John Kerry Carries Genes of the Kings of Bohemia That Senator John Kerry has Czech ancestors is now generally known. His grandfather Frederick Kerry, whose original name was Fritz Kohn, was a native of Horni Benesov in Moravia, Czech Republic. His grandmother Ida Loewe was also of Moravian ancestry, originally from the village of Boskovice.

What has not been known, however, is the fact that senator Kerry is also a descendant of the Kings of Bohemia, as was recently ascertained by SVU President Mila Rechcigl, known for his historical studies of American Czechs and genealogy of notable personalities of Czech descent. Based on his research, he was able to construct a detailed Senator Kerry’s family tree which led him all the way to Duke Borivoj I (852/3- ca 888/89) and his wife Saint Ludmila (860-921), the founders of the Premyslide dynasty of the Kings of Bohemia.

It is of interest that this connection occurs on the side of Senator Kerry’s mother Rosemary Isabel Forbes. She was the direct descendant of John Withrop, the first governor of the Massachussets Bay Colony, who arrived in America in 1630. Her ancestors were related to the Royal family of England and through this relationship the family is connected with the Czech Premyslides.

Senator Kerry has thus common ancestry with President George Bush. About President Bush’s Czech roots Rechcigl reported some years ago and his genealogy can be found on the SVU Website: www.SVU2000.org . On his father’s side, President Bush is also a descendant of Czech Premyslides, just as Senator Kerry. President Bush’s mother, Barbara, nee Pierce, interestingly, has also Czech roots. As Rechcigl demonstrated, her ancestors descended from Moravian Brethren family (Demuth) who immigrated to America from their native village Karlov (Karlsdorf) in Moravia in the early part of the eighteenth century and were one of the founders of the town Bethlehem in Pennsylvania.

It is most interesting therefore that both candidates for Presidency in the US have Czech roots. We can thus say with certainty, irrespective who will win the elections, that the next President of the United States will have blue blood of Czech kings in his veins.

Rechcigl will present the details of his findings with the supporting evidence at the forthcoming SVU World Congress at Palacky University in Olomouc, Czech Republic on June 27 - July 4, 2004.

SVU Press Release

Czech Info Center is not responsible for content of this public message. Please contact SVU with any questions.