Jan Křen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jan Křen
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![]() Jan Křen in 2014
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Born | |
Died | 7 April 2020 Prague, Czech Republic
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(aged 89)
Occupation | Historian |
Jan Křen (born August 22, 1930 – died April 7, 2020) was an important Czech historian. He was also known for being a dissident during the time when Czechoslovakia was under communism. This means he spoke out against the government when it was not popular to do so. He was also one of the people who signed Charter 77, a famous document asking for human rights. Jan Křen studied the history of how Czechs and Germans got along.
Contents
Jan Křen: A Historian and Activist
Early Life and Studies
Jan Křen was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, on August 22, 1930. He grew up to become a historian. Historians are people who study and write about the past.
In the 1960s, Jan Křen started to research something very important. He was one of the first historians in Czechoslovakia to study the expulsion of the Sudeten Germans. This happened after World War II, when many Germans were made to leave Czechoslovakia.
Standing Up for What's Right
Jan Křen was a member of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia for many years. But in 1968, the Soviet Union and its allies invaded Czechoslovakia. This event is called the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia. Jan Křen did not agree with this invasion. Because of his strong beliefs, he was removed from the Communist Party in 1970.
He also lost his job as a professor at the university. For a while, he had to work doing manual jobs. Even though he faced difficulties, he continued to fight for freedom and democracy.
A Voice for Change
Jan Křen became a part of a group that wanted more freedom and democracy. This group was called the dissident movement. He was one of the first people to sign Charter 77. This was a brave step, as signing it could lead to serious trouble with the government.
He also started holding secret classes in people's homes. These were called underground seminars. He taught history and discussed important ideas with others.
Jan Křen helped start a secret history journal called Samizdat. This was a way to share ideas and writings that the government did not allow. In the 1980s, he wrote a famous book called "Conflicting Communities. Czechs and Germans 1780–1918." He had to publish it through a secret publisher called Sixty-Eight Publishers. Later, this book was also published in Germany.
Later Achievements and Recognition
After communism ended in Czechoslovakia in 1989, Jan Křen could work openly again. He helped create the Institute of International Studies at Charles University in Prague. He was also its first director.
He worked hard to improve relations between the Czech Republic and Germany. He helped start the Czech-German Commission of Historians. He also worked with the Czech-German Fund of the Future. Jan Křen was a visiting professor at universities in Germany, teaching students there.
Because of his important work, Jan Křen received many awards. In 2000, the President of Germany gave him the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. In 2002, the Czech President Václav Havel, who also signed Charter 77, gave him the Medal of Merit. He also won a book award in 2006 for his educational book "Two Centuries of Central Europe."
His Passing
Jan Křen passed away on April 7, 2020, at the age of 89. He lived in a nursing home in Prague. He is believed to have gotten COVID-19 there in March 2020. He died from the illness during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic.
Awards
- Goethe Medal (1996)
- Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2000)
- Medal of Merit of the Czech Republic (2002)
- Magnesia Litera Award for educational literature book of the year (2006)
See also
In Spanish: Jan Křen para niños