Nuremberg, Germany, Oct 19 (CTK special correspondent) – The Czech and Bavarian prime ministers, Bohuslav Sobotka and Horst Seehofer, respectively, inaugurated a Czech-Bavarian exhibition on King of Bohemia and Roman Emperor Charles IV, who was born 700 years ago, on Wednesday.
The exhibition follows up the Prague part which was held from May until September and wich was also opened by the two prime ministers.
The Prague exhibition was one of the most successful with visitors in the past years. It was seen by more than 90,000 people.
In his speech, Sobotka said the importance of the exhibition rests in that both the Czechs and Bavarians can claim Charles IV’s legacy.
“I am not naive enough to believe that stereotypes of many centuries can be removed by one exhibition, but I am convinced that it (the exhibition) is a significant step on this way,” he said.
“I sincerely wish that we find more and more cultural bridges between the Czech Republic and Bavaria as this exhibition is,” Sobotka said.
He said many of those who saw the exhibition in Prague will arrive in Nuremberg to see it again. “It is a short way to Nuremberg, also thanks to our relations which have been better and better,” Sobotka said.
“The fact that Czech and Bavarian prime ministers were not meeting for more than 40 years, while we have met five times in the past 12 months is an expression of the normality of relations between the Czech Republic and the free state of Bavaria,” Seehofer said before the opening of the exhibition.
He said the inauguration was a symbol of friendship developing between the two countries and thanked Sobotka for his commitment “in the services of reconciliation.”
Reviewing cooperation during the past two years, Seehofer mentioned the opening of Bavaria’s office in Prague and the signing of a cultural cooperation agreement.
“Friendship cannot be ordered by the state, it must be filled by people, every generation must do it again,” he said.
Seehofer said Charles IV was a great builder of bridges between Bohemia and Bavaria.
The Nuremberg version of the exhibition prepared by Czech and German experts is slightly reduced compared to the Prague one, but in addition, it will present loaned manuscripts.
The inauguration on Wednesday was also attended by Czech Culture Minister Daniel Herman and National Gallery in Prague director Jiri Fajt.
The Golden Bull of 1356 issued by Charles IV (1316-1378), King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, which was a sort of statute book valid until the end of the empire in 1806, will be one of the most important exhibits in Nuremberg as it was in Prague.
