Czech Ethnologist Who Saved Orava Open-Air Museum and Preserved Goral Culture Dies
Jiří Langer, a Czech ethnologist and historian who played a crucial role in preserving traditional Goral culture in northern Slovakia, has died. During his eleven years of active work, Langer rescued a deteriorating manor house that became the foundation of the Orava Open-Air Museum and conducted extensive research into Goral folklore in the mountainous region along Slovakia's border with Poland. The Orava region, known for its distinct mountain culture and traditional wooden architecture, benefited significantly from Langer's ethnological work, which helped document and preserve the unique customs, traditions, and material culture of the Goral people. His legacy continues to influence cultural preservation efforts in the area, with the open-air museum serving as an important repository of regional heritage.
