Milan Kundera, the acclaimed author known for his dissident writings that tackled totalitarianism and explored identity and the human condition, has passed away in Paris at the age of 94. Kundera, who held French and Czech nationality, lived in Paris for many years. The news of his death was confirmed by his long-standing publisher, Gallimard. The European Parliament observed a moment of silence in his honor.
Kundera’s novels, though known worldwide and translated into numerous languages, were accompanied by his aversion to publicity and refusal to give interviews. In his 1986 essay, “The Art of the Novel,” he expressed his dream of a world where writers would be legally obligated to maintain their anonymity and use pseudonyms.
One of Kundera’s most famous works, “The Unbearable Lightness of Being,” begins with the harrowing depiction of Soviet tanks invading Prague. The novel, which intertwines themes of love, exile, politics, and personal experiences, garnered critical acclaim and established Kundera as a widely-read author among Westerners who embraced his anti-Soviet subversion and the eroticism present in his writings.
New identity
After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, which marked the fall of the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia and the birth of the Czech Republic, Kundera established a new life and identity in his apartment on Paris’ Left Bank. He remained reclusive and rarely returned to his home country, even after the Iron Curtain was lifted. Eventually, his works were translated into Czech, including “The Unbearable Lightness of Being,” which was published in the Czech Republic in 2006, 17 years after the Velvet Revolution.
Kundera’s writings faced censorship in Czechoslovakia following the Soviet invasion of Prague in 1968, and he lost his job as a professor of cinema. Despite his international acclaim, Kundera never received the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Future of literature
In 2011, Kundera insisted on the traditional publication of his complete works, refusing any annotations or digital copies. However, his books are now available in digital formats, including a Kindle version of “The Unbearable Lightness of Being.” In a speech in 2012, Kundera expressed his concern for the future of literature, emphasizing his preference for printed books over screens.
In 2021, Kundera donated his private library and archive to the public library in Brno, his hometown. The Moravian Library now holds an extensive collection of his works, including editions in Czech and other languages, articles, reviews, authorized photographs, and drawings by the author.
—AP
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