Jirí Gruša
Encyclopedia
Jiří Gruša was a Czech
poet, novelist, translator, diplomat and politician.
, Bohemia
(Czech Republic
), and later moved to Prague. He graduated from the Philosophical Faculty of Charles University in Prague
. He worked for periodicals Tvář, Sešity and Nové knihy.
In 1968, he was banned from publishing after becoming a Charta 77 signatory and had to work in a construction cooperative. He took part in distribution of samizdat
literature. He was arrested in 1974 for "the crime of initiating disorder" after distributing nineteen copies of his first novel, Dotazník (The Questionnaire) and voicing his intention to have it published in Switzerland. After world-wide protest, he was released after two months. In 1981 his citizenship was revoked, and between 1982 and 1990 he lived in the Federal Republic of Germany
.
In 1990 conditions in Czechoslovakia became more favorable and he returned to work for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 1991–1997, he served as an ambassador to Germany. Later, he joined the minority government of Václav Klaus
as a Minister of Education. The government lost support of the opposition parties and President Václav Havel
orchestrated establishment of a new caretaker government. Even though Gruša was a non-party minister, he was replaced by Jan Sokol
. He served as an ambassador to Austria
until 2004. From 2005 to 2009 he was Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. From 2004 to 2009 he was the President of International PEN
.
Gruša participated in standardisation of the term "Tschechien" as the official name of the Czech Republic
in German language. See Name of the Czech Republic for overview.
Czech language
Czech people
Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
poet, novelist, translator, diplomat and politician.
Biography
Gruša was born in PardubicePardubice
Pardubice is the capital city of the Pardubice Region and lies on the river Elbe, 65 miles east of Prague. Pardubice has an antique centre square and old town, with many restaurants that stay open until late in the evening. There is an old Tower and a recently renovated Castle...
, Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
(Czech Republic
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....
), and later moved to Prague. He graduated from the Philosophical Faculty of Charles University in Prague
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...
. He worked for periodicals Tvář, Sešity and Nové knihy.
In 1968, he was banned from publishing after becoming a Charta 77 signatory and had to work in a construction cooperative. He took part in distribution of samizdat
Samizdat
Samizdat was a key form of dissident activity across the Soviet bloc in which individuals reproduced censored publications by hand and passed the documents from reader to reader...
literature. He was arrested in 1974 for "the crime of initiating disorder" after distributing nineteen copies of his first novel, Dotazník (The Questionnaire) and voicing his intention to have it published in Switzerland. After world-wide protest, he was released after two months. In 1981 his citizenship was revoked, and between 1982 and 1990 he lived in the Federal Republic of Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
.
In 1990 conditions in Czechoslovakia became more favorable and he returned to work for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 1991–1997, he served as an ambassador to Germany. Later, he joined the minority government of Václav Klaus
Václav Klaus
Václav Klaus is the second President of the Czech Republic and a former Prime Minister .An economist, he is co-founder of the Civic Democratic Party, the Czech Republic's largest center-right political party. Klaus is a eurosceptic, but he reluctantly endorsed the Lisbon treaty as president of...
as a Minister of Education. The government lost support of the opposition parties and President Václav Havel
Václav Havel
Václav Havel is a Czech playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and politician. He was the tenth and last President of Czechoslovakia and the first President of the Czech Republic . He has written over twenty plays and numerous non-fiction works, translated internationally...
orchestrated establishment of a new caretaker government. Even though Gruša was a non-party minister, he was replaced by Jan Sokol
Jan Sokol (philosopher)
Jan Sokol is a Czech philosopher, former dissident, politician and translator. In 1990-1992 he was MP, 1998 Minister of Education, 2003 coalition candidate to the office of President of the Czech Republic...
. He served as an ambassador to Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
until 2004. From 2005 to 2009 he was Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. From 2004 to 2009 he was the President of International PEN
International PEN
PEN International , the worldwide association of writers, was founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere....
.
Gruša participated in standardisation of the term "Tschechien" as the official name of the Czech Republic
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....
in German language. See Name of the Czech Republic for overview.
Awards and honors
- 2007: Chevalier of the Legion of Honor of France
- 2006: New Culture of New Europe Award
- 2002: Jaroslav Seifert PrizeJaroslav Seifert PrizeThe Jaroslav Seifert Prize is a prestigious Czech literary prize. It was originally awarded to authors in exile during the Soviet era.- Laureates :*2010 – Jáchym Topol*2009 – Ludvík Kundera*2008 – Václav Havel*2007 – František Listopad...
Works
English translated- Franz Kafka of Prague, Trans. Eric Mossbacker.
- The Questionnaire, Trans. Peter Kussi.
Czech language
- Umeni starnout [The Art of Aging]
- Gebrauchsanweisung fur Tschechien und Prag [Instruction Manual for Czechnya and Prague]
- Grusas Wacht am Rhein aneb Putovni ghetto [The Watch on the Rhein]
External links
- Interview with Jiří Gruša (Festival spisovatelů Praha)
- http://www.penclub.at/grusa/ (in german and english)