The ''Májovci'' ("''May'' School") were a significant group of Czech novelists and poets of the second half of the 19th century, who were inspired by the work of

Karel Hynek Mácha Karel Hynek Mácha () (16 November 1810 – 5 November 1836) was a Czechs, Czech Romanticism, romantic poet. His poem ''Máj'' is among the most important poems in the history of Czech literature. Biography Mácha was born on 16 November 1810 ...

Karel Havlíček Borovský Karel Havlíček Borovský (; 31 October 1821 – 29 July 1856) was a Czech writer, poet, critic, politician, journalist, and publisher. Early life and education He lived and studied at the gymnasium in Německý Brod (today Havlíčkův Brod, ...

and

Karel Jaromír Erben Karel Jaromír Erben (; 7 November 1811 – 21 November 1870) was a Czech folklorist and poet of the mid-19th century, best known for his collection '' Kytice'', which contains poems based on traditional and folkloric themes. He also wrote ''Pí ...

. After the fall of Metternich's absolutism in the

Revolution of 1848 The revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the springtime of the peoples or the springtime of nations, were a series of revolutions throughout Europe over the course of more than one year, from 1848 to 1849. It remains the most widespre ...

, there appeared on the scene a young generation preoccupied with urban life and contemporary social problems, and determined to reintroduce Czech as a literary language. Politically they promoted the cause of liberty, democracy, and social justice, fighting the reactionary Bach government and making efforts to improve the status of the Czech nation within the

Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...

. The first yearbook of the group was published in 1858. Named ''

Máj ''Máj'' (Czech language, Czech for the month ''May''; ; usually ''květen'') is a Romantic poetry, romantic poem by Karel Hynek Mácha in four cantos. It was fiercely criticized when first published, but since then has gained the status of one o ...

'' ("May") after Mácha's great poem, it included contributions by

Jan Neruda Jan Nepomuk Neruda (Czech: �jan ˈnɛpomuk ˈnɛruda 10 July 1834 – 22 August 1891) was a Czech journalist, writer, poet and art critic; one of the most prominent representatives of Czech Realism and a member of the " May School". Early li ...

and

Vítězslav Hálek Vítězslav Hálek (also known as Vincenc Hálek; ; 5 April 1835 – 8 October 1874) was a Czechs, Czech poet, writer, journalist and dramatist. He was known for his optimistic work, which earned him fame and recognition during his lifetime. Life ...

, as well as

Adolf Heyduk Adolf Heyduk (6 June 1835 – 6 February 1923) was a distinguished Czech poet and writer, a representative of the May School. He is best known internationally because of his poem cycle ''Gypsy Melodies'' that were set to music by Antonín Dvoř ...

, Rudolf Mayer,

Karolina Světlá Karolina Světlá (born Johana Nepomucena Rottová; 24 February 1830 – 7 September 1899) was a Czechs, Czech writer and feminist. She is among the most important Czech female writers of the 19th century. Life She was born Johana Nepomucena Ro ...

Jakub Arbes Jakub Arbes (12 June 1840, in Prague (Smíchov) – 8 April 1914) was a Czech writer and intellectual. He is best known as the creator of the literary genre called '' romanetto'' and spent much of his professional life in France. Life and Poli ...

Karel Sabina Karel Sabina (pen names include Arian Želinský and Leo Blass) (29 December 1813 – 8 November 1877) was a Czech writer and journalist. Life Karel Sabina grew up in poverty as an extramarital child of a daughter of a sugar producing factory' ...

Josef Václav Frič Josef Václav Frič (5 September 1829 – 14 October 1890) was a Czech poet, journalist and radical democrat revolutionary. He was a participant in the revolution of 1848. Life When he was still in high school, he joined the illegal activitie ...

and Gustav Pfleger Moravský. Their verse tales were described as

Byronic The Byronic hero is a variant of the Romantic hero as a type of character, named after the English Romantic poet Lord Byron. Historian and critic Lord Macaulay described the character as "a man proud, moody, cynical, with defiance on his bro ...

although the closer influence was probably

Pushkin Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin () was a Russian poet, playwright, and novelist of the Romantic era.Basker, Michael. Pushkin and Romanticism. In Ferber, Michael, ed., ''A Companion to European Romanticism''. Oxford: Blackwell, 2005. He is conside ...

. Their efforts were to a great extent responsible for bringing Czech literature into the European mainstream. They were major advocates of the National Theatre of Prague, for which the foundation stone was laid in 1868. Their reformist concerns were also reflected in journalistic endeavours. Newspapers and magazines associated with the ''Májovci'' include ''Národní listy'', ''Čas'', ''Lumír'', and ''Květy''. Later groups included the '' Lumírovci'' (connected with the newspaper ''Lumír'') and the '' Ruchovci'' (connected with the National Theatre).

List of notable ''Májovci''

Ignát Herrmann Ignát Herrmann (12 August 1854 in Chotěboř – 8 July 1935 in Řevnice) was a Czech novelist, satirist and editor. He sometimes used the pseudonym ''Vojta Machatý, Švanda''. The thirteenth child of a solicitor's copyist, he attended scho ...

* Rudolf Mayer *

* Gustav Pfleger Moravský *

Josef Barák Josef Barák (26 January 1833 in Prague – 15 November 1883 in Prague) was a Czech politician, journalist, and poet. He was a member of the '' Májovci'' literary group. He became close with Jindřich Fügner; Fügner sent money to Barák when th ...

Božena Němcová Božena Němcová () (4 February 1820 in Vienna – 21 January 1862 in Prague) was a Czech writer of the final phase of the ''Czech National Revival'' movement. Her image is featured on the 500 CZK denomination of the Česká koruna. Biography ...

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