Oral history v konceptu soudobých dějin a oral history v České republice
Oral history in concept of contemporary history and oral history in Czech Republic

Summary/Abstract: After the end of World War II in the countries of Western Europe and especially in North America oral history could be methodologically shaped and developing freely. For political reasons oral history could not assert itself until 1989 in Czechoslovakia. After the fall of the Iron Curtain oral history began to expand into Eastern Bloc´s countries including Czechoslovakia. At that time oral history was facing criticism and some kind of demureness from classical historians, who have rejected oral history for many reasons. After more than a quarter of the century the situation has changed. In the Czech Republic oral history has its place between other humanitarian sciences, however the situation is still not comparable with states of Western Europe where oral history has settled already two generations earlier. The contribution provides a methodological and historical summaries of oral history. Article discusses the creation of methodology, its development, positive and negative aspects and institution in the Czech Republic. The article is based on a synthesis of available materials and on the author´s own experience. The aim is to make the reader familiar with oral history´s origin and its development and highlights the challenges that oral historians face. The article presents an evolution of methodology in the Czech Republic and the most important projects.

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