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Petr Bezruč — Slezské písněSigned Twice by the Author, Including a WWII-Dated Autograph Stanza1937 Brno Bibliophile Edition | No. 70 of 400 | Uncut | Jacket & Glassine
A remarkable and highly significant copy of Petr Bezruč’s Slezské písně / Silesian Songs, the cornerstone work of Czech Silesian literature.
Published in Brno in 1937 in a limited bibliophile edition of 400 numbered copies, this example is No. 70 and is preserved in outstanding condition, with many gatherings still uncut or unopened. It retains the original dust jacket and rare protective glassine.
Most importantly, this copy contains two substantial autograph inscriptions by Petr Bezruč, including a full handwritten poetic stanza dated 17 November 1941, during the Nazi occupation of the Czech lands.
The Manuscript Inscriptions
This copy is distinguished by two separate inscriptions in Bezruč’s hand.
1. Wartime Autograph Stanza — 17 November 1941
The first and most important inscription is a full handwritten stanza from “Květy” / “Flowers”, dated:
17 November 1941
The date is especially resonant in Czech history. It falls on the anniversary of the 1939 Nazi suppression of Czech universities, when students were executed, arrested, and sent to concentration camps. By November 1941, the Protectorate was under severe repression during the Heydrich period.
The inscription is not overtly political, but in context it carries powerful wartime resonance: a major Czech national poet writing out a poetic passage during the occupation, on one of the most charged dates in modern Czech memory.
2. Additional Personal Inscription
The volume also contains a second four-line inscription by Bezruč, reflective and personal in tone. In it, Bezruč adopts his characteristic modest voice in relation to the people and landscape of the Ostravice region, central to his poetic identity.
Together, the two inscriptions give this copy both a public and private dimension: one poetic and historically dated, the other personal and regional.
The Edition
This 1937 Brno edition was issued as a bibliophile production for collectors and commemorates Bezruč’s seventieth year. A Stanford record for the related history of the jubilee edition identifies the publication context as Petr Bezruč 1937: historie jubilejního vydání Slezských písní, confirming the special commemorative nature of the edition.
Edition Features
- Brno, 1937
- Limited to 400 numbered copies
- This copy No. 70
- Woodcut frontispiece by Ota Petr
- Original dust jacket retained
- Original glassine retained
- Many leaves uncut / unopened
- Fine bibliophile production, far superior to ordinary trade editions
About Petr Bezruč
Petr Bezruč was the pen name of Vladimír Vašek, one of the major Czech poets of the early 20th century. Slezské písně is his central work and remains closely associated with Czech Silesian identity, social protest, national feeling, and the landscape and people of the Ostrava / Silesian region.
The book’s themes of national and social struggle are noted in descriptions of the work, which describe the poems as frequently centered on national and social issues.
Provenance
From the library of:
Dr. Julie Strouhalová-Smékalová
This provenance suggests a scholarly or intellectual context of ownership, consistent with access to Bezruč or his circle.
Condition
Excellent overall.
The book is unusually well preserved for a copy with wartime autograph material. Many gatherings remain uncut or unopened. Text block is fresh, clean, and bright, with no foxing or structural issues observed. The original dust jacket is present, and the rare protective glassine is retained.
The autograph inscriptions are bold, legible, and well preserved.
Please review all photos carefully, as they form part of the condition description.
Why This Copy Is Special
This copy operates on several collecting levels at once:
- Major work of Czech literature
- Limited 1937 bibliophile edition
- No. 70 of only 400 copies
- Signed twice by Petr Bezruč
- Includes full autograph poetic stanza
- Wartime date: 17 November 1941
- Original jacket and glassine retained
- Many leaves uncut / unopened
- Woodcut frontispiece by Ota Petr
- Scholarly provenance
- Strong Czech literary, historical, and cultural significance
Collector’s Note
Signed Bezruč material is uncommon. Copies with extended manuscript content are much scarcer, and a full poetic stanza dated during the Nazi occupation is of much greater significance than a simple signature.
This is best understood not merely as a signed book, but as a layered cultural artifact: a major Czech literary text, in a limited bibliophile edition, preserved in exceptional state, and personally inscribed by the author during one of the most difficult moments in Czech history.
An important copy for collectors of:
- Czech literature
- Petr Bezruč
- Signed and inscribed books
- World War II-era literary material
- Fine press / bibliophile editions
- Silesian cultural history
- European poetry
- Authorial manuscript material
A rare and unusually compelling copy of Slezské písně, combining bibliophile production, authorial manuscript content, and wartime historical resonance.
