Přemysl Pitter, an exceptional humanist, writer and saviour of children, was born 130 years ago in Prague’s Žižkov district, where the future first lady Olga Havlová also spent time as a child. During the war, and despite strict prohibitions, Pitter helped persecuted Jews, while after 1945 he cared for orphaned and exhausted children regardless of their origin. He was forced into exile when the Communists came to power yet remained a symbol of courage and compassion. Who exactly was Přemysl Pitter, what were the spiritual sources of his noble behaviour, and what makes his extraordinary life story important today? Writer Pavel Kosatík, author of the book Sám proti zlu. Život Přemysla Pittra (Alone Against Evil: The Life of Přemysl Pitter), and historian Magdaléna Faltusová from the Přemysl Pitter and Olga Fierzová Archive will take part in a discussion about his legacy. Moderated by Martin Churavý.

Invitation to the launch of Karel Hvížďala’s book Počkejte s mým pohřbem (No Need to Hurry With My Funeral), which will also feature a discussion. “Baptising” the book will be philosopher Miroslav Petříček, judge Jiří Přibáň and actor Jiří Lábus, who will read excerpts. The discussion will be moderated by commentator Petr Fischer.

The Václav Havel Library cordially invites you to an evening dedicated to Prof. Dr. JUDr. Karel Eliáš, a leading Czech lawyer, civil law expert and chief architect of the new Civil Code, who celebrated his 70th birthday this year. Professor Eliáš’s legal philosophy is based on the primacy of private law over public law, the protection of the private subjective rights of individuals and minimal intervention by the state in the private sphere. He sees these principles as the foundation of a free civil society and a vibrant democratic order. The evening will recognise his extraordinary contribution to legal science and Czech society, and offer a reflection on how his ideas can inspire today's legal and civic life. Taking part in the discussion will be Professor Eliáš and Professor Kateřina Ronovská, a constitutional judge and vice-president of the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic. Tomáš Němeček will moderate.

How can cultural institutions benefit from new technologies, and what are the likely future trends? The debate will feature Štěpán Laichter, Laichter House (the impact of AI on cultural institutions); Lukáš Pilka, Cabinet of Wonders (the digitisation of museums); and Tomáš Foltýn, director of the National Library. The discussion will be moderated by Alexandra Bízková of Fund Pro Arte.

How to fight censorship in repressive regimes? One way is through samizdat – publishing books, magazines and leaflets independently, often in primitive conditions and at constant risk. Jiří Gruntorád and František Stárek, who spent years in prison for their activities, will talk to Jáchym Topol about their own experiences of producing and distributing samizdat publications in socialist Czechoslovakia. The evening will be introduced by writer Petr Placák.

Zhanna Nemtsova emerged as a prominent voice advocating for human rights and the rule of law in Russia following the assassination of her father Boris Nemtsov, a politician and opposition leader, in Moscow in 2015. The activist and one-time journalist is cofounder of the Nemtsov Foundation and co-runs the MA programme in Russian Studies at Charles University in Prague. Nemtsova will discuss such issues as the current situation in her home country, the outlook for the future, perceptions of the war on Ukraine among the Russian opposition today, and her own exile. In Conversation With… is a series of talks in English helmed by Ian Willoughby, a journalist with Radio Prague International. 

Is the “American dream” still a living part of US reality, or is it rather a thing of the past? And what does this concept actually mean at a time when the country is facing deep social divisions and political upheaval? Deník N foreign correspondent Jana Ciglerová, author of Americké deníky (American Diaries), will discuss with her guests whether the original idea of the American dream can still be fulfilled in today's United States, how the perception of the American dream is changing in the eyes of Czechs, and what Americans themselves imagine the American dream to be.

Her analysis of political evil, especially totalitarianism, and her tireless defence of freedom made Hannah Arendt (1906–1975), a German Jew, one of the leading thinkers of the 20th century. Her work continues to inspire us to reflect on questions of power, morality and responsibility in the modern world. While most of Arendt's major works have already been published in Czech, we had to wait until this year for her biography. It is an 800-page opus entitled Hannah Arendtová. For the Love of the World (published in Czech as Hannah Arendtová. Z lásky k světu), written by Elisabeth Young-Bruehl, a former student and later friend of the political philosopher. It has been brought out by Malvern in a translation by David Sanetrník on the 50th anniversary of Arendt's death. The discussion will focus on the life and legacy of this exceptional woman.

The tenth annual conference dedicated to the phenomenon of the underground (and beyond) will address the neglected topic of the role of women in the dissident movement. Did the role of women consist “merely” in taking care of the household, helping to distribute samizdat literature, or standing in for their imprisoned husbands? Based on archival research and published studies, we know that the above picture is overly simplistic and distorted. Yes, women played an essential role in family life, but they also contributed greatly to dissident activities. They were active in Charter 77 politics, as well as in the Committee for the Defence of the Unjustly Prosecuted. Women became the soul of the “country houses”, islands of freedom in normalized Czechoslovakia. They ran dissident apartments where various activities took place, ranging from arts events to pure politics. Women in the dissent created their own distinctive art, wrote poems, painted pictures and played music. This and more will be discussed by historians and those who were there at a conference at the Václav Havel Library.

We cordially invite you to the 27th edition of Great Book Thursday, where we will present the most notable titles from the autumn offerings of Czech publishers. The selected titles include books that transcend the boundaries of the current mainstream and reflect the diversity of the contemporary literary scene. Authors Marie Doležalová, Danka Štoflová, Kateřina Kadlecová, Pavel Pafko, Petr Šabata, Magda Vašáryová, Josef Formánek and Danish writer Janne Teller have accepted our invitation to attend. The new titles will also be presented by the authors themselves, as well as by editors and other guests. Ivana Veselková will moderate.

A discussion featuring editors from the weekly Respekt and their guests. For more details and the theme visit www.vaclavhavel.cz prior to the event.

Lost and Found in Central Europe

Launch of the new book by Jan Hábl

After a century of building a secular state and recent hopes for EU membership, Turkey, our ally, has embarked on a path of harsh repression against political opposition and civil society. Unless it is hit by an earthquake, or we are heading for its beaches, we take virtually zero interest in Turkey. Ready to convince us that this is a mistake, and that it is important to monitor the country and keep it as close to Europe as possible, especially in today's turbulent world, will be Zuzana Kutišová, a PhD student in the Department of Middle Eastern Studies at Charles University in Prague, and remotely, Prof. Burak Bilgehan Özpek, a political scientist at TOBB University of Economics and Technology and a respected expert on Turkish politics and foreign policy and Veysel Ok, a lawyer for many journalists in Turkey and Co-Director of the Media and Law Studies Association.

On the day when Russia traditionally commemorates the victims of political repression, we will present the Czech edition of the book Dreams of Memory by dissident Larisa Bogoraz, who participated in a protest against the invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968. A selection from her estate was compiled by Yevgeny Zakharov, who included unfinished fragments from her memoirs as well as other texts written for various occasions. The book, issued in Czech as Sny paměti, describes her childhood and family roots, her youth spent in Kharkiv and her clash with the Soviet authorities. The evening will feature appearances by Alexandr Daniel, the son of Larisa Bogoraz, and translator Michaela Stoilova. Edita Jiráková will provide interpretation. Moderated by Jáchym Topol.