by G. Jack Urso
"Czech history is the ground on which, from time immemorial, the
antagonism of Germanism and Slavism have broken out in the sharpest form and
have come to their clearest focus. The essential content of Czech history is a
perpetual struggle between the German and Slav elements."
František Palacký
 |
|
Fig. 1: František Palacký
|
In the pantheon of democratic
heroes there surely must be a place for František Palacký. Palacký’s History of Bohemia (published in German
1836-67 and in Czech 1848-76) affected Czech nationalist feelings at a time
when the questions of what was a nation, who had the right to rule, and how to
rule were posed as a result of the successful American and French
Revolutions. His work put Czech history
in the light of a continuous conflict between his people and the Germans.
Influenced by the writings of lmmanuel Kant and Jean Jacques Rousseau, Palacký,
with his writings and his vision of a democratic Czech state, greatly
influenced Thomas Garrigue Masaryk, the first president of Czechoslovakia.
Palacký’s life is worthy as a
subject of study not just because his life embraced many of the ideals and
traditions at the core of the Czech people, but because these same ideals are
the aspirations of freedom-seeking peoples throughout history. Historian,
writer, poet, and a nationalist with democratic ideals, Palacký was the right
voice for a cultured, educated people seeking to take their place at the table
of nations.
Early Years
Palacký was born June 14, 1798 in
Hodslavice, Moravia. The second of twelve children by Jiri Palacký, the local
schoolmaster, Palacký early on in life displayed his scholarly aptitudes. By
age five he already had read the Bible. At nine his father enrolled him in a
nearby school to learn German. The Countess Truchsessova, a follower of the
Enlightenment, started the school and the students there received an excellent
education. Palacký’s father, a devout Lutheran, thought that some of his son's
Catholic teachers might have an undesirable effect on his son's education. To
counter this perceived threat, Jiri Palacký moved his son to an Evangelical
Christian school in Trencin, Hungary (now part of Slovakia); there the young
Palacký found his budding academic skills put to the test.
With classes taught entirely in
Latin, Palacký was completely immersed in the ancient language. On his own
initiative, he learned basic French and Greek and was influenced enough by
Lutheran teachings to set his vocation as a missionary. Despite the religious
bent we see in his life at this early stage, Palacký would attend the lyceum in
Pressburg, Hungary. It is here, over the course of the next ten years, that
Palacký spent the most important part of his formative years (Zacek 14).
Pressburg teamed with native
Magyar, German, and Slav populations. More metropolitan than the provincial
towns he had been used to; Palacký received an education that was academic as
well as social. A lyceum combined the education of a gymnasium, a college
preparatory secondary school, with a theological component that served as a
seminary for Evangelical ministers. Palacký's areas of study cover physics,
metaphysics, law, logic, ethics, statistics, mathematics, Greek, Hebrew, Roman
classical literature, and Latin composition.
Palacký's private reading list
included Enlightenment and Early Romantic writers, philosophers and poets. His
platonic relationship with the Hungarian noblewoman Nina Zerdahelyi provided
Palacký with an important social education by introducing him to the manners
and traditions of upper class society, as well as members of the Hungarian
nobility (Zacek 15).
Palacký's education conflicted
with the theological ideals he had been taught. During this period of
questioning, the readings of lmmanuel Kant, among others, became influential in
helping Palacký to resolve this philosophical conflict. While remaining a
person with a deeply moral character, he no longer believed in any organized
Christian beliefs other than a belief in God, Jesus as Christ, and the immortal
soul (Zacek 16).
Palacký completed his gymnasium
education in 1818 and by 1822, in a letter to Nina Zerdahelyi, expressed his
desire not to pursue a life in the ministry nor as a "dry academic"
(Zacek 17). Instead, Palacký would forge his own path.
Professional Life
In the years following his
graduation Palacký made his first forays into writing and publishing on
subjects that were of interest to him the most at the time, poetry and
philosophy. Along with his friend Pavel Josef Safarik (1795-1861), a Czech
philologist and archaeologist, had published The Beginnings of Czech Poetry, anonymously in 1818. This work
stressed the value of Slavic literary culture apart from German and older Czech
literary traditions.
The success of this work inspired
Palacký to consider other poetic works involving Jan Hus or the Napoleonic era;
however, he did not consider his skills up to the task. Instead, drawing upon
his interests in philosophy and aesthetics, he began to write the first two
volumes of a planned, yet never completed, five-volume work called Aesthetics. Although Palacký never
finished the other three volumes of the set, and had dropped plans for
completing it by 1823, it remains important as it is the first use of Czech to
write a philosophical work since the Seventeenth Century writings of Comenius,
Jan Amos Komensky (1592-1670), the last Moravian bishop (Zacek 17-18).
