Josef Knap
Encyclopedia
Josef Knap was a Czech
writer
, poet
and literary critic.
Born in Podůlší by Jičín
, Knap studied at the Classical Grammar school until 1919. He graduated from the College of Philosophy at Charles University
in Prague
in 1924, with a degree in modern literature
. During World War I
and World War II
, he traveled throughout Europe
visiting countries including Germany
, Sweden
, Norway
, Italy
and France
. From 1925 he worked in the theater department of the National Museum of Czechia
. He stayed there until 1951, eventually becoming the museum's administrator. His time there was interrupted by the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia, which he spent in Arbeitsansatz.
Because of theological
themes in his work, Knap became a victims of the political persecution of Catholic intellectuals by the Communist government
in the 1950s. In 1952, he was condemned without any evidence to eleven years in prison, but was released early in 1955 (he was pardoned in 1967 during a brief period of political freedom). After his release he worked as a building laborer, and later in the Memorial of National Literature. In the 1960s, he focused on the history of theater groups. Based on his work in this area, he published Umělcové na pouti (Czech
Traveling artists) in 1961.
Knap died in Prague and is buried in Železnice by Jičín. In 1997, his memoirs were published under the name Bez poslední kapitoly (Czech Without the last chapter).
and impressionistic
elements. His inspiration came from northern European authors and some Czech writers, above all Antal Stašek
, Karel Václav Rais
and the impressionist Fráňa Šrámek
. He devoted his work to rural themes.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and literary critic.
Born in Podůlší by Jičín
Jicín
Jičín is a town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It lies approximately 85 km northeast of Prague in the scenic region of the Bohemian Paradise under the Prachov Rocks ....
, Knap studied at the Classical Grammar school until 1919. He graduated from the College of Philosophy at Charles University
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
in 1924, with a degree in modern literature
Modern literature
Modern literature can either refer to*modernist literature *modern literature ....
. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he traveled throughout Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
visiting countries including Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. From 1925 he worked in the theater department of the National Museum of Czechia
National Museum (Prague)
The National museum is a Czech museum institution intended to systematically establish, prepare and publicly exhibit natural scientific and historical collections. It was founded 1818 in Prague by Kašpar Maria Šternberg...
. He stayed there until 1951, eventually becoming the museum's administrator. His time there was interrupted by the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia, which he spent in Arbeitsansatz.
Because of theological
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
themes in his work, Knap became a victims of the political persecution of Catholic intellectuals by the Communist government
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, in Czech and in Slovak: Komunistická strana Československa was a Communist and Marxist-Leninist political party in Czechoslovakia that existed between 1921 and 1992....
in the 1950s. In 1952, he was condemned without any evidence to eleven years in prison, but was released early in 1955 (he was pardoned in 1967 during a brief period of political freedom). After his release he worked as a building laborer, and later in the Memorial of National Literature. In the 1960s, he focused on the history of theater groups. Based on his work in this area, he published Umělcové na pouti (Czech
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
Traveling artists) in 1961.
Knap died in Prague and is buried in Železnice by Jičín. In 1997, his memoirs were published under the name Bez poslední kapitoly (Czech Without the last chapter).
Works
Knap's writings combine realisticLiterary realism
Literary realism most often refers to the trend, beginning with certain works of nineteenth-century French literature and extending to late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century authors in various countries, towards depictions of contemporary life and society "as they were." In the spirit of...
and impressionistic
Impressionism
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s...
elements. His inspiration came from northern European authors and some Czech writers, above all Antal Stašek
Antal Stašek
Antal Stašek , was a Czech writer and lawyer. He was born in the village of Stanový in the Liberec district of northern Bohemia. From 1877, Stašek was a successful barrister in Semily. His work is mainly set in the area around the Krkonoše mountains that straddle the today's border between the...
, Karel Václav Rais
Karel Václav Rais
Karel Václav Rais was a Czech realist novelist, author of the so-called country prose, numerous books for youth and children, and several poems.- Biography :...
and the impressionist Fráňa Šrámek
Frána Šrámek
Fráňa Šrámek was a Czech anarchist, impressionist, and vitalist poet, novelist, and playwright....
. He devoted his work to rural themes.
Short story collections
- Píseň na samotě (1924)
- Zaváté šlépěje (1929–1940)
- Žloutnou stráně (1929)
- Polní kytice, (1935)
- Trojlístek (1943)
- Čas kopřiv (1970)
Novels
- Ztracené jaro (1922)
- Réva na zdi (1926)
- Muži a hory (1928)
- Vysoké jarní nebe (1932)
- Cizinec (1934)
- Puszta (1937)
- Dívčí hlas (1938)
- Věno (1944)
- Dokud vane vítr (1968)
- Vzdálená země (1969)
- Bez poslední kapitoly (1997) (memoirs)
Professional works about theater
- Hilbert (1926)
- Zöllnerové: Dějiny divadelního rodu (1958)
- Umělcové na pouti: České divadelní společnosti v 19. století (1961)
- Čtyři herečky: Spurná, Vojtová, Brzková, Beníšková (1967)
Historical works
- Alej srdcí (1920) – debut book of essayEssayAn essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
s concerning Czech postwar poetry - Úvod do krásné literatury (1924)
- Cesty a vůdcové: k literatuře let dvacátých (1926)
- Básníci selství (1932)
- Fráňa Šrámek (1937)
- Literatura české půdy (1939)
- Selma LagerlöfSelma LagerlöfSelma Ottilia Lovisa Lagerlöf was a Swedish author. She was the first female writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, and most widely known for her children's book Nils Holgerssons underbara resa genom Sverige ....
ová (1949) – studies concerning this significant Swedish female author
Collections of poems
- Neznámému bohu (1929)
- Zaslechnutý hlas (1997) – verses from prison