History of Milan Kundera in Timeline
Milan Kundera was a Czech-born novelist who lived most of his adult life in France. Born in Czechoslovakia, Kundera became a French citizen in 1981 after going into exile in France in 1975. He acquired French citizenship after having his Czechoslovak citizenship revoked in 1979. However, in 2019, he was granted Czech citizenship again. Kundera is best known for his novels, which often explore themes of love, identity, and exile. Some of his most famous works include *The Unbearable Lightness of Being*, *The Joke*, and *Immortality*. Kundera's works have been translated into many languages, cementing his status as a major figure in 20th and 21st-century literature.
April 1929: Birth of Milan Kundera
Milan Kundera was born in April 1929 in Brno, Czechoslovakia.
1929: Birth and Family Background
Kundera was born in 1929 into a middle-class family in Brno, Czechoslovakia. His father was a musicologist and pianist, and his mother was an educator.
1945: Translation of Vladimir Majakovsky's Works
In 1945, Kundera's translation of some of Vladimir Majakovsky's works was published in the journal Gong.
1947: Joining the Communist Party
Kundera joined the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia in 1947 at the age of eighteen.
1948: Father's Appointment at Janáček Music Academy
In 1948, Kundera's father became the head of the Janáček Music Academy in Brno.
1950: Expulsion from the Communist Party
Kundera was expelled from the Communist Party in 1950.
1950: Context of the Alleged Denunciation
The alleged denunciation of Dvořáček occurred in 1950, during a period of political tension and surveillance in Czechoslovakia. This context added complexity to the controversy.
1950: Alleged Denunciation of Miroslav Dvořáček
The alleged denunciation of Miroslav Dvořáček by Kundera to the StB, or Czechoslovak secret police, reportedly took place in 1950, based on a police report discovered by the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes.
1952: Lecturer in World Literature
Kundera was appointed as a lecturer in world literature at the Film Faculty in 1952.
1953: Publication of "Man: A Wide Garden"
Kundera published "Man: A Wide Garden" in 1953.
1955: Publication of "The Last May"
Kundera published the epic poem "The Last May" in 1955.
1956: Marriage to Olga Haasová-Smrčková
Kundera married singer Olga Haasová-Smrčková, daughter of composer Pavel Haas, in 1956.
1956: Marriage to Olga Haas
Kundera married the operetta singer Olga Haas in 1956.
1956: Readmission to the Communist Party
Kundera was readmitted to the Communist Party in 1956.
1957: Publication of "Monologue"
Kundera published the collection of lyrical poetry "Monologue" in 1957.
1961: End of Father's Tenure at Janáček Music Academy
Ludvík Kundera's time as head of the Janáček Music Academy ended in 1961.
1962: The Owners of the Keys
Kundera wrote the play "The Owners of the Keys" in 1962, which achieved international success.
1962: Publication of "Luck Rained on Them"
Jan Trefulka's novella "Pršelo jim štěstí" (Luck Rained on Them), which described Kundera's expulsion from the Communist party, was published in 1962.
June 1967: Speech at the Fourth Congress of the Czech Writers Union
In June 1967, Kundera delivered a speech at the Fourth Congress of the Czech Writers Union about Czech cultural independence.
1967: Marriage to Věra Hrabánková
Kundera married Věra Hrabánková in 1967. She played a significant role as his secretary, translator, and gatekeeper.
1967: Publication of "The Joke"
Kundera's first novel, "The Joke," satirizing the totalitarianism of the Communist era, was published in 1967.
August 1968: Banning of "The Joke"
Following the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia in August 1968, "The Joke" was banned.
August 1968: Warsaw Pact Invasion and its Aftermath
Following the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968, Kundera's books were banned. He argued for calm and continued to advocate for reforming Czechoslovak Communism.
1968: Job Loss at Film Faculty
After the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, Kundera lost his job at the Film Faculty.
1970: Second Expulsion from the Communist Party
Kundera was expelled from the Communist Party for a second time in 1970.
1971: Death of Ludvík Kundera
Kundera's father, Ludvík Kundera, passed away in 1971.
1973: Prix Médicis for Life Is Elsewhere
Kundera received the French Prix Médicis for his novel Life Is Elsewhere in 1973.
1973: Publication of "Life Is Elsewhere" in French
Kundera's second novel, "Life Is Elsewhere," was published in French as "La vie est ailleurs" in 1973.
1975: Kundera's Exile to France
In 1975, Kundera went into exile in France.
1975: Move to France
Kundera moved to France in 1975.
1975: Move to France
Kundera moved to France in 1975.
1975: Death of Milada Kunderová
Kundera's mother, Milada Kunderová, died in 1975.
1979: Revocation of Czechoslovak Citizenship
Kundera's Czechoslovak citizenship was revoked in 1979.
1979: Czechoslovak Citizenship Revoked
Kundera's Czechoslovak citizenship was revoked in 1979.
