Eduard Štorch

Who was Eduard Štorch?

Eduard Štorch was a Czech pedagogue, archaeologist and writer, known for novels set in prehistoric Bohemia during Stone and Bronze Age.

Štorch was born in Ostroměř, a village near town Hořice. He studied at the gymnasium and the pedagogic institute in Hradec Králové. Štorch worked as a teacher in several location in northern and eastern Bohemia and since 1903 in Prague, during 1919 - 1921 as a school inspector in Bratislava and then, until his retirement in 1938, again as a teacher in Prague.

Among Štorch's activities were archeology, ethnography, biology, journalism and reform of education system. In 1935, together with Karel Čondl, Štorch wrote a three volumes textbook of history for secondary schools. The textbook was attacked by catholic church because it documented attempts of the church to obtain political power throughout the history.

Štorch published several scholar works, many novels for the youth and countless number of articles in journals and newspapers. The novels were based on and limited by scientific knowledge of the time. His most famous novel is "Mammoth Hunters" set 30,000 - 20,000 years ago among people of Gravettian culture. Several of the books were illustrated by Zdeněk Burian. Three novels were filmed: Osada havranů, Na veliké řece, Volání rodu, all directed by Jan Schmidt.