František Alois Hora (1838–1916) – Ambassador for Polish Culture in West Bohemia and his Relations with 19th century Polish Intellectuals

Abstract

This paper is dedicated to František Alois Hora (1838–1916), a Pilsen teacher, writer and translator, who broke down borders between Czechs and Poles. He translated more than 50 Polish authors, in particular Józef Ignacy Kraszewski, Stanisław Grudziński, Adam Pług, Eliza Orzeszkowa, Władysław Bogusławski, Wilhelmina Zyndram-Kościałkowska, Helena Janina Boguska – Hajota, Józefa Sawicka – Ostoja, Zygmunt Miłkowski – T. T. Jez, Bolesław Prus and Henryk Sienkiewicz. He established personal friendships with most of these writers, and his papers in the Pilsen City Archives contain many interesting letters in Polish. He compiled and published a Polish-Czech dictionary, Czech-Polish dictionary and Polish practical grammar, organised free Polish language courses and popularised the culture and literature of Poland. Although his work is of great significance, interest of literary or history researchers has remained scant right up to the present day.