Hašek’s manuscripts of The Good Soldier Švejk discovered in Prague archive

Literary scholars have uncovered a substantial portion of the original manuscripts of Jaroslav Hašek’s famous satirical novel The Good Soldier Švejk in the archives of the Museum of Czech Literature. The texts, written or dictated by Hašek until his death in 1923, were found while processing the estate of his publisher, Karel Synek. Museum director Michal Stehlík announced the discovery on the social network X. After restoration and digitization, the manuscripts will be made accessible to researchers.

The Good Soldier Švejk is considered one of the most striking satirical portrayals of life on the battlefields of the First World War. The novel, centered on the good-natured soldier Josef Švejk, ranks among the most translated and widely read works of Czech literature.