Eliška Řeháková (20 January 1846 – 31 March 1916) was a

Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus *Czech (surnam ...

teacher, translator, journalist and suffragist. She was awarded the Civil Merit Cross of Austria-Hungary.

Family and early life

Řeháková was born on 20 January 1846 in

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

, and was one of seven siblings, including her sister

Anna Řeháková Anna Řeháková (16 July 1850 – 27 May 1937) was a Czech teacher, translator, travel writer and novelist. Family Řeháková was born in 1850 in Žitnobranská Street, Prague and was one of seven siblings, including her sister Eliška Ře ...

, who also became a teacher. Her parents were Václav Řehak, the owner of a grocer's shop, and Maria Řehaková-Zelenská, from

Kutná Hora Kutná Hora (; ) is a town in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 22,000 inhabitants. The history of Kutná Hora is linked to silver mining, which made it a rich and rapidly developing town. The centre of Kutná Hora, i ...

. In her youth, Řeháková was a member of the Society of Czech Girls, co-founded by Bohuslava Rajská, F. Amerlingová and

Božena Němcová Božena Němcová () (4 February 1820 in Vienna – 21 January 1862 in Prague) was a Czech writer of the final phase of the ''Czech National Revival'' movement. Her image is featured on the 500 CZK denomination of the Česká koruna. Biography ...

Career

Řeháková worked as a teacher. From 1867 to 1870, she tutored of the daughters of František Štekl, a

notary A notary is a person authorised to perform acts in legal affairs, in particular witnessing signatures on documents. The form that the notarial profession takes varies with local legal systems. A notary, while a legal professional, is distin ...

Pelhřimov Pelhřimov () is a town in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 16,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech Republic)#Monument reservations, urban monument reser ...

, before being appointed a temporary sub-teacher at the newly established girls' primary school in

Čáslav Čáslav (; ) is a town in Kutná Hora District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 11,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monument zone. Administrative division ...

. In 1873, Řeháková returned to Prague to teach at an elementary school, then was employed to teach grammar and history at the newly established Old Town Burgher School for Girls, the first burgher girls' school in Prague. She later became an executive of the first girls' grammar school in the

Habsburg Empire The Habsburg monarchy, also known as Habsburg Empire, or Habsburg Realm (), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities (composite monarchy) that were ruled by the House of Habsburg. From the 18th century it is ...

. Řeháková's sister Anna was also a teacher and they often shared lodgings together and travelled abroad with each other. They both became members of the Association of Czech Female Teachers and the American Club of Czech Ladies. Řeháková translated texts from

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

and

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

. She was awarded the Civil Merit Cross of Austria-Hungary.

Death

Řeháková died on 31 March 1916 in Prague. She was buried at the

Olšany Cemetery Olšany Cemeteries (, ) is the largest graveyard in Prague, Czech Republic, once laid out for as many as two million burials. The graveyard is particularly noted for its many remarkable Art Nouveau monuments. History The Olšany Cemeteries w ...

in Prague and when her sister Anna died in 1937, she was interred with Eliška.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rehakova, Eliska 1846 births 1916 deaths Czech women educators Czech women journalists Czech translators Journalists from Prague Educators from the Austrian Empire Czech people from the Austrian Empire 19th-century women educators 19th-century translators