Zbornik Janković, Vol. VII No. 8-9, 2024.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.47325/zj.7.8-9.14
WHEN WAS THE CZECH BESEDA ZAGREB FOUNDED?
Marijan Lipovac
Abstract
According to a tradition passed down through the generations, the oldest association of the Czech minority in Croatia, the Czech Beseda Zagreb (Češka beseda Zagreb), was founded on October 14th 1874, at a ceremony in the presence of prominent persons from Zagreb at the time, described by the Czech writer Josef Holeček in his autobiographical novel Pero (Pen) as a witness. But according to the reports in the Zagreb contemporary newspapers, the aforementioned ceremony was held on November 20th 1874, when the Czech Beseda opened its first seat in Ilica Street and began public activities, which means that it was founded earlier, in the period between March 18th 1874, when the idea of founding Beseda was first presented, and November 20th 1874. The date October 14th is not mentioned in any source known today, apart from the mentioned novel, but as the date of the ceremonial opening of its seat. In the yearbook of Czech Beseda Zagreb from 1924, Antun Šimčik gave a description of the founding of Beseda and stated that it was founded shortly after Josef Václav Frič made a proposal in the spring of 1874, without specifying the date. Referring to Holeček, living witnesses, but also to Beseda’s documents, which are now lost, he stated October 14th 1874, as the date of the celebration of the beginning of its work. It is certain that Beseda had its founding meeting before November 20th, and that both Holeček and other witnesses in their memory combined that meeting and ceremony into one event that they timed on a day that is not mentioned in reliable sources. With the passage of time, the claim that their association was solemnly founded on October 14th 1874, became established among the Czechs in Zagreb, and since 2005 that date has been the Day of the Council of the Czech Minority of the City of Zagreb, although the ceremony was held on November 20th 1874, and the exact date of foundation is not known. Therefore, October 14th can only be accepted as the symbolic birthday of Czech Beseda Zagreb.
Keywords
Czech Beseda Zagreb, Czech national minority, Josef Václav Frič, Josef Holeček, Antun Šimčik
Hrčak ID:
320324
URI
Publication date:
29.8.2024.
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