This article deals with the events during the so-called Arab Spring (or Domino) in Jordan since the beginning of 2011. Jordan (same as many other Arab states) had to cope with revolutionary atmosphere inspired by Tunisian revolution (since December 2010). This article describes which groups of Jordanian population and with which demands joined several-month popular protests and uprisings. Last year´s events are then explained on the background of the development of Jordanian politics. Great part of the articles exercises certain demands for reform in connection with tension between different parts of Jordanian society (Palestinians, Bedouins etc.). The end of the article summarizes success of Jordanian reformist movement so far., Martina Ponížilová., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The Czech architect Jan Letzel (1880-1925) became world-renowned thanks to his buildings designed in Japan. His architectural masterpiece, the Hirshima Prefecual Commercial Exhibition Hall (opened to the public in August 1915), partly survived the atomic explosion in August 1945 and thus became the famous Hiroshima Peace Memorial, commonly referred to as the A-Bomb Dome. Less well known is the history of Letzel´s stay in Egypt in 1905-1906. As a member of the khedivial architectural bureau, directed by Fabrizius Pasha, Letzel designed several buildings of which only „the villa of Abd al-Rashima“ is known by name. Letzel admired the ancient Egyptian monuments, especially the pyramids and tombs of Giza and Saqqara, as well as the well preserved limestone gallery quarries in Gebel Hof, and recorded his enthusiastic descriptions and the deep impressions they made on him in numerous letters sent to his mother. All the relevant quotations from his letters are mentioned and comment is made on them., Břetislav Vachala., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The goal of this paper is to refute the old myth that Muhammad Ali purposely created a national army to achieve Egypt´s independence, and that the military service in his army provoked a raise of national consciousness among the Egyptian soldiers. As the author tries to prove, Muhammad Ali wanted neither to create a national army nor to obtain independence of Egypt. Furthermore, since the pasha preferred the Turkish speaking military elites and the service in his army was a dreadful experience for the Egyptians which actually had no desire to fight for his interests, there was no substantial reason for their identification with his armed forces and the raise of their nationalism. In brief, it was Muhammad Ali´s army and not the Egyptian one., Miroslav Šedivý., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The article deals with the Jewish Ashkenazi community of Shanghai, which developed in the first half of the 20th century. The community was formed by two main groups: Russian Jews escaping Antisemitism on their country, and Second World War refugees coming from different parts of Europe. During the time of the Shoa Shanghai hosted estimated 25 000 refugees and thus became an important part of the World Jewish Diaspora. The presented paper maps the historical developoment of both the groups, their origin as well as their fall, their religious and cultural life. It pays attention to their links to the first Shanghai Jewish community, the Baghdadis, and to the World Zionist Movement, and also to their relationship with the surrounding Chinese environment. Of particular interests is the life of the ghetto, created under the Japanese control., Anna Sehnalová., and Obsahuje poznámky a seznam literatury
Paper describes the origin and evolution of the India business community, which operated in Russia´s Astrakhan from the 1730s to the mid-19th century. It focuses primarily on economic activity of the merchants and its development throughout the time and the importance of Indian presence Astrakhan for the economy of the Russian Empire and its eastern expansion. Both the social and the political status of this community are treated at some length as well as its everyday life., Michal Wanner., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
In July 2012, new archaelogical campaign in Western Shephelah in Israel at the ancient site of Tel Azekah has been opened. The excavations are conducted by prestigious international consortium of universities among which also Charles University of Prague and there specifically The Centre for Biblical Studies of the Czech Academy of Sciences are involved. The site under scrutiny was populated throughout many period including Late Bronze, Iron Age and presumably also the Persian or the Hasmonaean time. Though already excavated at the end of 19th century, present campaign aims to raise new data from the site with support of latter-day technologies so that the complex picture of its abudant history can be elaborated., Filip Čapek., and Obsahuje seznam literatury