1998 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Study of the Cultural History of Prague
| Project/Area Number |
08610518
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
その他の外国語・外国文学
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| Research Institution | KOBE UNIVERSITY (1997-1998)
Hiroshima University (1996) |
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Principal Investigator |
ISHIKAWA Tatsuo Kobe University Faculty of Cross-Cultural Studies Associate Professor, 国際文化学部, 助教授 (00212845)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1996 – 1998
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| Keywords | Prague / Czech / Golem / Kafko |
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| Research Abstract |
First, when I was researching the circumstances of Prague's formation, it became clear that Prague was the city which had the unique status in Europe. There are various opinions about the etymology of "Prague", but according to the very authentic opinion, "Prague" derives from the word "prahy" (the shoal). Prague, which is situated at the center of Europe, is the town that was formed in the spot where intersect the roads which link the north, the south, the east and the west of Europe on the shoal of the Moldau river on the Elbe river branch. And Prague has been a cross route in Europe from the Middle Ages. However, according to the very famous legend, "Prague" derives from "prah" (the threshold). This was the legend that concerns Libuse, the first empress of Bohemia, who was said to have founded Prague, and this famous legend, changing in the times, produced various Czech and German art works. In this way, by a series of studies about the various proper nouns of Prague, I could reveal very interesting facts in the cultural history of Prague.
From the first period of the formation of Prague, Prague was not merely a city of the Czech people, but also a city of the German and Jewish peoples. By tracing the cultural history of Prague, I could make clear its multi-cultural character. As Oscar Kokoschka, Austrian painter and dramatist who had the Czech patronymic and immigrated to Prague in the 193 Os, said, Prague has become "a cosmopolitan center that Europe arrived at last".
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Research Products
(6 results)
