SVET-AMERICAN represented a merger of 2 newspapers that dominated Cleveland's CZECH-language press for the first half of the 20th century. The senior partner was the American, established as a daily in 1899 by FRANK J. SVOBODA, a Czech immigrant and former typesetter for the Penny Press. Svoboda kept his paper going for 40 years, incorporating it during the last decade as the American Bohemian Publishing Co.
Inaugurated on 22 Feb. 1911, the daily Svet (World) soon thereafter absorbed Vaclav Snajdr's weekly DENNICE NOVOVEKU. Published by the Svet Printing & Publishing Co., it was managed in the 1920s by John A. Stukbauer and edited by Frank J. Kutak. On 5 June 1939, the American was absorbed into the Svet as the Svet-American. Under the direction of John L. Payer, the combined daily was published in the Svet office at 4515 Broadway. As a consequence of its pro-Communist stance following WORLD WAR II, the Svet-American ceased publication in July 1950. It was soon replaced by a new Czech daily, NOVY SVET (New World).