Jan Evangelista Purkyně (1787–1869) Part II: The Question of His Nationalism

Kisch B. Forgotten leaders in modern medicine: Valentin, Gruby, Remak, Auerbach. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society 1954; 44:142–92.

John HJ . Jan Evangelista Purkyně. Czech Scientist and Patriot 1787–1869. Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1959.

Kudělka M. Slavistické práce Jana Ev. Purkyně. In: Jan Evangelista Purkyně [The slavistic writings of JEP]. Opera omnia X. Prague: Academia, 1968:11–66(p 12).

Mayer D , ed. 1887: Vzpomínky Jana Evangelisty Purkyně na mládí prožité v Libochovicích. Libochovice, 1969:24 [Purkyně's memories of his youth]; and Purkyně JE Výryvky z mého života [Excerpts from my life]. Opera omnia XIII. Prague: Academia, 1985:79–118.

Říhová M. Purkyňův příspěvek k soudobým otázkám jazyka [Purkyně's contribution to contemporary questions of language]. In: Čková Trávní E , ed. Jan Evangelista Purkyně. žvot a dílo [Life and work]. Prague: Avicenum; 1986: 114–24(p 115).

Sajner J. Purkyňova moravská léta (Léta učení a zrání) [Purkyně's years in Moravia. Years of learning and maturing]. In: Němec B Matousěk O , eds. Jan Evangelista Purkyně. Badatel-Národní Budítel. Prague: Československá Akademie Věd, 1955:19–35(p 22).

Kudělka M (op. cit. ref 3): note 1 (Slavistic writings).

Kruta V. JE Purkyně - Tvůrčí vědec. In: Jan Evangelista Purkyně [A creative scientist]. Prague: Státrú zdravotnické nákladatelství, 1962:13–102(p 18).

Sajner J (op. cit. ref 6):19 (Moravian years).

Říhová M (op. cit. ref 5):116 (Language).

Kruta V. J. E. Purkyně 1869–1969. Brno: Universita JE Purkyně, 1969:103.

Halas FX . K podílu Jana Evangelisty Purkyně na českém národním obrození [Edice korespondence J. E. Purkyně s Václavem Hankou a Pavlem Josefem Šafaříkem]. Acta Universitatis Carolinae - Historia Universitatis Carolinae Pragensis 1987; 27:171–231 [Purkyně's contribution to the Czech national revival].

“Krok” is also the Czech word for “the step” - a play on words intended to convey the founders' hope that Czech science will now take “the step” onto the international stage¹⁴.

Janko J Štrbáňová S. Věda Purkyňovy doby. Prague: Academia, 1988:108 [Science in Purkyně's time].

Purkyně JE . Ueber die Wichtigkeit der Muttersprache. Hesperus 1820; 25:26–8 (Prag); and Opera omnia II. Prague: Purkyňova Společnost, 1937:3–4.

Lesky E. Purkyně's Weg. Wissenschaft, Bildung und Nation. Veröffentlichungen der Kommission für Geschichte der Erziehung und des Unterrichts, Vol 12. Wien: Hermann Böhlaus Nachf, 1970:1–67(p 10) [Purkyně's Path: Science, Education and Nation].

Berlin I. The apotheosis of the romantic will. The revolt against the myth of an ideal world (pp 207–37). The bent twig. On the rise of nationalism (pp 238–61). In: Hardy H , ed. The Crooked Timber of Humanity. Chapters in the History of Ideas. New York: Alfred A Knopf; 1991.

Horák PJE . Purkyně and the German philosophy. In: Purš J , ed. Jan Evangelista Purkyně in Science and Culture. Prague: Československá Akademie Věd; 1988:vol II, 935–54(p 937).

