BohumilaGrögerová
Biography
Bohumila Grögerová (1921- 2014) was a prominent Czech poet, translator, and experimental author known for significantly shaping 20th-century Czech literature. Born in Prague, she attended the Charlotta Garrigue Masaryk Girls' Real Gymnasium, graduating in 1940, and briefly studied Czech and Russian at Charles University before leaving to pursue her literary career. A defining aspect of Grögerová's literary life was her longstanding partnership with fellow poet Josef Hiršal. Together, they created experimental poetry, radio dramas, and children's literature. Their notable joint works include the experimental poem collection JOB-BOJ (1968) and Let let – pokus o rekospitulaci (1993–1994). Grögerová and Hiršal also collaborated on translations, introducing Czech readers to influential German and French writers such as Christian Morgenstern, Max Bense, and Friederike Mayröcker. Independently, Grögerová authored various innovative literary works, including Meandry (1996), an experimental prose collection, and reflective memoir-style texts like Branka z pantů (1998) and Čas mezi tehdy a teď (2004). Her poetry collection Rukopis (2008) earned critical acclaim, receiving the prestigious Magnesia Litera Prize for Poetry and being named Book of the Year in 2009. In addition to writing and translation, Grögerová played a crucial role in introducing and developing concrete and experimental poetry within Czechoslovakia. Throughout the 1960s, she and Hiršal connected with international figures in the concrete poetry movement, such as Max Bense and Eugen Gomringer. By translating key theoretical texts and organizing events, they significantly contributed to the Czech avant-garde literary scene. Grögerová passed away in Prague in 2014, leaving an enduring legacy in Czech literature, particularly in experimental and concrete poetry.
