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Karel Havlíček Borovský

photo: (www.cojeco.cz)

An important Czech poet, newspaper reporter, politician and social critic.

(1821–1856)

He is considered the founder of Czech political journalism, satire and literary criticism. His literature was classified as realism and politically he was classified as a so-called 2nd generation national revivalist.

In 1846 he became the editor of the official Prague News. It was the only paper written in Czech at that time and it was renamed the National News in 1848. This was the first large Czech political daily and thanks to Havlíček the National News had a fundamental impact on public opinion. In his articles Havlíček was most critical of the Bach absolutist government of Austria-Hungary and was consequently in frequent trouble with the authorities.

In 1849 the government prohibited the National News and so Borovský founded the Slovan Weekly, in which he again attempted political enlightenment of the general public. However he was watched and subsequently, in 1851, he was forced into political exile in Brixen, where he remained until 1855.

As well as journalism Borovský also created literary works. He wrote satirical poetry (Laments, King Lávra The Baptism of Saint Vladimír), political prose (Pictures from the Rus) and literary essays (Chapter on Criticism). His critical texts, which were published as a set under the title of The Kutna Hora Epistles and criticise Church despotism and fanaticism, were confiscated by the government and burned in 1850.

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