Capek, Karel (1890-1938)

Capek, Karel

WRITER, JOURNALIST, POET (CZECHOSLOVAKIA)

BORN 9 Jan 1890, Malé Svatonovice - DIED 25 Dec 1938, Praha
CAUSE OF DEATH double pneumonia
GRAVE LOCATION Praha: Vysehrad Cemetery (12B-47 (107))

Karel Capek finished his philosophy studies in Prague in 1915. As a student he already worked as a journalist and his first volume of stories was published in 1917. He became an early science fiction author, writing it before it existed as a genre. In his work there is fear for social disasters, corporate power and dictators. The word robot first appeared in 1921 in his plays "Rossumovi univerzální roboti". However, he credited his brother Josef with inventing the word.

During the 1930s he wrote about the threat of nazism and fascism and the Gestapo branded him a public enemy. When it became clear that the allies wouldn't help Czechoslovakia he decided not to leave the country. Shortly after Bohemia was invaded by the Germans he died of pneumonia. His brother Josef died in concentration camp Bergen-Belsen.

Images

The grave of Karel Capek at Vysehrad Cemetery, Prague.
Picture by Androom (16 Aug 2000)