Jaroslav Kořán facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jaroslav Kořán
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Kořán in December 2012
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| Mayor of Prague | |
| In office 1 February 1990 – 13 September 1991 |
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| Preceded by | Josef Hájek |
| Succeeded by | Milan Kondr |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 January 1940 Prague, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia |
| Died | 2 June 2017 (aged 77) |
| Alma mater | Academy of Performing Arts in Prague |
Jaroslav Kořán (born January 17, 1940 – died June 2, 2017) was an important person in Czech history. He was a translator, actor, writer, and politician. During the time when Czechoslovakia was under Communist rule, he was a dissident. This means he spoke out against the government.
Kořán signed Charter 77, a document that asked for human rights. He translated over 70 books from English into Czech. Many of these were by famous American writers like Kurt Vonnegut and Roald Dahl.
In November 1989, Kořán helped start the Civic Forum (OF) political group. This group played a big part in the Velvet Revolution. In February 1990, he became the Mayor of Prague. He was the first non-Communist mayor since 1948. He served as mayor until September 1991.
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Jaroslav Kořán's Early Life and Work
Jaroslav Kořán studied drama and film. He went to the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. After his studies, he wrote scripts for documentary films. He also wrote plays for the radio. Later, he worked in television journalism.
In 1973, Kořán faced a difficult time. He and some friends were arrested. They had been singing songs that criticized the government. Kořán was sent to prison for one year. After he was released, he worked in the Prague sewer system. He dug trenches as an engineer.
Translating Books and Ideas
Even with these challenges, Kořán kept working. He translated more than 70 books. Most of these were American literature works. He translated them into Czech during the 1970s and 1980s.
Some of the famous authors he translated include Kurt Vonnegut, Henry Miller, Roald Dahl, and Ken Kesey. His translation of Kurt Vonnegut's book, "Slaughterhouse-Five", was published without his name on it. This happened because he was in prison when the book came out.
Fighting for Human Rights
On December 10, 1976, Kořán attended the first meeting of people who would sign Charter 77. This group included important figures like Václav Havel. Charter 77 was a brave statement. It asked the government to respect human rights.
The document was made public in January 1977. It had 242 names on it, including Jaroslav Kořán's. Signing Charter 77 was risky. It meant standing up to the Communist government.
The Velvet Revolution and New Beginnings
Years later, in November 1989, Kořán helped create the Civic Forum. This happened during the Velvet Revolution. The Velvet Revolution was a peaceful change. It led to the end of Communist rule in Czechoslovakia.
Kořán was also a professional photographer. He used his skills to cover the events of 1989. He reported on the fall of Communism for the Reuters news agency.
Jaroslav Kořán passed away on June 2, 2017. He was 77 years old.
Images for kids
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Kořán in December 2012
