''Eleonora Šomková'' (in Mácha's ''Diary'' as well as in literary books referred to as ''Lori'', 1817 – 1891) was the fiancée of

Karel Hynek Mácha Karel Hynek Mácha () (16 November 1810 – 5 November 1836) was a Czech romantic poet. Biography Mácha grew up in Prague, the son of a foreman at a mill. He learned Latin and German in school. He went on to study law at Prague University; du ...

. The poet died two days before their intended wedding. Intimate details of their relationship were revealed by deciphering Mácha's '' Diary of 1835''.

Life

Eleonora Šomkova was born in Prague as a sixth child to a family of a bookbinder who produced boxes for cartridges.Pavel Vašák: Šifrovaný deník Karla Hynka Máchy, Prague 2007, , pp.137–139 She met Karel Hynek Mácha as an actor in

Václav Kliment Klicpera Václav Kliment Klicpera (23 November 1792 – 15 September 1859) was a Czech playwright, writer, and poet. He was one of the first presenters of Czech drama, and was especially influential in the foundation of comedic Czech theatre. Klicpe ...

's drama ''Kytka'' in 1833. After the rehearsal in a private Czech theatre in the

Old Town In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...

she, Mácha, and Tyl with his fiancée went to café ''U Suchých'' in

Celetná Celetná (german: Zeltnergasse) is a street in the Old Town (Prague), Old Town, Prague, connecting the Old Town Square with the Powder Gate. It is one of the oldest streets in Prague and is part of the Royal Route. The street is approximately 400 m ...

. Mácha and ''Lori'' started a love affair. Mácha helped her father in his workshop and made love to his lover very often, and according to his ''Diary'' he was very possessive and selfish in the act. She got pregnant and in October 1836 gave birth to Ludvík (who died nine months later). Mácha found a new job in

Litoměřice Litoměřice (; german: Leitmeritz) is a town in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 23,000 inhabitants. The town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument reservation. The town is the seat ...

and was preparing a house there. He died unexpectedly on 6 November 1836 just shor of his 26th birthday. His funeral took place on the day of their intended wedding. In the following years Eleonora stayed in Prague and when her father died in 1848 she started a yarn workshop. She married a police officer called Sieh in 1849 and they moved to

Lwów Lviv ( uk, Львів) is the largest city in western Ukraine, and the seventh-largest in Ukraine, with a population of . It serves as the administrative centre of Lviv Oblast and Lviv Raion, and is one of the main cultural centres of Ukraine ...

together. They had no children. After his death she moved back to Prague where she died and was buried in Vinohrady cemetery.

Mácha's Secret diary

'' Diary of 1835'' reveals Mácha's possessiveness and jealousy in his relationship with Eleonora. It describes sexual acts in details.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Somkova, Eleonora 1817 births 1891 deaths 19th-century Czech people 19th-century Czech women