Václav Renc
Encyclopedia
Václav Renč was a Czech poet, dramatist and translator. Like other catholic ruralistic writers, his themes included God, traditions and the countryside.
He graduated from the College of Philosophy of Charles University in Prague
in 1936. He edited the journal Rozhledy po literatuře (Czech
Views over literature) together with František Halas
(between 1933 – 1936). Then he worked as an editor at several journals (Akord, Obnova and Řád), later as a publishing editor. He was also a dramaturgist
in Olomouc
theater (1945 – 1948) and in Zemské divadlo theater in Brno
in 1947.
After the 1948 communist coup in Czechoslovakia
he and other catholic writers were hated by the regime. In 1951, Renč was arrested and in 1952 he was condemned to 25 years of prison without any evidence. He was released in 1962, rehabilitated in 1968. He became dramaturg operetta
dramaturgist in Olomouc
in 1969.
Aside his own work he has also translated from German
, English
, French
, Italian
and Polish
.
He graduated from the College of Philosophy 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...
in 1936. He edited the journal Rozhledy po literatuře (Czech
Czech literature
Czech literature is the literature written by Czechs or other inhabitants of the Czech state, mostly in the Czech language, although other languages like Old Church Slavonic, Latin or German have been also used, especially in the past. Modern authors from the Czech territory who wrote in other...
Views over literature) together with František Halas
František Halas
František Halas was one of the most significant Czech lyric poets of the 20th century, an essayist, and a translator.- Life :...
(between 1933 – 1936). Then he worked as an editor at several journals (Akord, Obnova and Řád), later as a publishing editor. He was also a dramaturgist
Dramaturgy
Dramaturgy is the art of dramatic composition and the representation of the main elements of drama on the stage. Dramaturgy is a distinct practice separate from play writing and directing, although a single individual may perform any combination of the three. Some dramatists combine writing and...
in Olomouc
Olomouc
Olomouc is a city in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic. The city is located on the Morava river and is the ecclesiastical metropolis and historical capital city of Moravia. Nowadays, it is an administrative centre of the Olomouc Region and sixth largest city in the Czech Republic...
theater (1945 – 1948) and in Zemské divadlo theater in Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
in 1947.
After the 1948 communist coup in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
he and other catholic writers were hated by the regime. In 1951, Renč was arrested and in 1952 he was condemned to 25 years of prison without any evidence. He was released in 1962, rehabilitated in 1968. He became dramaturg operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
dramaturgist in Olomouc
Olomouc
Olomouc is a city in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic. The city is located on the Morava river and is the ecclesiastical metropolis and historical capital city of Moravia. Nowadays, it is an administrative centre of the Olomouc Region and sixth largest city in the Czech Republic...
in 1969.
Works
- Jitření, 1933
- Studánky, 1935
- Sedmihradská zem, 1937
- Vinný lis, 1938
- Trojzpěvy, 1940
- Marnotratný syn, 1942
- Císařův mim, 1944
- Barbora Celská, 1948 drama
- Tom Sawyer od řeky Mississippi, 1964, stage play for children based on novel by Mark TwainMark TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
. - Královské vraždění: Polonius, tragická komedie o pěti dějstvích, 1967
- Hoře z návratu: Dramatická báseň o dvou dílech, 1969
- Popelka Nazaretská, 1969
- Setkání s Minotaurem, 1969 lyrical poems written in years 1963 – 1967
- Skřivaní věž, 1970 poems written in prison
- Pražská legenda, 1974
- Sluncem oděná, 1979
- České žalmy, 1989
- Perníková chaloupka, 1990
- Kůzlátka a hloupý vlk, 1992 fairy tales
- Loretánské světlo, 1992
- Podoben větru, 1994 summary of poetry
- S anděly si nelze připíjet, 2000
- Vrstvení achátu, 2000
Aside his own work he has also translated from German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
and Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
.