Vítězslav Hálek

Vítězslav Hálek ( born April 5, 1835 in Dolínek Mělníka; † October 8, 1874 Prague) was Czech poet, writer, playwright and journalist.

Life

Hálek was with Jan Neruda, Jakub Arbes, Adolf and Rudolf Mayer Heyduk representatives of the so-called Májovci, which began a new era of Czech literature and whose spokesman he was. Poems he wrote as a student of the Prague School. After completion of the Faculty of Philosophy, Charles University in Prague, he devoted all his time to literature and journalism. His focus was lyrical poetry. His collection Abendlieder ( Večerní písně ) and in nature (V přírodě ) are among the foundations of Czech poetry of the 19th century.

Realistically were especially his short stories and novellas, which revolved around Prague themes and village stories, but also his journalistic work. As editor of the national newspaper ( Národní listy ), he wrote hundreds of political, literary arts pages, theater reviews and trip reports. He was the first almanac Soon ( Maj 1858) involved and edited even his yearbooks. Hálek was co-editor of the journals Flowers ( Květy ) and Lumír.

He was active in the artistic discussion ( Umělecká beseda ), the center of cultural and social life of his time. After his death, the group of Májovci fell apart, and in the center were the new generations of Ruchovci and Lumírovci.

Works

• Spring Songs ( Večerní písně ). Poems. 1859
• The carter ( Převozník ). German from:. Furrow -Verlag 1964
• Heirs of the White Mountain. Hymn. Music 1872: Antonín Dvořák
• In nature (V přírodě ). Poems. 1872-1874
• Tales from our village ( Pohádky z nasi vesnice ). 1874

Honor

On the Karlsplatz Square in Prague's New Town, a monument was erected in his honor in front of the local town hall. In his native city are an obelisk and also adorned with a memorial stone tomb.