Alois Jirásek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alois Jirásek
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Jirásek in 1921
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| Born | 23 August 1851 Hronov, Kingdom of Bohemia, Austrian Empire |
| Died | 12 March 1930 (aged 78) Prague, Czechoslovakia |
| Resting place | Hronov |
| Occupation | Writer, politician |
| Nationality | Czech |
| Genre | Literary realism |
| Notable works |
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Alois Jirásek (Czech pronunciation: [ˈalojs ˈjɪraːsɛk]) was a famous Czech writer. He was born on August 23, 1851, in Hronov, and passed away on March 12, 1930, in Prague. Jirásek is best known for his many historical novels and plays.
Before becoming a full-time writer, he worked as a high school history teacher. He taught first in Litomyšl and later in Prague. He retired from teaching in 1909. His stories often showed his strong belief in his nation and its journey towards freedom and fairness. He was friends with many important Czech artists and thinkers. Jirásek was even nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature several times.
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Who Was Alois Jirásek?
Alois Jirásek was born on August 23, 1851, in Hronov. This town was part of the Kingdom of Bohemia, which is now the Czech Republic. At that time, it was part of the Austrian Empire. His family were farmers and weavers, and they didn't have a lot of money. His father, Josef Jirásek, was a weaver and later a baker. His mother was Vincencie Jirásková. Alois had eight brothers and sisters.
His School Days
Alois went to high school in Broumov and then in Hradec Králové. After high school, he studied history at Charles University from 1871 to 1874. Once he finished his studies, he moved to Litomyšl. There, he started his career as a history teacher. It was also in Litomyšl that he began writing some of his first important books. These included The Philosophers' Story and Psohlavci.
On August 11, 1879, he married Marie Podhajská. They had a large family with eight children: seven daughters and one son.
Moving to Prague
In 1888, Alois Jirásek and his family moved to Prague. After trying a couple of apartments, they found a perfect home on Ressl Street in 1903. They lived there until he passed away in 1930. This street is now close to Jirasek Square, where a memorial to him stands.
Living in Prague was a big change for Jirásek. It allowed him to meet many famous artists and scientists. He became good friends with Mikoláš Aleš, who shared his artistic ideas. He also befriended other writers like Zikmund Winter and K.V. Rais. Even younger writers like Josef Svatopluk Machar and Zdeněk Nejedlý became his friends. All of his plays were written while he lived in Prague. In 1908, he was chosen to be a member of the Czech Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Life After Retirement
Alois Jirásek retired from teaching in 1909. This meant he could spend most of his time writing. He often visited his hometown of Hronov. He also traveled around Europe, visiting places like Chodsko, Dresden, Italy, Slovakia, and Bled. He even wrote about some of these travels in his books.
His Role in Czech Independence
Jirásek played an important part in the history of the Czech nation. In 1917, he was one of the first people to sign the Manifesto of Czech Writers. This was a very important statement that supported the idea of Czechs having their own independent country.
On October 28, 1918, he was there when Czechoslovakia declared its independence. He even greeted Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, who became the first president of Czechoslovakia, with a speech in December 1918. They met many times after that.
In 1919, Charles University gave Alois Jirásek an honorary PhD degree. The high school on Ressl Street, where he used to teach, was even renamed Jirasek High School in his honor.
He also became involved in politics. He was a member of parliament in the first government of the new Czechoslovak Republic. Later, in 1920, he became a senator and served until 1925.
Later Years and Legacy
Alois Jirásek continued his work until he became too ill to write. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1918, 1919, 1921, and 1930.
He passed away on March 12, 1930, in Prague. He was buried in his hometown of Hronov. Many important people, including President T.G. Masaryk, attended his funeral.
Jirásek is remembered as one of the most important Czech writers. He was very good at using historical facts to describe the times he wrote about. The people in his books often helped shape history. He also wrote about the social events happening in his own time.
See also
In Spanish: Alois Jirásek para niños
- List of Czech writers
- Statue of Alois Jirásek, Prague