Palacký remained in Pressburg
until 1823. Altogether, this period of Palacký's life completed his education,
introduced him to aristocratic and upper-class circles, resolved conflicts
between his religious and philosophical beliefs, and had him meet with early
literary success and frustration. Having polished and practiced his ideals on
Czech and Slavic culture, history and traditions Palacký moved to Prague in
April 1823 (Zacek 18).
Upon arriving in Prague Palacký
encountered the bias against the Czech language and the struggling attempt at a
cultural revival. In 1826 Palacký had turned his passion into practice after
making an impassioned plea to the President of the Museum of the Bohemian
Kingdom and Josef Dobrovsky (1753-1829)
a Hungarian philologist born of Bohemian parents who Palacký criticized for not
having written much in Czech.
Palacký was made editor of a
journal published by the museum to drum up publicity for it as well as
promoting Czech culture. Printed in both Czech and German, it is not surprising
that the German publication went out of business by 1831 (Pech 31). The Czech
publication continued with a strong and growing base of readership and Palacký
turned it over to his old friend Pavel Safarik in 1838. A planned encyclopedia
never materialized due to suspicions of revolutionary activity by the Austrian
government. The encyclopedia, it was hoped, would also advance the developing
Czech language expand into scientific areas. It was eventually published by his
son-in-law in Prague from 1860-1874 (Zacek 22).
In March 1831, Palacký was
appointed by the Bohemian Estates to write a history of Bohemia. The first
volume, History of Bohemia (published
in German 1836-67; in Czech 1848-76) is among the works Palacký is most noted
outside of his homeland. He traveled extensively tracking down important
documentation, even to the Vatican itself. During this time, he demonstrated
his dedication to his research, often working long days, every day. His effort
led to the availability "of relevant archives-domestic and foreign, public
and private, secular and religious-to Bohemian historiography" (Zacek 45).
Palacký would continue his
research even after his relationship with the Museum dissolved. The great
wealth of documentation he unearthed and his analysis of it would have a
tremendous effect on the Czech cultural revival. Not only did it include important historical
facts, but also was meant to serve as an example of what Palacký considered to
be a grammatically correct expression of the Czech language for others to
follow.
This repeats a familiar theme in
Palacký’s professional life - promoting native history in the native tongue for
the purpose of promoting both. It is noteworthy to observe that his History of
Bohemia was published first in German with the first Czech version coming
twelve years later. Since the Czech audience would have been able to read
German this would not necessarily have inhibited the influence of the book.
Nevertheless, the fact that the Czech publication came over a decade later is
indicative of the "second-class" position the Czech language was
being relegated to within the Austrian Empire.
1848 --The Old Order is Upset
1848 was an important year for
reign of monarchs that ruled over Europe. The revolutions in America and,
especially, in France gave rise to hopes of many people if not for nationhood,
than for political change or greater enfranchisement with their system of
government. It was an era of absolutist rule by the European monarchs. While
Napoleon might have inadvertently stirred up nationalist aspirations among the
masses, to the aristocracy it meant that they needed a firmer grasp of power.
The Congress of Vienna
demonstrated that the aristocracy was inclined to ignore the national
aspirations of the Germans and Italians and refuse them a seat at the table of
nations. The wars that came from the so-called "liberal excesses" of
the Napoleonic era convinced statesmen like Metternich that to give a home to
the same ideas in a unified Germany and Italy (Strayer & Gatzke 847). No
doubt, the threat a unified Italy or Germany might present to Austrian
territorial interests in Europe were a consideration as well.
New ideas on how to govern were
breaking ground in 1848 as well. Karl Marx and Friedrick Engels had published The Communist Manifesto and John Stuart
Mill's The Principles of Political
Economy also saw print. Although they did not influence the rebels of 1848,
they certainly tapped into the cutting edge of economic philosophic thought and
presumably gave a voice to what some were already thinking at the time.
To put the events of Palacký’s
life at this time in context, let us review some of the major events related to
nationalist uprisings in the busy year of 1848:
February
France: The
French monarchy falls and a Republic is declared. This crisis is brought on by
the French Prime Minister, Francois Guizot, ignoring calls for reform. Although
fired by King Louis Phillipe this move comes too late to defuse the crisis.