Janko J Štrbáňová S (op. cit. ref 14):117 (Science). It is interesting to note that there is no mention made in Purkyně's works and correspondence of his teacher Bolzano, nor does Purkyně react to relevant allusions in letters by Palacký and others (see Jedlička J. Jana Ev. Purkyně korespondence. I. – Česká Grafickä Unie AS, Praha, 1920, pp 27, 60, 242). We cannot find Bolzano's name in Purkyně's correspondence with his young friends (Kruta V: K pofčtkům vědecké dráhy J. E. Purkyně – Lékařská” Faculta University J. E. Purkyně, Brno 1964). Perhaps the gap between Bolzano's enlightened views and Purkyně's romantic vision of the world was too wide to be bridged. This aspect seems to be rather neglected by modern scholars (see Janko J: Science, Public Opinion, and an Absolute State. The demands of the scientific community in Bohemia at the beginning of the 19th century. Studia Historiae Academiae Bohemoslovacae, seria C, 1, 1989, pp 153–86).

Lesky E (op. cit. ref 16):48 (Purkyně's path).

Berlin I (op. cit. ref 17):245 (Apotheosis).

Aterman K. Jan Evangelista Purkyně's votum (1847) on the admission of Jews to academic positions at the University of Breslau. Würzburger medizinhistorische Mitteilungen, 1993; 11:311–31.

Bureš R. Introduction. In: Jan Evangelista Purkyně. Prague: Státní zdravotnické nakladatelství, 1962.

Kruta V (op. cit. ref 11):108.

Horák P (op. cit. ref 18):935 (Philosophy).

Purkyně JE . Austria polyglotta, Prague 1867. Opera omnia IX. Prague, 1965:255–85(p 273).

Němec B. Leben von Wirken Purkyně J. E. Purkyně in Erinnerungen seiner Zeitgenossen. Nova Acta Leopoldina N. F. 1961; 24:9–14.

Janko J Štrbáňová S (op. cit. ref 14):123 (Science).

Thon J. Úkoly literární vědy ve studiu Jana Ev. Purkyně. In: Němec B Matousěk O , eds. Jan Evangelista Purkyně. Badatel–Národní Budítel. Prague: Československá Akademie Věd, 1955:135–40 [The task of the science of literature in the study of JE Purkyně].

Purkyně JE . [4 Oct 1865, address at school opening in Pilsen] Opera omnia IX. Prague: Československá Akademie Věd, 1965:226.

In the introduction to his translation of Schiller's poems Purkyně explains his efforts as a translator's “most urgent task, particularly for us Czechs … to incorporate into our culture what is best and noble in the culture of other nations” (Opera omnia XI, p 67).

Purkyně JE . Preface to his translation of Schiller's poems, 6 Feb 1841. Opera omnia XI. Prague: Academia, 1968:190.

Ibid:310.

Petr J. Zájmy Slovanské J. E. Purkyně. In: Purš J , ed. Jan Evangelista Purkyně in Science and Culture. Ústav československych a světovych dějin, ČSAV. Prague, 1988: Vol I:229–47(p 236) [Purkyně's slavistic interests].

Rozsívalová E Nikliček L. život Jana Evangelisty Purkyně. In: Trávníčková E , ed. Jan Evangelista Purkyně. život a dílo. Praha: Avicenum, 1986:9–99(p 89) (Purkyně's life].

Kühndel J. J. E. Purkyně a Schillerovy oslavy. In: Němec B Matousěk O , eds. Jan Evangelista Purkyně. Badatel-Národní Budítel. Prague: Československá Akademie Věd, 1955:189–90 (p 189).

Kisch B (op. cit. ref 1):148 (Leaders).

Purkyně JE . Separat-Votum zur Judenfrage. Opera omnia XII. Prague: Academia, 1973:357–62.

Kisch B (op. cit. ref 1):151 (Leaders).

Ibid.

Teich M. Světovy názor J. E. Purkyně. In: Jan Evangelista Purkyně. Prague: Státní zdravotnické nakladatelství, 1962: 103–27(p 127) [Purkyně's Weltanschauung].

Pavel Josef Šafařík (1795–1861) was another prominent figure of the Czech national movement.

