The paper deals with Czech countrymen, soldiers-legionaries and
prisoners of war during World War I in the Russian Empire and their life conditions at the time when significant number of Czechs
became citizens of an enemy state (Austria-Hungary) with which Russia was at war. The position of Czechs in Russia differed based on their military status (legionaries and prisoners of war) and citizenship as only a part of Czechs had a status of Russian serfs (mostly those who immigrated between 1860s and 1880s).
During the war Czech countrymen associations who had hitherto focused on maintaining awareness of the Czech nationality, language, folk culture, etc. acquired, along with newly established Czech-Slovak associations, further significance and competence. The associations made life easier for their members, protect-ed them from expulsion from their homes, from confiscation of their property, raised funds and organised in-kind support, and the like. The Alliance of Czech-Slovak associations in Russia, which allied individual associations, also provided vital information, namely by means of its newspaper titled Čechoslovák (Czechoslovakian) which was published in Saint Petersburg (1915-1917).
The First World War marked not only the “great” history, but it also entered the everyday lives of the inhabitants in the states at war; that means also in the Czech lands. It did not steer clear of pubs of different kinds. The war sorrows influenced the operation of hospitality establishments to a large extent. The war noticeably restricted the services the hospitality establishments delivered to accidental visitors as well as to regular clients,whereby the drastic decrease in basic refreshments, especially beer and other intoxicating beverages, as well as other kinds of refreshment was undoubtedly the most acute problem. As aconsequenceof various restrictions in hospitality establishments operation, the war conflict endangered the existence of many operators and owners of such firms whose business lost its sense the leisure time of wide layers of inhabitants, and the social life suffered as a consequence of the stifling atmosphere as well, as the pubs and inns were natural centres of social life. In addition, a considerable decrease in the number of those who usually were involved in local entertainments and pastimes made itself felt. Although politicizing was considerably restrictedat pubs and inns at that time, because it was strictly forbidden and checked, some establishments became a place of conspiracy against the existing monarchy. Pubs played an important role on the occasion of the declaration of independence in October 1918.