Abstract
This paper deals with history of cold water swimming and long-distance swimming in the Czech Lands and Czechoslovakia from the beginnings until 1980. The beginnings of winter swimming we can date in the Czech Lands in the first third of the 20th century, and Alfred Nikodem and Oldřich Liška were the main figures of this swimming discipline.
Long-distance swimming started with us at the official race Across Prague, in 1906. Our most famous long-distance swimmers were František Venclovský and Jan Novák.
The Second World War, between 1939 and 1945, greatly dampened the sporting events in Czechoslovakia, and of course, it also involved winter and long-distance swimming. In 1948, the oldest 1st section of winter swimmers and long-distance swimmers took place at TJ Hostivař-Prague, today 1st swimming club of winter swimmers in Prague.