Abstract
This article deals with Czech translations of books written by Swedish-speaking writers from Finland. Its conception is chronological and based on genre, and the reception of the most important books is also mentioned.
The topic is explained in the light of the political and social history of the Czech-speaking area. The first translation (a poem by F.
M. Franzén) was made in 1839, followed by other translations of classical writers (Runeberg, Topelius, Wecksell).
The authentic Finland-Swedish (minority) literature starts by Tavaststjerna, translated into Czech in 1921. From the Finland-Swedish interwar prose, J.
Hemmer, H. Olsson and S.
Salminen were translated. The following wave of interest in Finland-Swedish prose in the Czech Republic started first in the 1970s (Ch.
Kihlman, W. Kyrklund) or later (W.
Chorell, R. Alftan, M.
Tikkanen). The newest prose is represented by T.
Pettersson's thrillers and J. Holmström's works.
In addition to Finland-Swedish short stories (H. Olsson, M.
Tuominen, T. Sandell), essays (J.
Salminen), drama (B. Ahlfors) and children's literature (T.
Jansson), which the Czech field was also interested in, an important part of the Finland-Swedish literary canon consists of modernist poetry; for example, a voluminous anthology of E. Södergren was published in 1987 and a shorter one of B.
Carpelan's poetry in 1977. Socially committed poetry is represented by an anthology of C.
Andersson. Both the Finland-Swedish urban and rural tradition is represented, both female and male writers, both narrower experimental literature and best sellers.
All the main genres with the most important prose are represented and many important authors who belong to the Finland-Swedish canon itself are translated. Finland-Swedes who are not translated at all are the most contemporary writers (K.
Westö, L. Sund, M.
Fagerholm, U.-L. Lundberg).