Kamil Krofta
Encyclopedia
Kamil Krofta was Czech historian
and diplomat
.
starting in 1894, then from 1896 to 1899 in Vienna
. From 1899 to 1901 he studied in the Vatican Archives. From 1901 he worked at the National Archives
. Beginning in 1911, he was a professor of Austrian history at Charles University, focusing on Slovak history after 1919 in the Jaroslav Goll school of thought. He was elected to the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences
in 1916.
In 1919, he was appointed ambassador to The Vatican
and was instrumental in the recognition of the Czech Republic
. From 1921 to 1925 he resided as ambassador in Vienna and lectured at Comenius University in Bratislava
. From 1925 to 1927 he was ambassador in Berlin
. In 1927, he became Director of the Presidium of the Foreign Ministry under the Minister of Foreign Affairs Edvard Beneš
. Krofta was a Beneš supporter, and shaped the Beneš administration's Czechoslovak foreign policy (Honajzer 1995, 27).
Krofta served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 29 February 1936 to 4 October 1938 for the first Czechoslovak Republic. He succeeded Milan Hodža
.
Krofta became an active participant in the resistance during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia
in World War II
through the National Revolution Preparatory Assembly (Přípravný národní Revoluční výbor). In 1944, was he arrested and initially held at Pankrác Prison
. He was later moved to Theresienstadt concentration camp
and remained incarcerated until the camp was liberated in May 1945. He died in Prague
a few months later as a result of the abuse and neglect during imprisonment.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
.
Life and career
Born and schooled in Plzeň, he studied philosophy in PraguePrague
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...
starting in 1894, then from 1896 to 1899 in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. From 1899 to 1901 he studied in the Vatican Archives. From 1901 he worked at the National Archives
National Archives (Czech Republic)
The National Archives of the Czech Republic depends of the Ministry of the Interior. They have documents which dates back to the Early Middle Ages. They are located in Prague.-External links:*...
. Beginning in 1911, he was a professor of Austrian history at Charles University, focusing on Slovak history after 1919 in the Jaroslav Goll school of thought. He was elected to the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences
Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences
The Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences was established in 1953 to be the scientific center for Czechoslovakia. It was succeeded by the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic in 1992.-History:...
in 1916.
In 1919, he was appointed ambassador to The Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
and was instrumental in the recognition 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....
. From 1921 to 1925 he resided as ambassador in Vienna and lectured at Comenius University in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
. From 1925 to 1927 he was ambassador in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. In 1927, he became Director of the Presidium of the Foreign Ministry under the Minister of Foreign Affairs Edvard Beneš
Edvard Beneš
Edvard Beneš was a leader of the Czechoslovak independence movement, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the second President of Czechoslovakia. He was known to be a skilled diplomat.- Youth :...
. Krofta was a Beneš supporter, and shaped the Beneš administration's Czechoslovak foreign policy (Honajzer 1995, 27).
Krofta served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 29 February 1936 to 4 October 1938 for the first Czechoslovak Republic. He succeeded Milan Hodža
Milan Hodža
Milan Hodža was a prominent Slovak politician and journalist, serving from 1935 to 1938 as the Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia and in December 1935 as the acting President of Czechoslovakia...
.
Krofta became an active participant in the resistance during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia
German occupation of Czechoslovakia
German occupation of Czechoslovakia began with the Nazi annexation of Czechoslovakia's northern and western border regions, known collectively as the Sudetenland, under terms outlined by the Munich Agreement. Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's pretext for this effort was the alleged privations suffered by...
in 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...
through the National Revolution Preparatory Assembly (Přípravný národní Revoluční výbor). In 1944, was he arrested and initially held at Pankrác Prison
Pankrác Prison
Pankrác Prison, officially Prague Pankrác Remand Prison , is a prison in Prague, Czech Republic...
. He was later moved to Theresienstadt concentration camp
Theresienstadt concentration camp
Theresienstadt concentration camp was a Nazi German ghetto during World War II. It was established by the Gestapo in the fortress and garrison city of Terezín , located in what is now the Czech Republic.-History:The fortress of Terezín was constructed between the years 1780 and 1790 by the orders...
and remained incarcerated until the camp was liberated in May 1945. He died 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...
a few months later as a result of the abuse and neglect during imprisonment.
Selected publications
- Kurie a církevní správa zemí českých v době předhusitské
- Řím a Čechy před hnutím husitským
- Historia Fratrum a Rozmlouvání starého Čecha s mladým rytířem
- Listy z náboženských dějin českých
- Bílá hora
- Přehled dějin selského stavu v Čechách a na Moravě
- Čtení o ústavních dějinách slovenských
- Čechové a Slováci před svým státním sjednocením
- Žižka a husitská revoluce
- Z dob naší první republiky
- Nesmrtelný národ
- Malé dějiny československé
External links
- Kamil Krofta via Open Library