Josef Jungmann Statue

Lost in thought, a young boy traced the inscription on the base of the Josef Jungmann Statue. He wondered about the man immortalized in bronze. Here in Prague, on Jungmann Square, or Jungmannovo náměstí, stands a testament to a champion of Czech language and literature, Josef Jungmann. The statue, unveiled in 1878, depicts Jungmann, a figure pivotal to the Czech National Revival. He wasn’t just a poet; he was a linguist who breathed new life into the Czech language. Born in 1773 near Beroun, Jungmann’s childhood home resonated with both German and Czech. This bilingual upbringing shaped his destiny. Unlike his teacher, Josef Dobrovský, Jungmann championed Czech as a literary language. His translation of Chateaubriand’s Atala in 1805 was a bold declaration. It proved Czech could handle complex artistic expression. He further solidified this by translating works by literary giants like Goethe, Schiller, and Milton. His rendition of Paradise Lost is considered a cornerstone of modern literary Czech. Jungmann’s five-volume Czech-German dictionary, published between 1834 and 1839, is perhaps his greatest legacy. He didn’t just compile existing words; he resurrected archaic terms, borrowed from other Slavic languages, and even coined new ones. He gave Czech the depth and breadth it needed to flourish. The statue, sculpted by Ludvík Šimek, stands as a tribute to this linguistic innovator. The granite base, designed by Antonín Viktor Barvitius, bears witness to his enduring impact. As you stand before the Josef Jungmann Statue, remember, you are standing in a place where language itself was reborn.