Josef Pekar

Born Apr. 12, 1870, in Malý Rohozec; died Jan. 23, 1937, in Prague. Czechoslovak historian.

Pekaf graduated from Charles University in Prague in 1893. Beginning in 1898 he was editor of the Czech historical journal Český časopis historický. He became a professor at Charles University in 1905 and a member of the Czech Academy of Sciences in 1916 and was rector of the University of Prague in 1931 and 1932.

Known for his numerous works on Czech history and on the history of other countries, Pekař was chiefly concerned with peasant history, the Thirty Years’ War (1618–48), and the Hussite wars. He condemned the Hussite revolutionary movement which, in his view, had resulted from “ideas … foreign to the Czech spirit” imported from abroad and had led to Bohemia’s ruin and decline.

Pekař opposed the Czech national struggle against the Haps-burgs, believing that only they and the Catholic Church could assure the progressive development of Bohemia. He recognized J. Žižka’s talents as a military leader but called him an extreme fanatic. Pekař’s journalistic articles of the 1920’s and 1930’s reflect anti-Bolshevik and clericalist views.