Československý a český PEN klub v Literárním archivu Památníku národního písemnictví
The Czechoslovak PEN and the Czech PEN in the Museum of Czech Literature

Summary/Abstract: Preserved across decades of political upheaval and institutional change, the archival legacy of the Czechoslovak and later Czech PEN Club forms a unique documentary record of literary, cultural, and civic engagement from 1925 to the present. The study maps the formation, transfers, and gradual expansion of the PEN Club fonds housed in the Literary Archive of the Museum of Czech Literature, highlighting its material continuity despite war, occupation, and censorship. Emphasis is placed on the circumstances under which key archival deposits were made, particularly during moments of existential threat such as 1938 and 1968. The fonds encompasses administrative records, correspondence, manuscripts, congress documentation, photographs, prints, and sound recordings, reflecting both domestic and international dimensions of PEN activities. Attention is also given to the evolving access conditions and ethical considerations surrounding personal correspondence. Recent acquisitions after 1989 significantly broaden the chronological scope and thematic richness of the collection. Together, these materials offer an indispensable source for research into Czech and Czechoslovak literary history, intellectual networks, and broader twentieth-century cultural memory.

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