RE: O Masarykovi s Havlem
(Edited)
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Havel maybe, but ask average person from the US or Western Europe (not talking about the rest of the world) who was Masaryk. I would be very much surprised if they knew him (although obviously they should). On the other hand Mikloš Forman and Milan Kundera certainly ring a bell to many people, not to mention Martina Navratilova, but that's completely different thing.
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Exactly...
I was actually quite surprised of how many people from outside Europe know Masaryk - he's perceived as a personification of self-determination. A leader who liberated his nation(s) and succeeded in establishing a free, independent democratic country - and Czechoslovakia was such until WWII.
Besides, I noted he's recognized as one of the first feminists. Putting aside he used his wife's surname, his claims on women's rights were quite bold and radical for the time. His stance brings him back to the spotlight nowadays.
I am sure more people would find Forman and Kundera familiar, yet many would fail guessing their nationality - Forman's best-known movies were shot in Hollywood and in English, while Kundera wrote his later works in French, and was reluctant to have them translated to Czech. One of them hasn’t even been translated yet.
Thanks for the insightful comment!