March
Austria: Prince Mettemich, Chancellor
of Austria for 27 years, is ousted from office. Having taken the credit for
many of the decrees issued under the reign of the mentally retarded Emperor
Ferdinand, he is also given the blame.
Emperor
Ferdinand approves the" March Laws" passed by the Hungarian Diet.
This eliminated the last vestiges of the feudal system and gave Hungary
considerable autonomy.
Prussia: Fredrick William IV grants a constitution in the wake of a revolt in
Berlin.
Italy: Milan revolts against Austrian
control, forcing local Austrian Army garrison to retreat. Venice declares
independence.
April
Italy: Sicily declares independence
from Naples.
May
Austria: After promising freedom of the
press, a constitution and forming a council of ministers Emperor Ferdinand is
forced to abdicate. His nephew, Franz Josef, will rule through the First World
War.
Prussia: Prussia puts down an uprising
in Warsaw. An all-German parliament in
Frankfurt gathers to write a constitution for a united Germany.
June
France: Radicals
of the revolution attempt to tum the social works projects of the national
workshops into a recruiting ground for a revolutionary army. After the
government disbands the workshops the radicals take to the streets and 13,000
die in the ensuing battle with in Paris as the army under General Cavaignac
puts down the uprising.
July
Tipperary
(Ireland): The Young Ireland movement, and its nationalist aspirations, come to
an end when the second of two important leaders is arrested. In the midst of
the potato famine, the population is more concerned with survival than
revolutions. Popular support for the revolt is insufficient.
Austria: Austrian rule is reestablished
in Italy after defeating the Sardinian Army of King Charles Albert.
September
Austria: The Austrian constituent
assembly of Vienna abolished Serfdom.
October
Austria: Austria declares war on
Hungary after the murder of an Imperial High Commissioner in September. The
"March Laws" approved by former Emperor Ferdinand are repealed.
(Burne 898-901)
As the nationalist spirit was
enflamed all over Europe, the Slavic people naturally sought to make their
aspirations known. Threatened by efforts at German unification and Hungarian
nationalist policies Slavs in Central and Eastern Europe began to see the
potential of cooperating amongst themselves to achieve the nationalist goals.
In late April 1848 a Croat, Ivan Kukuljevic, first brought the suggestion for a
Slavic Congress out in a Croat newspaper. Meanwhile, L'udovit Stur, a Slovak
national leader, showed up in Prague spreading the same idea. Also, in late
April, a Polish nationalist, Jedrzej Moraczewski from the Grand Dutchy of
Pozan, set forth a similar concept.
During March and early April 1848
Slavs from across the Austrian Empire arrived in Vienna to submit petitions to
the Habsburg Emperor in support of their individual nationalist claims. With so
many Slavic leaders gathered together and the imperative for a Pan-Slavic
Congress on everyone's minds. Soon, on April 20, Czech leaders had met to
prepare and plan for a conference, originally set for May 3, coincidentally
the opening of the Frankfurt Assembly (Pech 123-124).
Related Content
Works Cited
Briggs, Asa, ed. The Nineteenth Century; The Contradictions of
Progress. London: Thames and Hudson, 1970. Print.
Burne, Jerome, ed. Chronicle of the World. Paris: Jacques LeGrand
S.A. International Publishing, 1989. Print.
“Czech Republic.” CIA World Factbook. Central Intelligence
Agency, 1999. Web. 5 Oct. 1999. <http://www.odci.gov/cia/
publications/factbook/ez.html>.
Moravec, Col. Emanuel. The Strategic Importance of
Czechoslovakia for Western Europe. Prague: Orbis Printing and
Publishing Co., 1936. Print.
Orton, Lawrence. “Congress of the Slavs in Prague (1848).” James
Chastain, ed. Encyclopedia of 1848 Revolutions. Ohio
University, 1999. Web. 5 Oct. 1999. <http://www.ohiou.edu/
-chastain/ac/congslav.htm>.
Pech, Stanley Z. The Czech Revolution of 1848. Chapel Hill: The
University of North Carolina Press, 1969. Print.
Strayer, Joseph R., Gatzke, Hans W. The Mainstream of Civilization.
New York & London: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publishers,
1984. Print.
Thomson, Harrison S. Czechoslovakia in European History.
Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1953. Print.
Zacek, Joseph F. Palacký: The Historian as Scholar and
Nationalist. The Hague: Mouton & Co., 1970. Print.
● ● ●
No comments:
Post a Comment