Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol4, 1920.pdf/291

Eduard Vojan is no more. This majestic personality passed away on May 30, 1920, at Prague, the scene of his greatest triumphs, in his 68th year. Bohemian art, Bohemian culture and the Bohemian nation loses one of the great sons—yea, the boast of the stage.

Cherished will be the memories of his interpretations of Hamlet, the thinker and sufferer; his deeply lived and human Waldštýn as the claimant to the Bohemian throne; yet his portrayals of Hus and Žižka were the executions of the ripe mind of the master deeply imbedded in the Bohemian national spirit and feeling. He was one joyous pride of the nation before the world.

Vojan is regarded as a greater teacher and “awakener” than half of the pedagogical books of the country. Thousands of young and noble men were, thanks to Vojan for their first impulses, awakened in their hearts and souls, they gained their first perception of greatness and heroism; to them came realization of grave humility, examples and instances of soul moulding.

Born on the 6th day of May 1853 in Prague, he was destined to great things. At the age of sixteen he was an actor in body and spirit. Then for ten years he led a nomadic life, traveling with road companies from one end of the country to the other, making occasional stops here and there. In his eighteenth year he joined the Pistecky company and a few years later the Švanda troop of Smíchov, (Prague). With Švanda came the opportunity to demonstrate his abilities and display his versatility. More important roles were assigned to him. But it was not until the late nineties that his ambition was realized, the goal of all Bohemian actors,—he became a member of the National Theatre of Prague.

But Dame Fortune did not smile her winsome at Vojan. For years he interpreted, with feeling, minor characters—such as Marc Anthony and Mortimer. He acted the part of an Indian in one of Vere’s plays. It was not until the early years of the first decade of this century that Vojan attained every actor’s ambition leading roles. Hamlet, Mephistopholes, Othello, Cyrano de Bergerac and Herod became mere playthings.

Vojan gained his greatest success in Bohemian drama. His interpretations were faultless. He lived his parts. His “Valenta” in “The Incendiary’s Daughter” (Paličova Dcera), was a master interpretation.

His one ambition to appear before American audiences, was never to be realized. At first the war frustrated his plans and when the war ended serious sickness overtook him, which finally carried him off. It seems that destiny allotted much suffering and many disappointments to this man of great attainments.

The sweet memories of his characters, as he was not to play them, will be an ever present balm to many of his audiences. He was a Bohemian in the full sense of the word. Yet his interpretations of various characters on the stage brought home to the growing Bohemians a new vision of life and an understanding of its complex problems.

A true artist has passed away—but his influence lives.

On the occasion of taking over the administration of Slovakia the Slovak Minister, Dr. Derer, drew the following comparison of the present conditions in Slovakia with those existing under the former Magyar regime:—

“We in Slovakia have passed through a very great political, social and economic transformation. We have had to overcome a terrible legacy left by the former feudal Magyar oligarchy, a task to which we have proved equal. When the Magyar regime was overthrown, we had only 344 Slovak elementary schools, now we have 2,622. Secondary schools we had none, and to-day we have 25 of them. The membership of our Trade Unions was only 15,000, to-day we have 180,000 Trade Unionists. Before the revolution there were only 20 Slovak papers, now there are 87. Of the co-operative societies there were only 8, and to-day there are 57. Moreover, since the revolution 192 agricutural societies have been founded. These tremendous changes and progress have been accomplished in a most peaceful manner. While in the neighboring States violent conflicts have taken place, we have succeeded in establishing changes in our social institutions without any bloodshed.”