Hundreds of thousands of Czechs moved overseas between the defeat of the Revolution in 1848 and the outbreak of the First World War. Moreover, their descendants still form important foreign communities. For example, in Texas nearly 200,000 Czech-Americans live and still retain our Czech national identity.

Not all Czechs burned the bridges after they fled. They were united by their resistance against German domination, the Catholic Church, and the Habsburg monarchy. They remained loyal to the Czech nation and never stopped hoping for its freedom.

To start his resistance activities, Masaryk of course needed funding, but he had few friends in the West. And that is when the Czech compatriots came onto the scene. Together, they managed to organize a wave of fundraisers and tirelessly helped in terms of publicity and material aid.

But the help of Czech compatriots did not consist only in helping T. G. Masaryk. The compatriots also helped prisoners of war in Russia, Serbia, and other parts of the world. Some of the prisoners later formed the Czechoslovak Legion. Compatriots sent money, printed reading material, tobacco, and clothing to the prisoners. Czechs also organized charity bazaars, lectures, and concerts. Their proceeds were also used to promote the establishment of an independent Czechoslovakia. In France, for example, the compatriots’ efforts were a great success. The French public, based on information in the press, pressured their government and parliamentary representatives in favor of the establishment of an independent Czechoslovakia.