History seminar series

Seminar series abstracts

Half-forgotten globetrotter Bohumil Pospisil

Dr Martin Nekola, PhD in Public and Social Policy, Charles University, Prague

Half-forgotten Czech globetrotter and adventurer Bohumil Pospisil (1902-1974) visited dozens of countries during his five-year expedition in the late 1920s, and his unbelievable adventures resembled a fascinating novel. He covered over 160,000 kilometers in total, his notes and observations filled dozens of notebooks. During the world trip, he also took thousands of photographs, depicting natural beauty, cultural monuments, traditions, ceremonies, celebrations, conflicts, and everyday life. Pospisil´s last stop was New Zealand where he spent almost a year and married Elizabeth Shannon, born in Dunedin. The couple returned to Prague in the summer of 1931, where Pospisil made a living as a freelance journalist, but three years later, he moved to New Zealand and never returned to Czechoslovakia. In 1936, he also published a well-received book "Wandering on the Islands of Wonders" about his new home. He passed away in Auckland in the age of 72. Pospisil´s personal archive was donated by his descendants to Dr. Martin Nekola, well-known Prague based historian doing research on the Czech communities abroad for many years. Based on the precious material, Dr. Nekola set out on a mission to get this man back into public consciousness. The lecture, complemented by a display of unique photographs, will introduce the audience to Pospíšil's extraordinary life and travels.

Date: 18 March
Venue: Burns 5