Frantisek Palacky - the Czech historian and politican, who was called "The Father of the Nation" is merited with contributions to Czech history, modern Czech culture, the development of the national movement and for his more than forty years of public service, was born on June 16th, 1798 in Hodslavice in Valassko. He was interested in Czech history, especially in the Hussite era, which he considered to be a time when national, democratic and social ideals were realized. In 1827 hewas asked to finish The History of Bohemia which he wrote initially in German. "The History of the Czech Nation in Bohemia and Moravia" began publication 1836, first in German, and from 1848 in Czech. It was literally his life's work as it was only completed in 1876, the year of his death. For a long time he supported Austro-Slavism, the idea that the Slav nations should be autonomous units under the Austrian monarchy. He gradully gave up this idea after the revival of absolutism. In 1867 he ended his political activities and continued only with his scientific studies.