Compare Purkyně's letters to Šafařík of 17 February 1841 and of 3 March 1841, in Halas (op. cit ref 12, p 212 and p 215).

Říhová M (op. cit. ref 5):124 (Language).

Matoušek O. J. E. Purkyně's Leben und Tätigkeit im Lichte der Berliner und Prager Archive. Nova Acta Leopoldina, N. F. 1961; 24:109–29(p 111) [Purkyně's life and activity].

In observance of an old custom, children were also given the name of the saint whose name–day followed most closely the child's date of birth. Purkyně's name “Evangelista” was derived that way. He never used his father's name “Josef”⁴⁵. Purkyně's birth certificate has been discussed in great detail by Matoušek⁴⁷ who points to the various ways in which “Purkyně” had been spelled in the registers of Libochovice: Burkinie, Burkynie, Burkinė, Purkinie, Purkynie. It may be of interest in this context to point out that the same “Purkyně”, like, for instance, the authentic Czech name “Purkart”, probably is derived from the German name “Burghart” (see Moldanová, Dobrava: Naše příjmeni, Praha 1983, p 185).

Matoušek O. Jan Ev. Purkyně v zápisech rodné matriky [Birth registration]. Čusopis lékařů ceskych, No. 50, 1961: 1561–7.

In a letter to Václav Hanka of 24 April 1832 Purkyně stated that he was already in favour of reforming and clarifying the use of B/P and some other letters even before he had read Hanka's “Grammar” his language – physiological research “had led him to this conclusion”⁴⁹.

Halas F (op. cit. ref 12):193 (Czech revival).

Purkyně, like some of the other figures of the Czech national movement, was in favour of these orthographic reforms which also included a change from the old use of “g” to “j”, the use of “i” instead of the archaic “J”, “v” instead of “w”, and “ou” instead of “au”⁵¹.

Halas F (op. cit. ref 12):193, footnote 35 (Czech revival).

Matoušek O (op. cit. ref 45):112 (Purkyně's life).

See Jan Evangelista Purkyně. Prague: Státní zdravotnické nakladatelství, 1962; and Kruta V, ed. Jan Evangelista Purkyně 1787–1869. Brno: Universita J. E. Purkyně, 1971.

According to Kruta the original oil painting from 1823 is presumed to be lost; it seems that a drawing by F Šir from 1830 may have given rise to this lithograph^55,56.

Kruta V. J. E. Purkyně (1787–1869) Physiologist. Prague: Academia, 1969.

Kruta V. K počátkům vědecké drahy J. E. Purkyně [The beginnings of Purkyně's scientific career]. Brno: Lékařská Fakulta University J. E. Purkyně, 1964.

“If God commands how long and where your life is to be spent, Be true to your country and to your faith, my friend” (my translation: KA). The original of this poem, shown in this picture to have been written in the old orthography, is in the National Library Archives in Strahov, Prague (No: 29.H.LII); it had been cited in 1837 by Michl JV in “Ouplny létopis”, p 317 ⁵⁸.

Thon J. Komentář a vysvětlivky [Commentary and explanations]. In: Opera omnia XI. Prague: Academia, 1968:54.

Kruta V (op. cit. refs 8, 11, 53, 54) (Creative scientist; beginnings).

Matoušek O (op. cit. ref 47):1563 (Birth registration).

Lesky E. ; and Purkyně Thun. In: Kruta V , ed. Jan Evangelista Purkyně 1787–1869 (Centenary Symposium). Brno: Universita J. E. Purkyně, 1971:65–73.

Brázda O. Příchod Jana Evangelisty Purkyně na pražskou universitu [Purkyně at the University of Prague]. Acta Univ Carolinae – Historia Univ Carol Pragensis 1987; 27(fasc. 1):55–89.

Kruta V. J. E. Purkyně: Deux lettres á l'Académie des Sciences, 1819–1861. Brno: Universitas Purkyniana, 1969.