TOMÁŠ GARRIGUE MASARYK (1850–1937)
Life
Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk was born on 7 March 1850 in Hodonín. He studied at grammar schools in Brno and Vienna and later studied philosophy at the University of Vienna.
In 1881 he completed his habilitation and became a lecturer in philosophy. After the division of Prague University in 1882 he was appointed associate professor at the Czech University in Prague and in 1897 he became a full professor at Charles University.
Political career
Masaryk became politically active during the period of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. He served as a member of the Imperial Council in Vienna between 1891–1893 and again between 1907–1914.
In 1900 he helped establish the Czech People's Party, which from 1905 was known as the Czech Progressive Party.
During the First World War Masaryk went into exile and became the leading figure of the Czechoslovak resistance abroad. Together with Edvard Beneš and Milan Rastislav Štefánik he worked diplomatically to secure the creation of an independent Czechoslovak state.
President of Czechoslovakia
After the creation of Czechoslovakia in 1918 Masaryk became the country’s first president. He was re-elected in 1920, 1927 and 1934.
Due to health problems he resigned from office on 14 December 1935.
Masaryk in Jáchymov
Masaryk visited Jáchymov seven times. His visits were connected mainly with spa treatment in the local radium spa.
On 7 March 1930 he celebrated his eightieth birthday in the Radium Palace.
Death
Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk died on 14 September 1937 in Lány.
