Libor Neuwirth, the modern Ladislav Špaček from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at VSB-TUO

With short videos, he teaches not only Czechs how to hold a glass of wine properly, what to avoid when entering a restaurant, and what is the etiquette of greeting. Besides, he is also a Faculty of Mechanical Engineering student at VSB-TUO.

How did you get into making videos about etiquette? What was the first impulse that got you started?

I have always been interested in etiquette. My parents taught us the rules of good manners from a very young age. I like books by Ladislav Špaček, and my older brother is a great motivator for me.

Do your followers write to you asking what topic you should make another video on?

They write and contact us a lot. If I get the same questions, I reply in bulk via Stories, but I do not have time to answer some questions.

Where do you get inspiration for your videos?

From everyday life. We were recently approached by a magazine to compile a list of the fifteen biggest etiquette transgressions. We had a list of ten and could not think of any others, but then my girlfriend and I went out to have dinner at a restaurant.

What do you think the Czechs have the biggest problem with?

I think with dining. For example, many Czechs do not know how to hold cutlery properly.

You are followed by 101,000 people on Instagram. Do you consider yourself an influencer? What does the number of fans mean to you?

I definitely do not consider myself an influencer, and I do not even like the word. It does not evoke positive feelings in me. However, I am aware of the responsibility we have with such work. And I am glad that we have reached so many people with our videos, and I definitely want to continue my work on social media.

Where and with whom do you most often shoot videos?

I take pictures and shoot with my girlfriend or a friend. A 40-second video, shooting it, editing it, etc., can take up to five hours of work. We post on our Instagram profile every Monday. We try to film a lot outside of Ostrava, which we have already documented.

You are a university student. What are the most frequent transgressions you encounter in the corridors of VSB-TUO?

The misconduct is mainly related to dress, not only among male and female students but also among teachers. The university environment is traditional and conservative, and I think that fashion fads do not belong in a university.

What fads do you have in mind?

A friend of mine happened to have a teacher come to her exam in shorts and a singlet. He was wearing flip-flops. Sometimes students come dressed like that, which is not my personal experience, but our followers write to us about such situations. Similarly, I think that if a woman goes to an exam, she should not wear trainers with her dress. Men do not wear them with a suit either.

I will list three situations: the first day at university, credit week, and exam week. How should students dress for such an occasion?

The first day at university is different from secondary-school student life. Do not go to lessons in a singlet and shorts; for women, a skirt, suit or dress is appropriate; men should opt for trousers and at least a polo shirt. A collarless T-shirt is not socially acceptable in terms of etiquette. This also applies to credit week. And exams or final state exams? Suit and dress, or a skirt suit. Dress shoes, closed-toe court shoes for women, and nylons.

What field did you choose for your studies?   

I studied mechatronics at secondary school and have always been interested in robots. That is why I went to the Brno University of Technology after graduation, but after a year, I transferred to the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at VSB-TUO, where I successfully passed the final state examination and got a bachelor’s degree.

What is it like to study at VSB-TUO?

I am very happy here. I like the personal approach of the teachers. We are not just numbers to them. They explain the subject matter and definitely do not humiliate you in front of the board. And I personally recommend the Math Support Centre, which helped me with math, to all students.

Do you want to pursue engineering or etiquette in the future?

Etiquette. I enjoy making videos and educating people in this area. I have also recently started conducting business etiquette training for companies, and we are also preparing study texts. They should be at most 30 pages and will be released in August.

Would you give them, us, a piece of good advice, advice better than gold?

Always think about where you dress, on what occasion.

Text: Ing. Barbora Urbanovská

Photo: Libor Neuwirth’s archive