Karel Čapek

Karel Čapek was born in Malé Svatoňovice in what was then Austria-Hungary in 1890 and died in Prague in 1938. He is considered one of the most important Czech writers of the 20th century. After studying philosophy in Prague, Berlin and Paris, he first worked as a journalist from 1917 and later as a director and dramaturge. He wrote numerous novels (including »The War with the Newts«), dramas (including »R.U.R.«), short stories, essays, travelogues and children's books. In his works he repeatedly warned against totalitarian regimes and overpowering industrial groups. In 1925 to 1933 he was the first chairman of the Czechoslovak PEN Club. The Czech P.E.N. Club has awarded the Karel Čapek Prize every two years in his honor since 1994.