Kybal (Vlastimil) papers, 1913-1968

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Summary

Title:
Vlastimil Kybal papers
Dates:
1913-1968
Creators:
Kybal, Vlastimil, 1880-1958
Abstract:
Memoirs, other writings, lectures, notes, correspondence, and printed matter, relating to the history of Czechoslovakia; political, social, and economic conditions in Czechoslovakia, especially during World War II; and political, social, and economic conditions in Latin America.
Extent:
29 manuscript boxes (12.0 Linear Feet)
Language:
In Czech, English and Spanish
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Vlastimil Kybal Papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Background

Scope and content:

The Vlastimil Kybal papers were donated to the Hoover Institution Library & Archives by his son, Dalimil Kybal, in 1982, and consist mostly of his speeches and writings.

As a historian, Kybal devoted great attention to Czech history, namely to the analyses of the ideological roots of the Hussite movement, and, in particular, to the personality of Jan Hus himself. In Kybal's writings (see "John Hus," "Husitske dedictvi: Jan Hus a jeho vyznam pro dnesni zapas"), Hus and his conviction that "Truth conquers all!" served as an inspiration and a symbol of courage in the fight of the Czech and Slovak nation against Nazism. Of great importance are, also Kybal's writings on a Moravian educational reformer, Jan Amos Komensky (see "Komensky a nas zapas," "Komensky jako politik"), and his monograph, Karel Havlicek a nase svoboda.

Also of special note in the speeches and writings file is Kybal's monograph, Saint Francis of Assisi, whose spiritual and social message still attracts devotion of many Christians. The book was awarded the Prize of the City of Prague. The English edition was prepared on the basis of a literal translation from the Czech original, and was published in 1954.

As a diplomat, Kybal contributed a great deal, through his numerous speeches and lectures, to the strengthening of cultural and political relations and deeper mutual understanding between Czechoslovakia and Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and other Latin American countries (see, in the speeches and writings file, "Cultural Relations between Czechoslovakia and the Spanish and Portuguese Speaking Countries," Jizni Amerika: Prehled hospodarsky, obchodni a politicky, "The Changing Social Structure of the Latin-American Countries," "South America's Place in World Economy," "La aportacion cultural y cientifico de los paises checoslovacos a la civilizacion de America," "Checoslovaquia y Mexico"). There are, however, no documents related to Kybal's various ambassadorships.

Also of great importance are Kybal's memoirs (see "Diplomaticke pameti Vlastimila Kybala," and his writings about political, social and economic conditions in Czechoslovakia, before and during World War II (see, in the speeches and writings file, La republica checoslovaca y su formacion como estado democratico, La republica checoslovaca, su formacion politica y administrativa, su potencia economica, "Checoslovaquia: Su opresion y su resurreccion," "K otazce uznani Ceskoslovenska").

In 1939, shortly before the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, Kybal was retired by Hacha's government from the diplomatic service in Mexico, and he moved to Pasadena, California. He took an active part in the liberation movement of his country, delivering a number of lectures and addresses at many California universities, drawing attention of the American public to the grave situation of the German-occupied Czechoslovak nation (see, in the speeches and writings file, "The Moral Forces of the Czech People: A Tentative Survey of Czech History," "The Collapse of the Czechoslovak Republic through the Foreign Intervention," "The Munich Agreement and Its Diplomatic Background," "The Czechoslovak Republic and Its Formation as a Democracy," "El desmembramiento de Checoslovaquia," "The Central European Problem," "The New Economic Order in Central Europe," "Checoslovaquia: Su opresion y su resurreccion").

Along with his son, Milic, he participated in the activities of various organizations designed to promote better knowledge of Slavic countries and their cooperation with the United States during the war, particularly through the Slavic Radio Program, put on by the Slavic Cultural Association, for which he was a regular speaker.

Biographical / historical:
Date Event
1880 May 30
Born, Cernochov u Loun, Czechoslovakia
1899
After graduation from the Gymnasium at Slany, studied history and philosophy at Charles University under the direction of J. Goll, J. Pekar, T. G. Masaryk
1904
Earned a Ph.D. degree in history and philosophy from the Charles University in Prague
1906
Studied in France at the Sorbonne, College de France, Ecole des Hautes Etudes, Ecole de Sciences Politiques, and at the university in Bonn, Germany
1920-1925
Czechoslovak ambassador to Italy
1925-1927
Czechoslovak ambassador to Brazil and Argentina
1927-1933
Czechoslovak ambassador to Spain and Portugal
1935-1939
Czechoslovak ambassador to Mexico and the Central American states
1939-1942
Lectured on Czechoslovakia at the University of California, Berkeley, the Pacific College, Stockton, and at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles
Associate at round-table sessions of the Institute of World Affairs, Riverside, California
1944-1948
Contributed significantly to the creation of the Czechoslovak collection of books, serials, and writings at the Library of Congress
Lectured at American universities, in particular Columbia University in New York
Research Fellow in History at Yale University
1948
Remained in exile in the United States after the February Coup d'etat
1948 October 29
Appointed Consultant on Czechoslovakian Publications for the Yale University Library
1958 January 2
Died, Washington, D.C.
Acquisition information:
Acquired.
Physical location:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Blanka Pasternak
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-02-02 15:54:35.238785

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Terms of access:

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Vlastimil Kybal Papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Location of this collection:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003, US
Contact:
(650) 723-3563
hooverarchives@stanford.edu
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