A Unique Dive into Comeniology in the Czech Republic

Here is what John Exalto told us at the end of his RESILENCE Transnational Access (TNA) research stay at the J.A. Comenius Museum in Uherský Brod (Czech Republic):

“It was incredibly fruitful to have a continuous period of time to work in the beautiful library in Uherský Brod. The extensive collection reflects the development of the field of Comeniology and helps today’s researchers navigate it, select their own themes, and develop their own focus.

The Value of Physical Access

Working in a physical library is also crucial for gaining new insights, returning to primary and secondary sources, and applying the snowball method in practice as each find leads to more and more discoveries. No advanced digital system can compete with that!

The themes I studied, the chiliastic, utopian, and educational ideas of the 17th century Czech scholar Jan Amos Comenius (1592–1670), could not have been studied in such depth back home, as Uherský Brod is one of the few unique places with such a rich Comeniological library.

Unique Research Opportunities

I was extremely well supported by the library staff and the Comeniological experts working at the museum. An additional highlight was the tour they gave me through the local area of Moravia, the enriching conversations we had, and the opportunities for further collaboration we explored.”

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Many thanks for the report, John Exalto. We wish you all the best for your further research!

Find out more about Transnational Access at the J.A. Comenius Museum here.

Visuals: John Exalto studying in the library in the old prints collection. 

Below (from left to right): Comenius experts Petr Zemek (deputy director), Lenka Pospíšilová (curator), Miroslav Vaškových (director of the museum) and John Exalto beneath the statue of John Amos Comenius.