Jsem svobodný… Edice rodinné korespondence Vojty Náprstka 1848–1858
ISBN: 978-80-7036-540-3
Author(s): Martin Šámal
Publisher: National Museum
Place of publication: Prague
Number of pages: 400
Citation: ŠÁMAL, Martin. Jsem svobodný… Edice rodinné korespondence Vojty Náprstka 1848–1858. Vydání první. Prague: National Museum, 2017. 400 stran. ISBN 978-80-7036-540-3.
Vojta Náprstek (1826–1894) is known as the founder of the Czech Industrial Museum, a supporter of Czech compatriots abroad, a promoter of women's education or a progressive communal politician. In his youth, he was an honest patriot who, during his studies in Vienna, participated in organizing the cultural life of Czech people there and in 1848 actively participated in the revolutionary events. At the end of 1848 he left for America, where he spent almost ten years (1848–1858).
The present edition tries to offer his family correspondence of that time to the public. There are almost ninety letters that have documented his life story and activity in America in an extraordinary way. They represent an interesting contribution to the knowledge of Náprstek’s life and his family, but in general, they are also a unique source for the history of Czech emigration to America at the beginning of the second half of the 19th century.