Final answer:
Smetana and Dvořák were nationalist composers from Czechoslovakia. They contributed to the cultural identity through music that reflected the region's stories, within a broader context of nationalism in Eastern Europe.
Step-by-step explanation:
Smetana and Dvořák were nationalist composers from Czechoslovakia. Their music played a role in the national identity and cultural heritage of their country, which was part of the broader historical context of Eastern Europe's transition from communism to independence.
After the Velvet Revolution, Czechoslovakia divided peacefully into two countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, on January 1, 1993. Both these nations, along with Serbia from the Balkans, adopted nationalism that celebrated their own cultural heritage and ethnicity. Nationalist composers like Smetana and Dvořák contributed significantly to this sense of pride and identity through their music, which often reflected the historical and cultural stories of their region.