The Májovci were a significant group of Czech novelists and poets of the second half of the 19th century, who were inspired by the work of Karel Hynek Mácha

Karel Hynek Mácha

Karel Hynek Mácha was a Czech romantic poet.- Biography :Mácha grew up in Prague, the son of a foreman at a mill. He learned Latin and German in school...

, Karel Havlíček Borovský

Karel Havlícek Borovský

Karel Havlíček Borovský was a Czech writer, poet, critic, politician, journalist, and publisher. He lived and studied at the Gymnasium in Německý Brod , and his house on the main square is today the Havlíček Museum...

 and Karel Jaromír Erben

Karel Jaromír Erben

Karel Jaromír Erben was a Czech historian, poet and writer of the mid-19th century, best known for his collection Kytice , which contains poems based on traditional and folkloric themes....

.

After the fall of Metternich's absolutism in the Revolution of 1848, there appeared on the scene a young generation preoccupied with urban life and contemporary social problems, and determined to reintroduce Czech as a literary language. Politically they promoted the cause of liberty, democracy, and social justice, fighting the reactionary Bach

Baron Alexander von Bach

Baron Alexander von Bach was an Austrian politician...

 government and making efforts to improve the status of the Czech nation within the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The first yearbook of the group was published in 1858. Named Máj ("May") after Mácha

Karel Hynek Mácha

Karel Hynek Mácha was a Czech romantic poet.- Biography :Mácha grew up in Prague, the son of a foreman at a mill. He learned Latin and German in school...

's great poem, it included contributions by Jan Neruda

Jan Neruda

Jan Nepomuk Neruda was a Czech journalist, writer and poet, one of the most prominent representatives of Czech Realism and a member of "the May school".-Early life:...

 and Vítězslav Hálek

Vítezslav Hálek

Vítězslav Hálek was a Czech poet, writer, journalist, dramatist and theatre critic. He is considered one of the most important representatives of the May school, besides Jan Neruda and Karolína Světlá.- Life :...

, as well as Adolf Heyduk

Adolf Heyduk

Adolf Heyduk was a distinguished Czech poet and writer. Many of his poems were later adapted by Antonín Dvořák.-Life:...

, Rudolf Mayer, Karolina Světlá

Karolína Svetlá

Karolina Světlá was a Czech female author of the 19th century. She was a representative to the literary May School. She married Professor Petr Mužák in 1852, who had taught her music. She also had an affair with Jan Neruda. She introduced Eliška Krásnohorská to literature and feminism...

, Jakub Arbes

Jakub Arbes

Jakub Arbes was an influential Czech revolutionary, intellectual and writer. He was a sympathizer of the Májovci literary group and creator of the literary genre called romanetto.- Life and Politics :...

, Karel Sabina

Karel Sabina

Karel Sabina , was a Czech writer and journalist.- Life :...

, Josef Václav Frič and Gustav Pfleger-Moravský. Their verse tales were described as Byronic although the closer influence was probably Pushkin. Their efforts were to a great extent responsible for bringing Czech literature into the European mainstream.

They were major advocates of the National Theatre of Prague

National Theatre (Prague)

The National Theatre in Prague is known as the Alma Mater of Czech opera, and as the national monument of Czech history and art.The National Theatre belongs to the most important Czech cultural institutions, with a rich artistic tradition which was created and maintained by the most distinguished...

, for which the foundation stone was laid in 1868. Their reformist concerns were also reflected in journalistic endeavours. Newspapers and magazines associated with the Májovci include Národní listy, Čas, Lumír, and Květy.

Later groups included the Lumírovci (connected with the newspaper Lumír) and the Ruchovci (connected with the National Theatre).

List of famous Májovci

• Jakub Arbes
  Jakub Arbes
  Jakub Arbes was an influential Czech revolutionary, intellectual and writer. He was a sympathizer of the Májovci literary group and creator of the literary genre called romanetto.- Life and Politics :...
  
  
• Karel Jaromír Erben
  Karel Jaromír Erben
  Karel Jaromír Erben was a Czech historian, poet and writer of the mid-19th century, best known for his collection Kytice , which contains poems based on traditional and folkloric themes....
  
  
• Josef Václav Frič
• Vítězslav Hálek
  Vítezslav Hálek
  Vítězslav Hálek was a Czech poet, writer, journalist, dramatist and theatre critic. He is considered one of the most important representatives of the May school, besides Jan Neruda and Karolína Světlá.- Life :...
  
  
• Ignát Herrmann
  Ignát Herrmann
  Ignát Herrmann was a Czech novelist, satirist and editor. He sometimes used the pseudonym Vojta Machatý, Švanda....
  
  
• Adolf Heyduk
  Adolf Heyduk
  Adolf Heyduk was a distinguished Czech poet and writer. Many of his poems were later adapted by Antonín Dvořák.-Life:...
  
  
• Rudolf Mayer
• Jan Neruda
  Jan Neruda
  Jan Nepomuk Neruda was a Czech journalist, writer and poet, one of the most prominent representatives of Czech Realism and a member of "the May school".-Early life:...
  
  
• Gustav Pfleger-Moravský
• Karel Sabina
  Karel Sabina
  Karel Sabina , was a Czech writer and journalist.- Life :...
  
  
• Karolina Světlá
  Karolína Svetlá
  Karolina Světlá was a Czech female author of the 19th century. She was a representative to the literary May School. She married Professor Petr Mužák in 1852, who had taught her music. She also had an affair with Jan Neruda. She introduced Eliška Krásnohorská to literature and feminism...