Fierzová, 1963. ~z~ AW
Picture from p. 152 The watercolor painting "Stoupání na horu" ("Ascending a Mountain") with text inserted by Rys, Kmen Ohně's chronicle 1951. ~a~ JC, ~z~ JC
- Ladislav Vodák
- (*21. 7. 1921, Hartmanice – † 24. 9. 2001, Sušice)
The Chief of the tribe Hledači pravdy from Tábor; his nickname was Letící Sokol.
After the war, Vodák contacted Miloš Seifert's brother-in-law and sister (the Pánek family) who donated Woowotanna's many unique materials (the chronicles of Děti Živěny and Kmen Rudých jazyků, correspondence, personal scarf, manuscripts, etc.) to the renewed LČSW through him. Letící Sokol also found the place in Šumava where Seifert camped in 1927 and 1924–25.
He lived most of his life in Šumava where he worked for the state nature conservation. He was a member of the group Ochranářský průzkum Šumavy ("Protective Exploration of Šumava") together with RNDr. Ing. Eliška Nováková, DrSc., and RNDr. Pavel Trpák; based on their work, Šumava was declared a protected landscape area in 1963. In the 1980s he managed to reintroduce the Eurasian lynx to Šumava. At that time, he intensively supported woodcrafters' activities at the camps at Kepelský potok in Šumava. He successfuly got the peak Křemelná renamed to Mt E. T. Seton in 1990.
- Přemysl Pitter
- (*21. června 1895, Praha-Smíchov – † 15. února 1976, Curych, Švýcarsko)
A Czech Protestantism-oriented chaplain, writer, journalist, radical pacifist, and social worker. He founded the Milíč House at Žižkov (today known as Milíč House Kindergarten). For a long time he was a friend of Miloš Seifert, one of the contributors to the magazine Sbratření ("Befriending") and a benefactor of Milíč House (he left it more than CZK 200,000 in his will). In Milíč House, a woodcrafter tribe was run in the 1930s by Miloslav Vavrda with the help of Ferdinand Krch. After World War II, Pitter saved hundreds of children regardless of their nationality and religion with his "Castle Action". Spolupracovníky měl v mnohých woodcrafterech, mj. Mílovi Vavrdovi, Zdeňku Teichmanovi, Vojtěchu Trnkovi a především MUDr. Emilu Voglovi. Přemysl Pitter s LČSW často spolupracoval jako lektor na lesních školách a z úcty k zesnulému příteli a spolupracovníku Miloši Seifertovi se sám stává po válce členem LČSW.
V roce 1951 emigruje do Západního Německa, kde pracuje pro Světovou radu církví a BBC. Poskytuje pastorační a sociální služby v táboře Valka u Norimberka, který slouží pro utečence z tzv. Východního bloku. Od roku 1963 žije ve Švýcarsku, domově své životní družky a spolupracovnice Olgy Fierzové. Společně vydávají exilový časopis Hovory s pisateli. V roce 1964 jej Jad vašem (památník obětí a hrdinů holokaustu v Izraeli) prohlásil Spravedlivým mezi národy (titul pro lidi nežidovského původu za mimořádné činy v době holocaustu). V době Pražského jara 1968 byl opět agilní i při snaze o obnovu LLM, dokonce uvažoval o účasti na Sněmu v Křemešníku. Kvůli zásahu sovětských vojsk se bohužel do vlasti již nikdy nedostal.
