Famous Czech-born writer Milan Kundera dies at 94

One of the Most Famous Czech Writer

Milan Kundera was born in Brno in 1929. In 1975, he emigrated to France. He was teaching and writing in Paris, initially in Czech, and from the 1990s exclusively in French. However, Kundera always meticulously reviewed all translations or re-editions of his works in Czech language.

His novels, such as The Joke, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Immortality, Slowness, and Identity, rank among the greatest works of world literature. Kundera's books are among the most translated Czech works, having been published in 51 languages and in over 3,000 editions. Kundera is considered one of the most important Czech writers.

Milan Kundera Library in Brno

On April 1, 2023, on the author's 94th birthday, the Milan Kundera Library was inaugurated in his hometown of Brno. The library houses over 3,000 publications by Milan Kundera in 50 different languages.

In addition to novels, essays, and theater plays, it also features an archive of Kundera's correspondence. Controversial poetic works from the 1950s, which Kundera was not particularly proud of, are also exhibited. At the beginning of his career, Kundera was recognized as a promising communist author, but by the 1960s, he had become an opponent of the regime.

The establishment of the unique library was largely thanks to Kundera's wife, Věra.