Vaclav Laurin and Vaclav Klement built their first car in 1906 in Bohemia, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  A wide range of vehicles was made for many years with sales to Russia being particularly strong until 1918, when Bohemia became part of the new Czechoslovakia.  Skoda took over L & K in 1925 and the last cars were built a year later.