This thesis deals with the analysis of the adult educational association activities in the Czech lands during the period of the monarchy ofAustria-Hungary (1848-1914). The Czech society was subjected to development being part of the multinational Habsburg Empire affected by the modernization process of the second half of the 19th century. The ideas of capitalism, industrialization and urbanization marked a series of changes in the economical, educational, political and cultural area. In the second half of the 19th century, the initially united national-emancipatory stream fell apart into separate trends of adult education. The process of centralization reached its climax together with the forthcoming adult education specialization. All the cultural engagement resulted in the founding of the Union of adult education (Svaz osvětový). The thesis takes a closer look at the physical education and women adult education activities and the national unions activities. An analysis follows of the main characteristics of the pre-war adult education: the intricate co-existence with the German nationals, the culture link to the political interests or copying foreign models. The final chapter places the adult education in the years 1848-1914 into the context of the following development during the period of the...