Hrabalova zeď

An interesting wall dedicated to an interesting writer.

Interestingly the place, but not much is known

Bohumil Hrabal studied at the Law Faculty of Charles University in Prague, but he could not complete his studies until 1946 - due to the closure of universities during the occupation. He became a professional writer only in 1963, until that time he worked for example as a collector of raw materials or as a stage set. In the 1970s he was unable to publish for several years and his texts were published in samizdat and in exile editions. He is the author of a number of books that almost immediately became part of the Czech cultural heritage. The collection of short stories Pearl Beads on the Bottom or The Babblers, the book Larks on the Thread and many others were just a harbinger of a later time. In 1976 he published Postřižiny, a commemorative prose. In 1978 Snowdrop Festival and in 1980 he published his book I Served the King of England. These three (and many others) became the basis of Czechoslovak literature and made their author the greatest star of our literature. Bohumil Hrabal had a major influence not only on Czech literature of the 20th century, but also on Czech film. The short story about admirable ordinary life Beads on the Bottom (dir. Jiří Menzel, Jan Němec, Evald Schorm, Věra Chytilová, Jaromil Jireš, 1965) is generally perceived as one of the profile films of the so-called Czech New Wave. War Tragicomedy Closely Watched Trains (dir. Jiří Menzel, 1966) won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and Larks on the Thread (dir. Jiří Menzel, 1969), after having to lie in the Communist Vault, the Golden Bear for 32 years in Berlin. Other unforgettable films based on Hrabal's works include, at least, the films Cuttings (dir. Jiří Menzel, 1980), Snowdrop Celebrations (dir. Jiří Menzel, 1983) and Tender Barbarians (dir. Petr Koliha, 1989). The famous Too Noisy Solitude was filmed in 1994 by the Czech director Věra Caisová with Philippe Noiret in the lead role. The novel I Served the King of England was also cinematic.

Interesting place. Somehow I imagine a Beatnik monument. It slightly spoils the impression of the parking lot, which covers part of the scene. Hrabal would probably rather like a beer sitting.

Hrabal has a great cult in Hungary. We consider him an almost Hungarian writer. There are also two neighboring pubs on Rákóczi út (seventh step - Sedmy schody and Hrabal). A proletarian Krúdy. (Tersányszky is similar to him). It is worth coming to the Hungarian fan here one day, unfortunately the old house is already mine. The photos show that it was a rather miserable little house where Hrabal’s art was born. But it might not be created anywhere else! Certainly not in a housing estate. No wonder the writer from the panel, if he could, fled to Kersko in the woods. The small house in Liben might have escaped if I had not thought that the Czechs were sometimes ashamed of the "prolarity" of their great writers. I also felt this about belly. Many pub dwellers have testified that Czech people are not like Svejk. I know, of course. I also understand the stay. Yet I am proud of these Central European guys!

Světova 24 was the residence of Bohumil Hrabal and his wife Pipsy. Both the house and the writer remained only a nostalgic memory of the surrounding walls.