Václav Kaplický

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The bust of the writer Václav Kaplický

Václav Kaplický (born August 28, 1895 in Sezimovo Ústí , † October 4, 1982 in Prague ) was a Czech prose writer, publisher and epic poet. He is best known as an author of historical fiction.

Life

He attended secondary school in Tábor and passed his final exam in 1914. The following year he was called up and fought on the front at Halytsch in the First World War . Here he was captured in 1916 and joined the Czechoslovak legions . There he served as a legionnaire in Russia . There he was in Vladivostok in 1918captured and imprisoned again. After returning home in 1919, he worked as a clerk in the secretariat of the Socialist Union of Czechoslovak Legionaries, and shortly afterwards as an employee in the Ministry of Defense. From 1922 to 1950 he worked for several publishing houses, initially as an employee, later as an assistant editor and as a publisher. He wrote in various newspapers and founded the magazine Der Progress (Pokrok). He also took an active part in political life. Since the 50s he has only devoted himself to writing. He was a member of the Czechoslovakian Writers' Union. In 1978 he was awarded the Czechoslovak state award and the title: "Národní umělec" of the ČSSR (German: "Artist of the Czechoslovak Nation" ).

Works

Historical novels

  • The region of the chalice (Kraj kalicha), 1945, novel from the Hussite period .
  • The Rogues (Čtveráci), 1952 - a novel from the time of the peasant uprisings from 1618 to 1620
  • Iron Crown (Železná koruna) (2 parts), 1954 - extensive novel about the fate of people after the Thirty Years War .
  • The cyclone (Smršť), 1955
  • The Recruits (Rekruti), 1956 - novel about the Pustá Rybná rebellion from 1796 to 1797
  • Pages of the Chronicle (Listy z kronik), 1958 - Five historical stories from Northern Bohemia.
  • Clenched fist (Zaťatá pěst), 1959
  • Hammer for the Witches (Kladivo na čarodějnice) (novel), 1963 - based on an actual incident from the 17th century. A witch trial involving more than 100 people from the Velké Losiny area . The main character is the dean Lautner, who is also convicted as one of the innocent people. The novel was filmed in 1969 by Otakar Vávra and was shown in Germany under the title Die Hexenjagd.
  • The Republic of Tábor (Táborská republika) 1969 - a three-part novel about the Hussites.
  • Found by law (Nalezeno právem), 1971 - The novel is set in 1867. A Jew is illegally accused of ritual murder.
  • Nationaschädling Jiří Kopidlanský (Škůdce Zemský Jiří Kopidlanský), 1976 - Roman from the time of the Jagiellonian .
  • Great Theatrum (Veliké theatrum), 1977 - Describes the beginning of the Thirty Years War, including the preparations for the Battle of White Mountain .
  • Who by Whom (Kdo s koho), 1979 - novel from the time of the Jagellons.
  • The Life of the Alchemists (Život alchymistův), 1980 - The book describes the rise and fall of the alchemist Edward Kelley in the court of Rudolf II.
  • The Heretics of Prague: Novel about the beginning of the Thirty Years War (original title: Veliké theatrum , Československý spisovatel, Praha 1977, translated by Gustav Just), Verlag der Nation, Berlin 1987, ISBN 3-373-00149-8 .

Autobiographical works

  • Gornostaj , 1936 - Description of the Czechoslovak legions, individual legionaries who disobeyed their commanders and were imprisoned on the island of Gornostaj.
  • A handful of memories from my youth (Hrst vzpomínek z mládí), 1988

Other prose

  • Good Friends (Dobří přátelé), 1961 - a story about landscapes, the author's love for nature.
  • Neither tigers nor lions (Ani tygři, ani lvi), 1966 - Short stories about animals and cuddly toys.
  • From town to town (Od města k městu), 1975 - The wandering of some students through Bohemia .

Youth books

  • On Loyalty and Treason (O věrnosti a zradě), 1959 - 15 short historical events , including the escape of Vilém Zajíc z Házemburka from the ranks of the Czechoslovak legionnaires and Wenceslaus IV.
  • The bandit Patara and his cronies (Bandita, Paťara a spol), 1969
  • Royal duel (Královský souboj), 1971

Published in German

  • The Heretics of Prague - novel about the beginning of the Thirty Years War (1987)

see also list of Czech writers

Web links

Remarks

  1. ↑ Already in 1932 at the suggestion of the then President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk established the highest Czechoslovak state award for artists.
personal data
SURNAME Kaplický, Václav
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Czech prose writer, publisher and epic poet
DATE OF BIRTH August 28, 1895
PLACE OF BIRTH Sezimovo Ústí
DATE OF DEATH 4th October 1982
Place of death Prague