Jindrich Toman, Professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures at the University of Michigan, will discuss literary and journalistic texts that shed light on relations between Czechs and Jews in Bohemia in the 19th century. Overall, he will review ways in which Jewish emancipation was “happening” in materials that now remain forgotten and appear seemingly inconsequential. The focus will be on Jewish authors such as Siegfried Kapper and Leopolod Kompert, Czech authors such as Karel Havlíček Borovský and Jan Neruda, and on the rise of antisemitism in some of the Czech texts. The role of language will be a recurring topic.

Jindrich Toman is a Professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He has been following an academic path defined by languages and cultures of Central Europe, initially focusing on linguistics and gradually shifting his research interests towards cultural history and visual culture. A concurrent line of interest focuses on Jewish culture in Bohemia. He teaches courses in the area of literary and cultural studies, including “Jewish Prague.”

The event will be live streamed on SHCSJ YouTube channel and available to view later as well. A link will be sent 24 hours prior to the event.

Free and open to the public. Suggested donation $10. Seats are limited, on first-come, first-served basis. RSVP through Eventbrite.

The event is organized by the Society for the History of Czechoslovak Jews and Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences, New York Chapter, with support of the Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association and the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in New York.