Historik Josef Borovička a československá společnost po roce1945
Historian Josef Borovička and the Czechoslovak sSociety since 1945

Summary/Abstract: Josef Borovička (1885-1971) does not represent the most influential Czech historian of his time, however his life demonstrates challenges that 20th century established in front of an intellectual worker in Czechoslovakia. This article discusses Borovička’s life from the birth in the late 19th century up to his death in the post Prague Spring Czechoslovakia. Limited literature on this historian argues that he was quite reluctant to finalize his extensive research into publication. Nevertheless, the author of this article documents that Borovička’s scholarly performance was often negatively effected by turbulent political situation in the region. The article shows in chronological order Borovička’s professional achievements as well as milestones of his private life. Borovička began his career as an archivist in Prague and he was not only skillful editor of early modern evidence (research in Spanish Royal Archive of Simancas), but he suggested number of archival reforms, which are best described by the only other recent article on Josef Borovička by Josef Kollmann. As for many other historians, the birth of Czechoslovakia in 1918 brought significant change also for Borovička. He was one of the closest co-operator of president Masaryk and he was assigned to write a history of Masaryk’s presidency. However, Borovička’s teaching assignments in Bratislava since 1925, as well as other tasks, did not let him to carry out this plan. Josef Borovička’s life was crossed by the worsening of the international situation in late 1930s. He was expelled from Bratislava in post-Munich era and he became professor of general history at the university in Brno, but only up to late 1939 when the Czech universities were closed. Borovička returned to high archival as well as teaching position in 1945. However, the beginning of the communist regime changes his life dramatically. In 1950, he was sentenced for 8 years in prison in a show-trial. He was released on parole in 1954, however never achieved higher social status till his death and belonged to informal circle of proscribed Czechoslovak historians.

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