Václav Matěj Kramerius

Who was Václav Matěj Kramerius?

Václav Matěj Kramerius was a Czech publisher, journalist and writer, one of the most important early figures of the Czech National Revival.

Kramerius went to the Jesuit high school in Klatovy and then studied philosophy and law in Prague. During his studies he earned money by cataloguing the library of a nobleman, which gave him access to old Czech books. Since 1789 he worked as a journalist in the only Czech language weekly and in 1789 he started a newspaper of his own. As a result of its commercial success, he bought a printing shop and established a publishing house in 1795. Most Czech language books of his time were published there. Kramerius himself wrote about 80 books of varying quality.

His son Václav Rodomil Kramerius continued the work of his father.