Home > Milena Jesenská

She was born in old aristocratic family of Slovakian origin, settled in Bohemia; her father was Jan Jesensky, professor of Prague University. Milena studied at Prague Girl Grammar School Minerva (absolved 1915}. Between 1918-1925, she was married with Ernst Pollak and lived in Vienna. In early 1920s, her love-affair with Praguewriter Franz Kafka started. This intellectual friendship lasted few years and was very important for both of them. In its time, 1920-23, Milena became journalist - Vienna contributor of Tribuna (daily newspaper in Prague and between 1923-26 Narodni Listy in Prague, and then magazines Pestry tyden and Lidove noviny . Between 1938Events January -June January 3 The March of Dimes is established by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. January 11 Frances Moulton is the first woman to become president of a US national bank. January 20 Wedding of king Farouk I of Egypt and Farida Zulficar in Cai- 1939Events January-June January 2 End of term for Frank Finley Merriam, 28th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Culbert Levy Olson. January 24 Earthquake kills 30. 000 in Chile about 50. 000 sq mi razed January 26 Falangists take Barcelona January 26 she was editor of famous political and cultural magazine Pritomnost published in Prague by Ferdinand PeroutkaFerdinand Peroutka ( 1895- 1978) was a Czech journalist and writer. Peroutka was born to a Czech-German family in Prague in 1895. In 1913 he began his career as a journalist. After the WWI he became a editor-in-chief of a new newspaper Tribuna ("Tribune"). After occupation of Czechoslovakia by Hitler's armies, Milena joined secret military resistance organisation. In 1939 was arrested by Gestapo for it. Next year, she was deportated in concentration camp Ravensbrueck, Germany, where she died in 1944.

Books: Cesta k jednoduchosti, 1926; Clovek dela saty 1927 etc.

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See also Jesensky family article.