Abstract
The objective of this stdy is to present the Czech émigré Václav Klejch (1682-1737) as a protagonist in a commemoration that systematically attempts to forster the collective memory of the Czech community at the given time. One of Klejch's most interesting commemorative acts can be considered to be his Evangelický kancionál (Evangelical Hymn Book; 1717, 1722, 1727) within Klejch's preface dealing with the history of the publication of Czech hymn books.
The preface formed a comlementary whole together with his other prefaces (dealing with the history of the publication of Czech Bible translations, Czech catechisms and Czech devotional books) in which he endeavoured to systematically present the primary features of printed Czech reformation religious literature. Klejch's intensive involment in Czech literature , which actually has its counterpart in the oppositely motivated activies of his contemporary, Jesuit A.
Koniáš (1691-1760), can also be seen in the context of the fading memory of living witnesses to the old Czech reformation, as the religious identity of Czech non-catholics was increasingly crystallizing with the aid of the single means that allowed for "permanent" transgenerational memory, i.e. printed books. Klejch was evidently endeavouring to ensure that the reformation element did not disappear from the Czech collective memory, while attempting to mould the collective memory of Evagelicals using Czech as a liturgical language, so as to ensure that their awareness of the unique Czech contribution to the history of the European religious reformation did not disappear.