RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
A1 Knapík, Jiří
T1 Children's Camps and Summer Recuperation Homes in Years 1948-1955
JF Historica Olomucensia
YR 2016
VO 50
IS 1
SP 193
OP 209
DO 10.5507/ho.2016.010
UL https://historica.upol.cz/artkey/hol-201601-0010.php
AB The study focuses on the still untouched issue - the establishment of a concept of children's summer camps in the Czech lands in years 1948-1955. In the cycle of year-long child's activities, summer holidays represented a delicate season for the Communist regime. In this period, a child was not under the straight influence of a school and a mass organized summer camps belonged among ways which contributed to reduce this weakening. A new conception distanced itself especially from the strong tradition of scout camps. A network of traditional organizers (clubs) disappeared until 1949 and a so called unified children recreation (summer recuperation) was organized by national committees, which chose children according to politically and ideologically motivated criteria given in advance. Only later, such an attitude was moderated. A stay in summer camps was strongly characterized by ideological requirements as well as a school character of work with a child group. The growth of a number of children in camps in years 1949-1951 was negatively influenced by a poor status of camp buildings and a lack of recuperation centres. The important and positive changes were connected with a transfer of children's camp organization to the Revolutionary Trade Union Movement in 1955.