Josef Florián
Born on 9 February 1873 in Hladov, district of Jihlava Died on 29 December 1941, district of Jihlava Publisher, editor and translator, Catholic thinker
Josef Florián was born in the family of a village carpenter. After graduating from the Grammar School in Telč (1892) and short spell of teaching at the village school in Kostelní Myslov, he studied at the Technical University and at the Faculty of Arts in Prague. Then, for a short time, he was a Grammar School professor in Náchod. Under the influence of the radical French Catholic thinker Leon Bloy he left the teaching career and settled in the village of Stará Říše near Telč. Here he published at his own expense his translations of Bloy and other authors. In several series called Sudium, Nova et Vetera and Archy he published his essays. He also published fiction in a series called Good Work (Dobré dílo) which made him legendary. His one-man publishing house was probably the most unique among Czech publishing houses. Between 1904 and World War II he had published 300 book titles and graphic publications. The series Good Work became renowned not only in the region and in Czechoslovakia as a whole, but also abroad. His friends included such outstanding Catholic intellectuals and writers as Jakub Deml, Otokar Březina, Bohuslav Reynek and Jaroslav Durych.
(“Josef Florián and France”, Institut Francais de Prague, 1998; Listy jihozápadní Moravy No. 4, 1993)
(hb)
Josef Florián was born in the family of a village carpenter. After graduating from the Grammar School in Telč (1892) and short spell of teaching at the village school in Kostelní Myslov, he studied at the Technical University and at the Faculty of Arts in Prague. Then, for a short time, he was a Grammar School professor in Náchod. Under the influence of the radical French Catholic thinker Leon Bloy he left the teaching career and settled in the village of Stará Říše near Telč. Here he published at his own expense his translations of Bloy and other authors. In several series called Sudium, Nova et Vetera and Archy he published his essays. He also published fiction in a series called Good Work (Dobré dílo) which made him legendary. His one-man publishing house was probably the most unique among Czech publishing houses. Between 1904 and World War II he had published 300 book titles and graphic publications. The series Good Work became renowned not only in the region and in Czechoslovakia as a whole, but also abroad. His friends included such outstanding Catholic intellectuals and writers as Jakub Deml, Otokar Březina, Bohuslav Reynek and Jaroslav Durych.
(“Josef Florián and France”, Institut Francais de Prague, 1998; Listy jihozápadní Moravy No. 4, 1993)
(hb)
VLOŽIL: Terezie Veselá (31.05.2012)