1979: Stripped of Czechoslovak Citizenship
Kundera was stripped of his Czechoslovak citizenship in 1979.
1979: Mondello Prize for The Farewell Party
Kundera was awarded the Mondello Prize for his novel The Farewell Party in 1979.
1979: Publication of "The Book of Laughter and Forgetting"
"The Book of Laughter and Forgetting" was published in 1979, exploring how Czechs opposed the Communist regime.
1979: Publication of "Life Is Elsewhere" in Czech and Award
"Life Is Elsewhere" was published in Czech as "Život je jinde" in 1979. Kundera was awarded the Prix Médicis for the novel in the same year.
1981: French Citizenship Granted
Kundera acquired French citizenship in 1981.
1981: French Citizenship
Kundera became a French citizen in 1981.
1984: Kundera's Reflection on Communism
In 1984, Kundera reflected on his past captivation with communism.
1984: Publication of The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Milan Kundera's most famous novel, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, was published in 1984. It explores themes of love, betrayal, and the philosophical concept of eternal return.
1985: Transition to Writing in French
Starting in 1985, Kundera transitioned from writing in Czech to writing in French.
1985: Jerusalem Prize Awarded
Kundera received the Jerusalem Prize in 1985.
1985: Unofficial Czech Translation of The Unbearable Lightness of Being
In 1985, a Czech expatriate in Canada translated The Unbearable Lightness of Being into Czech, making it available to Czech readers before the official translation.
1985: Jerusalem Prize
In 1985, Kundera was awarded the Jerusalem Prize for the Freedom of the Individual in Society.
1987: Revision of French Translations
Between 1985 and 1987, Kundera revised the French translations of his earlier works.
1987: Austrian State Prize for European Literature
Kundera received The Austrian State Prize for European Literature in 1987, recognizing his literary contributions.
1987: Austrian State Prize for European Literature Awarded
Kundera was awarded the Austrian State Prize for European Literature in 1987.
1988: Film Adaptation of The Unbearable Lightness of Being
In 1988, a film adaptation of The Unbearable Lightness of Being, directed by Philip Kaufman, was released. Kundera expressed his disapproval of the film.
1989: Velvet Revolution and Kundera's Books
Before the Velvet Revolution of 1989, Kundera's books were banned by the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.
1995: Publication of "Slowness"
Kundera's first work written in French, "Slowness," was published in 1995.
2000: Publication of Ignorance
Milan Kundera's novel Ignorance, exploring themes of nostalgia, memory, and the immigrant experience, was published in 2000.
2000: International Herder Prize
Kundera received the International Herder Prize in 2000.
2000: Herder Prize Awarded
Kundera received the Herder Prize in 2000.
2002: English Translation of Ignorance
Linda Asher translated Ignorance from French to English in 2002, making it accessible to a wider audience.
2006: Official Czech Translation of The Unbearable Lightness of Being
An official Czech translation of The Unbearable Lightness of Being was finally published in 2006, after years of delay due to Kundera's concerns about potential editorial interference.
2007: Czech State Literature Prize
Kundera was awarded the Czech State Literature Prize in 2007.
October 2008: Response to Allegations and Archive Announcement
In October 2008, Kundera denied the allegations of informing on Dvořáček. The Czech Security Forces Archive confirmed the authenticity of the police report but could not definitively conclude Kundera's involvement.
October 2008: Allegations of Informing on Miroslav Dvořáček
In October 2008, the Czech weekly Respekt published an article alleging that Kundera had informed on a returned defector, Miroslav Dvořáček, to the Czechoslovak secret police in 1950.
November 2008: Writers Defend Kundera
In November 2008, eleven internationally acclaimed writers, including four Nobel laureates, publicly defended Kundera against the accusations of informing.
2009: Prix mondial Cino Del Duca
Kundera received the Prix mondial Cino Del Duca in 2009.
2010: Honorary Citizen of Brno
Milan Kundera was made an honorary citizen of his hometown, Brno, in 2010.
2011: Ovid Prize
Kundera was awarded the Ovid Prize in 2011.
2014: Publication of The Festival of Insignificance
Kundera published his final novel, The Festival of Insignificance, in 2014. The book received largely negative reviews and was criticized for its superficiality.
2019: Czech Citizenship Granted
Kundera was granted Czech citizenship in 2019.
2019: Czech Citizenship Restored
Kundera's Czech citizenship was restored in 2019.
2020: Franz Kafka Prize
Kundera received the Franz Kafka Prize, a Czech literary award, in 2020.
2021: Golden Order of Merit Awarded
Kundera received the Golden Order of Merit from the president of Slovenia in 2021.
July 2023: Death of Milan Kundera
Milan Kundera passed away in July 2023.
July 2023: Death of Milan Kundera
Milan Kundera passed away in Paris in July 2023 at the age of 94 after a prolonged illness. He was cremated on July 19, 2023.