Josef Boleslav Pecka
Josef Boleslav Pecka , also known as Josef Boleslav Pecka-Strahovský (born September 19, 1849 in Prague , † July 25, 1897 in Chicago ), was a Czech journalist and poet, co-founder of the Czech Social Democratic Party ( Česká strana sociálně democická ).
The talented young weaver and later foundryman had been involved in the labor movement since the late 1960s. From the beginning of the 1870s he published his first articles in the newspapers Dělník (Workers) and in the annual almanac Ruch (Drifting).
Initially representing the labor movement, he became acquainted with the teachings of German socialists Ferdinand Lassalle , and later with those of Karl Marx , and joined the socialists. Thanks to his convincing demeanor, he acquired more workers to join him. Through his influence, the socialists were able to present their ideas in the workers' newspaper Dělnické listy . As envoy of the Bohemian labor movement, he took part in a meeting in Neudörfl in April 1874 , at which the United Austrian Social Democratic Party was founded. In October of the same year he was appointed editor-in-chief of Budoucnost magazine (Future).
In 1878 he became editor of the newly founded workers' newspaper Organizace (Organization), published by the Prague Socialists, and since March he has also edited Dělnické listy . Together with Josef Bernášek and others he organized the constituent meeting of the Czech-Slavic Social Democratic Labor Party on April 7, 1878. He also gave numerous lectures and speeches.
In 1881 the headquarters of the editorial office of the Dělnické listy newspaper was moved to Vienna due to increased persecution by the Austrian government, Pecka followed. In 1882, back in Prague, he was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment under difficult conditions in an anti-socialist trial. After his release he went back to Vienna but was expelled and tried to settle in Brno in order to publish a new workers' newspaper here or in Pressburg or Budapest together with František Josef Hlaváček, also a journalist. In 1884 they both settled in Proßnitz and published Duch času (Zeitgeist). Times had changed, however, and the socialist movement lost its strength and prestige. In June 1885 Pecka gave up and emigrated to the USA.
In Chicago he was still involved in the labor movement and mostly worked for socialist newspapers and magazines, but nowhere near as successful as in Bohemia.
literature
- R. Havel: Pecka Josef Boleslav. In: Austrian Biographical Lexicon 1815–1950 (ÖBL). Volume 7, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 1978, ISBN 3-7001-0187-2 , p. 387.
- Zdeněk Šolle: Josef Boleslav Pecka . Prague 1987
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Pecka, Josef Boleslav |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Pecka-Strahovský, Josef Boleslav (chosen alternative name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Czech journalist and poet, co-founder of the Czech Social Democratic Party |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 19, 1849 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Prague |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 25, 1897 |
| Place of death | Chicago |