Editing Nativity scene (section)

===Czech Republic===
[[File:KJ hrad.jpg|thumb|Part of the Krýza's crèche – a castle]]
The [[Czech Republic]], and the cultures represented in its predecessors i.e. [[Czechoslovakia]] and the lands of former [[Crown of Bohemia|Bohemia]], have a long tradition regarding ''betlémy'' (literally "Bethlehems"), crèches. The tradition of home nativity scenes is often traced to the 1782 ban of church and institutional crèches by emperor [[Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor|Joseph II]], officially responding to public disturbances and the resulting "loss of dignity" of such displays.<ref>{{cite web|title=From Nutshells to Life‑size Statues|url=http://www.dzm.com/~zuzana/pics/misc-bus/mag/nativity.pdf|publisher=Bridge Publishing House|access-date=24 November 2013|date=December 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202235005/http://www.dzm.com/~zuzana/pics/misc-bus/mag/nativity.pdf|archive-date=2 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Velinger|first=Jan|title=Czech Nativity scenes|url=http://www.radio.cz/en/section/czechs/czech-nativity-scenes|access-date=24 November 2013|date=7 December 2005|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203060737/http://www.radio.cz/en/section/czechs/czech-nativity-scenes|archive-date=3 December 2013}}</ref> As this followed the [[1782 Edict of Tolerance|Edict of Toleration]] proclaimed the previous year, it reduced State support of the Catholic church in this multi-confessional land.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nhart.schoolwires.net/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=2657&dataid=697&FileName=Joseph_II_Edict_of_Tolerat.pdf|title=Edict of Toleration (2 January 1782): Emperor Joseph II|publisher=New Hartford Central School District|location=New Hartford, New York|access-date=30 November 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203003605/http://nhart.schoolwires.net/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=2657&dataid=697&FileName=Joseph_II_Edict_of_Tolerat.pdf|archive-date=3 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Eighteenth Century|url=http://noemewv.nl/Kerkgeschiedenis/Tijdlijn/chrono18.html|publisher=LITURGIE &CETERA|access-date=24 November 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202232426/http://noemewv.nl/Kerkgeschiedenis/Tijdlijn/chrono18.html|archive-date=2 December 2013}}</ref>

====Třebechovice pod Orebem====
{{Main|Probošt's mechanical Christmas crib}}
The Museum of Nativity Scenes in [[Třebechovice pod Orebem]] has over 400 examples dated from the 18th until early 20th century, including the [[Probošt's mechanical Christmas crib]], so called ''Třebechovice's Bethlehem''.
 
The issue of cost arose, and paper-cut crèches, "the crèche of the poor", became one major expression,<ref>{{cite news|last=Osborne|title=Paper Crèches|url=http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/baker-exhibit.html|access-date=24 November 2013|year=2004|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231125011/http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/baker-exhibit.html|archive-date=2014-12-31}}</ref> as well as wood-carved ones, some of them complex and detailed. Many major Czech artists, sculptors and illustrators have as a significant part of their legacy the crèches that they created.

The following people are known for creating Czech paper crèches: 
*[[Mikoláš Aleš]] (1852–1913), painter famed for his murals of the [[National Theatre (Prague)|National Theatre]]
*[[Josef Wenig (artist)|Josef Wenig]] (1885–1939), illustrator, theatre decorator and playwright
*[[Josef Lada]] (1887–1957), known for his work in ''[[The Good Soldier Švejk]]''
*Marie Fischerová-Kvěchová (1892–1984), illustrator of a large number of children books

====Krýza's crèche====
{{Main|Krýza's crèche}}
Tomáš Krýza (1838–1918) built in a period of over 60 years a nativity scene covering 60 m<sup>2</sup> (length 17 m, size and height 2 m) which contains 1,398 figures of humans and animals, of which 133 are moveable. It is on display in southern Bohemian town [[Jindřichův Hradec]]. It figures as the largest mechanical nativity scene in the world in the ''[[Guinness Book of World Records]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Krýza Nativity Scene|url=https://www.mjh.cz/en/museum-exposition/kryza-nativity-scene|publisher=Jindřichův Hradec Museum|access-date=2021-09-27|archive-date=2021-09-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901103357/https://www.mjh.cz/en/museum-exposition/kryza-nativity-scene|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Gingerbread crèches====
Gingerbread nativity scenes and cribs in the church of St. Matthew in Šárka (Prague 6 [[Dejvice]]) have around 200 figures and houses, the tradition dates from since 1972; every year new ones are baked and after holidays eaten.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}