Press Releases
The Foundation frequently sends press releases to a wide variety of media outlets. The press releases are posted below as soon as they are distributed.
Check back often for the latest releases!
The Latest
Publisher Speaks for Slovaks
Books on Central Europe’s History
Printed Alongside the Latin Texts
by Andis Robeznieks
Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL), Thursday, March 30, 2000.
In a back suite of a Wauconda industrial office park, the secrets of the ancient world are being uncovered, the heart of Europe is being given music to sing, and the mind of Adolf Hitler is being put “under a microscope.”
Welcome to Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers Inc. It’s where Slovak immigrant Ladislaus “Lou” Bolchazy, Ph.D., works at his dream of “trying to humanize the world via the humanities.”
Bolchazy-Carducci publishes college and high school Latin textbooks, and produces a self-teaching Latin book and CD-ROM series that’s being used extensively by parents who home-school their children. They’ve also published a Latin version of the Dr. Seuss classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and a Latin version of The Cat in the Hat is set for an October release. In the same vein, the company markets a compact disc of Elvis Presley songs sung in Latin. (Tenere me ama, for example, is “Love Me Tender.”) One of the books Bolchazy is most proud of is the company’s version of The Epic of Gilgamesh, a 4,000-year-old story that predates the Bible, Homer and Virgil by centuries.
“Our institutions, our languages, our civilizations are all rooted in Greco-Roman civilizations, and these are rooted in Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations,” Bolchazy said. “That’s why I’m so interested in the Gilgamesh epic. It’s the roots of our roots.”
Bolchazy pays homage to his ethnic roots through the Slovak- American International Cultural Foundation based in the same office. In addition to publishing the first English-language books on Slovak history and mythology, the nonprofit agency also produces a virtual gallery of Slovak art on the Web at www.SLOVAKCULTURE.org
“Slovakia is the heart of Europe and the geographic center of the continent,” Bolchazy said. “Slovak literature and art are our best ambassadors and our most viable contribution to the world.”
The company is three quarters-finished with producing a massive four-volume series on Adolf Hitler’s speeches and proclamations. It has brought both praise and controversy. “A Jewish friend told me: ‘Your company will be constantly on the defense with this project. Don’t do it,’ “ Bolchazy said. “One woman asked me, ‘Why did you bring Hitler to America?’
“I am a victim of Hitler. As a child, I was bombed, forced to evacuate and kept constantly hungry. I look at Hitler as a virus, possibly responsible for up to 50 million deaths. I needed to put this virus under a microscope and see why it was capable of accomplishing what it did.”
Bolchazy said the first three volumes were reviewed positively in “Dimensions,” the official publication of B’nai B’rith. “The gist of the review was that no one can do any definitive research on the Third Reich or the Holocaust without this series,” he said.
May 16 - August 31, 2005
The Slovak-American International Cultural Foundation is pleased to announce a new exhibit of the photographs of Dr. Igor Grossmann, a Slovak artist. The ethnographic photographs are from his book, Images Gone With Time, published by Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, Inc. of Wauconda, IL.
The book contains 125 photographs of an earlier time in history. Some photographs of Dr. Igor Grossmann will be exhibited for the first time in this area at the Ela Library in Lake Zurich, IL for the months of May through August.
A native of Slovakia, Dr. Grossmann has exhibited his acclaimed work in Europe and America. The photos of Slovak village life from 1950-1965 capture forever many moments of a culture that exists only in the past.
February 24, 2005
Bush and Putin Awarded a SAICF Book
The Slovak-American International Cultural Foundation from Wauconda, IL is pleased to report that one of its published books played an important role in President Bush’s summit meeting on Thursday, February 24, 2005, with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bratislava, the capital of the Slovak Republic. It was a great honor for the Slovak Republic to be chosen as the site for the summit meetings that brought new attention to Slovakia in the world. It was also a great honor for the Slovak-American International Cultural Foundation when President Gasparovic chose a Slovak-authored SAICF book to present to both Presidents Bush and Putin.
This is the first visit for President Bush and President Putin to the Slovak Republic.
President Bush stated that he had chosen to hold the summit here because
“Here is a country that is working hard to promote democracy. I have always felt like countries like the Slovak Republic are really important for the world to know more about. As you know, I am a great believer in liberty. And this is a country which is succeeding. There are bumps in the road; it is difficult but successful. I am looking forward to come. It is a highlight of the trip.”
In order to commemorate this occasion, Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic chose the book, Slovak Tales, by Paul Dobsinsky, a special edition donated by the Slovak-American International Cultural Foundation, to present to Bush and Putin. SAICF’s purpose agrees with President’s statement that a hard working country like the Slovak Republic is important for the world to recognize. SAICF’s mission is to showcase literary, artistic, and scholarly works of Slovaks and Slovak-Americans to the world. To do so, SAICF provides assistance in translating, publishing, and marketing the Slovak works to the English-speaking world. Many memorable books have been published to date. Join us in celebration of this Slovak honor by visiting our website and learning of the wonderful books and photographs we have to offer.
Please visit us at our website at www.slovakculture.org and www.bolchazy.com or contact Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, Inc. in Wauconda, IL tel (847) 526-4344,ext. 17 or 22 for more information.
Archived Releases
Czech and Slovak Language and History Classes]
( .doc file - 25KB )
[Czech and Slovak Language and History Classes]
( .doc file - 25KB )
[Click here for Press Release #1]
New Foundation celebrates Slovak Contributions
[Click here for Press Release #2]
Virtual Museum of Slovak Art Established on Internet
[Click here for Press Release #3]
Award Support Scholarship about Slovakia Established
[Click here for Press Release #4]
Secretary of Slovak-American International Cultural Foundation Selected
to Serve on Illinois Ethnic Affairs Advisory Council
[Click here for Press Release #5]
Governor Selects Foundation Art for Special Exibit
[Click here for Press Release #6]
Foundation Officer Selected to Attend Prestigious Slavic Institute
[Click here for Press Release #7]
Dr. Ladislaus Bolchazy's trip to Slovakia
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