Josef Pekař
| Josef Pekař | |
|---|---|
Josef Pekař
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| Born | 1870 Turnov |
| Died | 1937 (aged 67) Prague |
| Occupation | Czech historian and professor |
Josef Pekař (April 12, 1870 Malý Rohozec at Turnov – January 23, 1937 Prague) was a prominent Czech historian of the turn of 19th and 20th century, professor and rector of Charles University in Prague.
After graduating at high school in Mladá Boleslav, which now bears his name, Pekař studied history in Prague. He started the career of historian already during studies, when his article, published in 1890 in Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk's magazine Athenaeum, proved by historical findings, that so called "Manuscript of Králův Dvůr" (Rukopis královédvorský), allegedly from the 13th century, whose authenticity has long led disputes in the Czech society, is a counterfeit. Pekař graduated in 1893 by the work Nominantions of the King Ottokar II for the German throne about personal struggle of Přemysl Ottokar II for the imperial throne in the years 1272–1273.
After studies, Pekař spent one year at universities in Erlangen and Berlin, then, he taught for shorter time at the secondary school in Mladá Boleslav and Prague. In 1895, he became the founder of Czech historical magazine, which lead after for thirty years. In 1897, he wrote The History of the Wallenstein conspiracy (1630–1634) and the same year, he declined sharply an anti-Czech article of German historian Theodor Mommsen, proving the importance of Czech culture for Europe; his answer was published again several times and translated into many languages. From that time, Pekař has become well recognized authority among central European historians. In 1901, Pekař was appointed professor of Charles university in Prague.
In 1903, in the work The Oldest Czech Chronicle, Pekař proved, that so called Kristián's legend (Latin writings about the origins of Christianity in the Czech lands and the first Czech saints, Saint Ludmila and Saint Wenceslas), which origin was placed in the 13th century by Josef Dobrovský comes really already from the 10th century (written probably before 994).
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