Julius Tomin
Encyclopedia
Julius Tomin is a Czech philosopher. He became known in the 1970s and 1980s for his involvement with the Jan Hus Educational Foundation
, which ran an underground education network in the former Czechoslovakia
, offering seminars in philosophy in people's homes.
Barbara Day writes that Tomin studied English and Russian in the 1940s and 50s. He agreed with Tolstoy's and Gandhi's views on non-violence, and refused to do military service, for which he served a prison sentence. He then tried to leave the country for Sweden, but was caught and served an additional year. He took a job as a forrester when released, and worked as a ward assistant in a psychiatric hospital, where he met his first wife, a therapist, whom he married in 1962.
He was interested in philosophy, and wrote to Milan Machovec of Charles University, Prague, who arranged for him to register for a doctorate. He obtained his PhD and became a junior fellow in the university's philosophy department from 1966 to 1970. In 1969–1970 he held a visiting professorship at the University of Hawaii. Day writes that he was refused an academic position when he returned, after associating himself with the reform Communists. He worked instead as a turbine operator, but according to Day was sacked when he was discovered teaching philosophy to his colleagues. He then worked as a nightwatchman in a zoo.
He became a signatory to Charter 77
in December 1976, which made him a further target of suspicion, and began holding philosophy seminars in his apartment in 1977. After asking for academic support for his seminars in 1978 from universities in England, Germany, and the United States, philosophers from the University of Oxford set up the Jan Hus Educational Foundation to help send books and speakers. Several of the philosophers who attended these home seminars, including Jacques Derrida
, were detained by the police and asked to leave the country.
Tomin travelled with his family to the UK in August 1980, with the help of Kathy Wilkes
, the Oxford philosopher, after receiving permission to study abroad. In May 1981 his Czech passport was removed by the Czech Embassy in London, and he was told he and his wife no longer had Czech citizenship. As of 2011 he remains a British resident.
Jan Hus Educational Foundation
The Jan Hus Educational Foundation was founded in May 1980 by a group of British philosophers at the University of Oxford. The Foundation operated an underground education network in the former Czechoslovakia, at the time under Communist Party rule, running seminars on philosophy, smuggling in...
, which ran an underground education network in the former Czechoslovakia
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...
, offering seminars in philosophy in people's homes.
Barbara Day writes that Tomin studied English and Russian in the 1940s and 50s. He agreed with Tolstoy's and Gandhi's views on non-violence, and refused to do military service, for which he served a prison sentence. He then tried to leave the country for Sweden, but was caught and served an additional year. He took a job as a forrester when released, and worked as a ward assistant in a psychiatric hospital, where he met his first wife, a therapist, whom he married in 1962.
He was interested in philosophy, and wrote to Milan Machovec of Charles University, Prague, who arranged for him to register for a doctorate. He obtained his PhD and became a junior fellow in the university's philosophy department from 1966 to 1970. In 1969–1970 he held a visiting professorship at the University of Hawaii. Day writes that he was refused an academic position when he returned, after associating himself with the reform Communists. He worked instead as a turbine operator, but according to Day was sacked when he was discovered teaching philosophy to his colleagues. He then worked as a nightwatchman in a zoo.
He became a signatory to Charter 77
Charter 77
Charter 77 was an informal civic initiative in communist Czechoslovakia from 1976 to 1992, named after the document Charter 77 from January 1977. Founding members and architects were Václav Havel, Jan Patočka, Zdeněk Mlynář, Jiří Hájek, and Pavel Kohout. Spreading the text of the document was...
in December 1976, which made him a further target of suspicion, and began holding philosophy seminars in his apartment in 1977. After asking for academic support for his seminars in 1978 from universities in England, Germany, and the United States, philosophers from the University of Oxford set up the Jan Hus Educational Foundation to help send books and speakers. Several of the philosophers who attended these home seminars, including Jacques Derrida
Jacques Derrida
Jacques Derrida was a French philosopher, born in French Algeria. He developed the critical theory known as deconstruction and his work has been labeled as post-structuralism and associated with postmodern philosophy...
, were detained by the police and asked to leave the country.
Tomin travelled with his family to the UK in August 1980, with the help of Kathy Wilkes
Kathy Wilkes
Kathleen Vaughan Wilkes was an English philosopher and academic who played an important part in rebuilding the education systems of former Communist countries after 1990. She established her reputation as an academic with her contributions to the philosophy of mind in two major works and many...
, the Oxford philosopher, after receiving permission to study abroad. In May 1981 his Czech passport was removed by the Czech Embassy in London, and he was told he and his wife no longer had Czech citizenship. As of 2011 he remains a British resident.
Selected articles
- Tomin, Julius. "Inside the Security State," New Statesman, March 7, 1980.
- Tomin, Julius. "Socratic Midwifery", '"The Classical Quarterly, Vol. 37, No 1, 1987.
Further reading
- "West had wrong ideas on Czech tragedy—lecturer", The Glasgow Herald, September 24, 1968.
- "Intimidation of Czech human rights activists reported", Associated Press, October 10, 1979.
- "Prisoners that Moscow tries to hide", Associated Press, October 11, 1979.
- "Professor expelled", Associated Press, March 12, 1980.
- "Confronting a fear of the unknown", Boston Globe, April 27, 1980.
- "Enemies of the State", zoewanamaker.com, accessed April 19, 2011.
- Bourne, Eric. "Crackdown on Czech 'study groups, Christian Science Monitor, March 14, 1980.
- Cohen, NickNick CohenNick Cohen is a British journalist, author and political commentator. He is currently a columnist for The Observer, a blogger for The Spectator and TV critic for Standpoint magazine. He formerly wrote for the London Evening Standard and the New Statesman...
. "The Pub Philosopher", The Independent magazine, November 18, 1989. - Cusick, James and Gettleman, Jeffrey. Pub philosopher' on hunger strike over Plato clash", The Independent, November 27, 1995.
- Midgley, Simon. "Czech exile in dialogue over Plato", The Independent, August 20, 1998.
- Romano, Carlin. "Where humanity, ethics have gone", The Free Lance-Star, December 17, 2000.
- Rule, Sheila. "Swindon Journal; The Thinker's Pub, With a Resident Philosopher", The New York Times, November 7, 1988.
- Shepard, Richard F. "A Brutal, and True, Story", The New York Times, August 11, 1988.
- Targett, Simon. "Fable for High Table", Times Higher Educational, October 6, 1995.
- Wilkes, Kathleen. "Unofficial Education in Czechoslovakia", Government and Opposition, Volume 16, Issue 2, April 1981.