Josef Knap
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Josef Knap (July 28, 1900, Podůlší by Jičín – December 13, 1973, Prague) was a Czech writer, poet, literature-reviewer and one of the most popular catholic ruralistic writers (with Jan Čep and František Křelina).
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[edit] Biography
He was born in Podůlší by Jičín. He studied at Classical Grammar school, which he ended in 1919. In 1924 he graduated from modern literature at the Collage of Philosophy of Charles University in Prague. Meanwhile the two World wars he traveled a lot over European countries, including Germany, Sweden, Norway, Italy and France. He worked at theater department of National museum of Czechia for more than 25 years (1925 – 1951), later he even ran it. During Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia he was in Arbeitseinsatz.
Because of theological themes in his work, he became in 50's one of the victims of political processes against catholic intellectuals. In 1952 he was condemned without any evidence to eleven years of prison, but he was released already in 1955. When the society partially freed in the 60's for a moment, he was judicially rehabilitated in 1967. After his release he worked as a building laborer, but later in Memorial of national literature.
In the 60's he was interested in history of theater groups – based on his work published Umělcové na pouti (Czech Traveling artists) in 1961.
He died in Prague, buried in Železnice by Jičín.
In 1997 Knap's memories were published named Bez poslední kapitoly (Czech Without the last chapter).
[edit] Work
His work combines realistic and impressionistic elements. His inspiration was in Northern-European authors and some Czech writers, above all Antal Stašek, Karel Václav Rais and impressionist Fráňa Šrámek. He devoted his work to countryside themes.
[edit] Short stories collections
- Píseň na samotě (1924)
- Zaváté šlépěje (1929 – 1940)
- Žloutnou stráně (1929)
- Polní kytice, (1935)
- Trojlístek (1943) – for younger readers; containing 3 short stories
- Čas kopřiv (1970) – published on occasion the 70th birthday of author; part of edition was confiscated.
[edit] Novels
- Ztracené jaro (1922)
- Réva na zdi (1926)
- Muži a hory (1928)
- Vysoké jarní nebe (1932)
- Cizinec (1934)
- Puszta (1937)
- Dívčí hlas (1938)
- Věno (1944)
- Dokud vane vítr (1968)
- Vzdálená země (1969)
- Bez poslední kapitoly (1997) – book of memories
[edit] Professional works about theater
- Hilbert (1926)
- Zöllnerové: Dějiny divadelního rodu (1958)
- Umělcové na pouti: České divadelní společnosti v 19. století (1961)
- Čtyři herečky: Spurná, Vojtová, Brzková, Beníšková (1967)
[edit] Historical works
- Alej srdcí (1920) – debut book of essays concerning Czech poetry after war
- Úvod do krásné literatury (1924)
- Cesty a vůdcové: k literatuře let dvacátých (1926)
- Básníci selství (1932)
- Fráňa Šrámek (1937)
- Literatura české půdy (1939)
- Selma Lagerlöfová (1949) – studies concerning this significant Swedish authoress
