Maybe you’ve seen movie Closely watched trains (1967 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film), based on Bohumil Hrabal‘s novel. Or maybe you’ve actually read some of his works: I Served the King of England, Too Loud a Solitude, Cutting It Short, The Little Town Where Time Stood Still.
Bohumil Hrabal (1914-1997) was among the most popular Czech writers of the 20th century. Few people know that he was born in Brno, in quarter Židenice, near a nice local cemetery:
47 Balbínova st.
Small memorial at the top of Balbínova st.
He and his family left Brno just few months after he was born, however he kept returning back. One of his short stories, The Death of Mr Baltisberger takes place in quarter Kohoutovice, at the old Brno racing circuit.
Just like in the case of Milan Kundera’s birthplace, there is no museum at Balbínova st., as the house is owned by some family. There is just a small memorial at the top of the street, next to the cemetery.
Map
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