Baum Oskar

Collection description

Scope and content:: The fonds contains private correspondence, manuscripts of literary works (novellas and novels) and radio plays and exercise books in Braille (unpublished drafts of works, a book of poetry, etc.). It also includes correspondence from Oskar Baum's widow Markéta and condolence messages on his death.

Archival history:: The documents came to the archives of the Jewish Museum in Prague during the Second World War as part of shipments of material from Jewish religious communities that had been disbanded. Baum's exercise books written in Braille (about two boxes of material) were donated to the Jewish Museum in 2014.

Administrative/biographical history:: Oskar Baum was born in Pilsen on 21 January 1883. In childhood he lost sight in one eye and later became totally blind. He attended the Hohe Warte Jewish Institute for the Blind in Vienna, where he also took music lessons. After returning to Prague he earned his living as a music teacher, an organist in a synagogue and a music critic for the Prager Presse newspaper. He soon became a member of the so-called Prague Circle and regularly met with such literary figures as Franz Kafka, Max Brod and Felix Weltsch. He wrote exclusively in German. He died in Prague on 1 March 1941 and is buried in the Jewish cemetery in Prague-Strašnice. His wife, Markéta Baumová, was born on 17 March 1888.

Subject terms:: Correspondence; Literature; Literature--Novels, poetry, and plays; Literature--Writers, poets, and playwrights; Music; Music--Musicians; Personal records; Radio and television

Finding aids:: Hanková Monika: Oskar Baum (1883-1941), Inventář, 2014, 7 s., AP č. 229