Borivoj Celovský
Encyclopedia
Bořivoj Čelovský (8 September 1923 in Ostrava
-Heřmanice – 12 February 2008) was a Czech
-Canadian
historian
, member of the post-1948 Czechoslovak
political exile
and former political adviser. He was mostly dealing with historical and contemporary reflections of the Czech-German
relationships.
. Later he was assigned to join the anti-aircraft service in Kiel
where he saw many massive bombing campaign
s of the Allies. After World War II
he worked in the municipal archive in Opava
and began to study law
at the University of Prague
. But a few years later, after the quickly forming communist
s took over the political power in Czechoslovakia in 1948, Čelovský escaped into exile, not willing to participate or passively linger on any kind of totality.
Čelovský got to various places during the exile, but Canada became his final second home country; there he is rather known as Boris Celovsky, a name that he used there, as the original was unpronounceable for English-speakers. He studied modern history
at the University of Heidelberg and then at the Université de Montréal
. His dissertation dealt with the Munich Agreement
, still a "hot" theme at the time, and commenced both applausive as well as strictly negative reactions. After he had settled in Canada, he worked as a statistician for the Canadian government. At the same time he cooperated with local counter-espionage
, monitoring Czechoslovak agents in the country. Later he became an adviser of several Canadian politicians and in the 1970s he assisted the very successful election campaign of the New Democratic Party
that later supported the government led by Pierre Trudeau
in an unofficial coalition. Čelovský was the author of one of the most liberal immigration
law of the time, under which Canada began to encourage a very large number of people from all over the world.
After the Velvet Revolution
, when the communist regime in Czechoslovakia had been torn down, Čelovský moved back to Ostrava and started publishing plenty of books on various subjects (some of which were actually translated reprints of the books previously published in exile). He was known for his strongly anti-German opinions and a provoking style of presenting his ideas, yet still based on precise historical work. His books often escalated strong reactions, both positive and negative and initiated broad debates.
Ostrava
Ostrava is the third largest city in the Czech Republic and the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague. Located close to the Polish border, it is also the administrative center of the Moravian-Silesian Region and of the Municipality with Extended Competence. Ostrava was candidate for the...
-Heřmanice – 12 February 2008) was a Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
-Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, member of the post-1948 Czechoslovak
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
political exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
and former political adviser. He was mostly dealing with historical and contemporary reflections of the Czech-German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
relationships.
Biography
After finishing his secondary studies in Ostrava in 1942, Boris Čelovský was sent to Germany for compulsory labourUnfree labour
Unfree labour includes all forms of slavery as well as all other related institutions .-Payment for unfree labour:If payment occurs, it may be in one or more of the following forms:...
. Later he was assigned to join the anti-aircraft service in Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
where he saw many massive bombing campaign
Strategic bombing
Strategic bombing is a military strategy used in a total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability and public will to wage war rather than destroying its land or naval forces...
s of the Allies. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he worked in the municipal archive in Opava
Opava
Opava is a city in the northern Czech Republic on the river Opava, located to the north-west of Ostrava. The historical capital of Czech Silesia, Opava is now in the Moravian-Silesian Region and has a population of 59,843 as of January 1, 2005....
and began to study law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at the University of Prague
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
. But a few years later, after the quickly forming communist
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, in Czech and in Slovak: Komunistická strana Československa was a Communist and Marxist-Leninist political party in Czechoslovakia that existed between 1921 and 1992....
s took over the political power in Czechoslovakia in 1948, Čelovský escaped into exile, not willing to participate or passively linger on any kind of totality.
Čelovský got to various places during the exile, but Canada became his final second home country; there he is rather known as Boris Celovsky, a name that he used there, as the original was unpronounceable for English-speakers. He studied modern history
Modern history
Modern history, or the modern era, describes the historical timeline after the Middle Ages. Modern history can be further broken down into the early modern period and the late modern period after the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution...
at the University of Heidelberg and then at the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
. His dissertation dealt with the Munich Agreement
Munich Agreement
The Munich Pact was an agreement permitting the Nazi German annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland. The Sudetenland were areas along Czech borders, mainly inhabited by ethnic Germans. The agreement was negotiated at a conference held in Munich, Germany, among the major powers of Europe without...
, still a "hot" theme at the time, and commenced both applausive as well as strictly negative reactions. After he had settled in Canada, he worked as a statistician for the Canadian government. At the same time he cooperated with local counter-espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
, monitoring Czechoslovak agents in the country. Later he became an adviser of several Canadian politicians and in the 1970s he assisted the very successful election campaign of the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
that later supported the government led by Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
in an unofficial coalition. Čelovský was the author of one of the most liberal immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
law of the time, under which Canada began to encourage a very large number of people from all over the world.
After the Velvet Revolution
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
, when the communist regime in Czechoslovakia had been torn down, Čelovský moved back to Ostrava and started publishing plenty of books on various subjects (some of which were actually translated reprints of the books previously published in exile). He was known for his strongly anti-German opinions and a provoking style of presenting his ideas, yet still based on precise historical work. His books often escalated strong reactions, both positive and negative and initiated broad debates.
Selected works
- Münchener Abkommen 1938, Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, Stuttgart, 1958 (published also in Czech as Mnichovská dohoda 1938) - a reflection of the Munich agreement
- Stephanie von Hohenlohe, Herbig, 1988, ISBN 3776615222 (published also in Czech as Ta ženská von Hohenlohe) - a life story of the close collaborator with NazisNazismNazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
though a Jew by origin - So oder so, 1995 - the solution of the "Czech question" as proposed by German documents from between 1933 and 1945
- Šel jsem svou cestou (I went my own way), 1996 - autobiography
- Mnichovský syndrom (Munich syndrom), 1997
- Emigranti (Emigrants) - a collection of letters by the first refugees after the "Victorious February" (political power takeover by communists in 1948)
- Politici bez moci (Politicians without power) - dealing with the post-February Czechoslovak exile
- Konec českého tisku (The end of Czech press), 2001 - a warning note on the fact that most of the Czech newspapers and magazines are owned by German companies
External links
- http://www.celovsky.cz – Čelovský's web pages, in Czech