 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Karel Havlíček Borovský" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(January 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Karel Havlíček Borovský | |
|---|---|
 Karel Havlíček Borovský | |
| Born | Karel Havlíček (1821-10-31)31 October 1821 |
| Died | 29 July 1856(1856-07-29) (aged 34) |
| Occupation | Writer, journalist |
| Nationality | Czech |
| Alma mater | Gymnasium inNěmecký Brod |
| Genre | Literary realism |
| Notable works | Obrazy z Rus Epigramy Duch Národních novin Epištoly kutnohorské Tyrolské elegie Král Lávra (poem) Křest svatého Vladimíra |
| Spouse | Julie Havlíčková |
| Children | Zdeňka Havlíčková |
Karel Havlíček Borovský (Czech pronunciation:[ˈkarɛlˈɦavliːtʃɛkˈborofskiː]; 31 October 1821 – 29 July 1856) was aCzech writer, poet, critic, politician, journalist, and publisher.
He lived and studied at thegymnasium in Německý Brod (todayHavlíčkův Brod, named after Borovský), and his house on the main square is today the Havlíček Museum. In 1838 he moved to Prague to studyphilosophy atCharles University and, influenced by the revolutionary atmosphere before theRevolutions of 1848, decided on the objective of becoming a patriotic writer. He devoted himself to studying Czech and literature. After graduating he began studyingtheology because he thought the best way to serve the nation would be as a priest. He was expelled after one year for "showing too little indication for spiritual ministry".
After failing to find a teacher's job inBohemia, he left forMoscow to work as a tutor in a Russian teacher's family: with a recommendation byPavel Josef Šafařík. He became aRussophile and aPan-Slav, but after recognizing the true reality of the Russian society he took the pessimistic view that "Pan-Slavism is a great, attractive but feckless idea". His memories of the Russian stay were published first in magazines and then as a bookObrazy z Rus (Pictures from Russia).
He returned to Bohemia in 1844, aged 24 and used his writing skills to criticize the fashion of embracing anything written in the recently rebornCzech language. He specifically aimed at a novel byJosef Kajetán Tyl. In 1846 Havlíček attained a position as editor of thePražské noviny newspaper with the help ofFrantišek Palacký.
In April 1848 he changed the name of the newspaper toNárodní noviny [cs] (National News) and it became one of the first newspapers of the Revolutionary-era Czechliberals, and one of the most influential publications of 1848–1849.Národní noviny became popular especially for his sharp-tonguedepigrams and its wit. Havlíček was concerned with the preparations of theSlavic Congress in Prague. In July 1848 he was elected as a member of theAustrian Empire Constituent Assembly inVienna and later inKroměříž. He eventually relinquished his seat to focus on journalism.
Havlíček was a "liberal nationalist" politically, but refused to allow a "party line" to inform his opinions. Often, he would criticize those that agreed with him as much as those that disagreed. He excoriated revolutionaries for their radicalism, but also advocated ideas like universalsuffrage—a concept altogether too radical for most of his fellow liberals. He was a pragmatist, and had little patience for those that spent their time romanticizing the Czech nationality without helping it achieve political or cultural independence. He used much of the space in his newspapers to educate the people on important issues—stressing areas like economics, which were sorely neglected by other nationalist writers.
The Bohemian revolution was defeated in March 1849 with the dissolution of the Kroměříž assembly, but Havlíček continued to criticize the new regime. He was brought to court for his criticism (there was no freedom of the press in the Habsburg's territory) but was found not guilty by asympathetic jury.Národní noviny had to cease publication in January 1850, but Havlíček did not end his activities. In May 1850 he began publishing the magazineSlovan inKutná Hora. The magazine was a target ofcensorship from the start. It had to stop publication in August 1851, and Havlíček stood again at the court to answer on charges of dissent. Again, he was found not guilty by a sympathetic jury of Czech commoners.
Havlíček translated and introduced some satirical and critical authors into the Czech language culture includingNikolai Gogol (1842) andVoltaire (1851).[1]
In the night of 16 December 1851, he was arrested by the police and forced into exile inBrixen, Austria (present-dayItaly).[2] He was depressed from the exile, but continued writing and wrote some of his best work:Tyrolské elegie (Tyrolean Elegies),Křest svatého Vladimíra (The Baptism ofSt. Vladimir) andKrál Lávra (King Lavra, based on the legend ofLabraid Loingsech).
When he returned from Brixen in 1855, he learned that his wife had died a few days earlier. Most of his former friends, afraid of theBach system, stood aloof from him. Only a few publicly declared support for him.
In 1856, Havlíček died of tuberculosis, aged 34.Božena Němcová put acrown of thorns on his head in the coffin. His funeral was attended by about 5,000 Czechs.
In 1911, amonument was raised to Havlíček inChicago by Czech residents of the city inDouglass Park. The bronze statue by Joseph Strachovsky was cast by V. Mašek in Prague and shows Havlicek in a revolutionary pose, dressed in a full military uniform and a draped cape with his outstretched arm motioning the viewer to join him. The statue was moved to Solidarity Drive on today'sMuseum Campus in the vicinity of theAdler Planetarium in 1981.[3]
In 1918, the new Rifle Regiment of the 3rd division of Czechoslovak legions in Russia was named the "Karel Havlíček Borovský regiment"[4]
In 1925, abiographical film was released.[citation needed]
In 1945, the 20Czechoslovak koruna banknote bore Havlíček's portrait.
