Czechoslovak Stories/Ignát Herrman

by Šárka B. Hrbková

IGNÁT HERRMAN

 

(Born August 12, 1854, in Chotěboř.)

 

Herrman worked himself up from a lowly grocer apprenticeship through the gradations of lawyer’s copyist, commercial traveler, business manager, court reporter to the position of editor of a prominent Prague newspaper. In each of these spheres he had ample opportunity to study the life of Prague, and it is in his faithful presentation of figures in the Bohemian capital that he is at his best. While he draws faithfully -even to their slang—the rougher quarters of the city, he is an artist and not a mere photographer or phonograph record. His short stories of character and incident breathe an underlying understanding of human nature and the sympathy of a true member of brotherhood of man. In all his works, the touch of quiet humor which his public always enjoyed, for it is seldom tinged with sarcasm, was never lacking. Oddly enough, his only somber work, “U Snědeného Krámu” (The Ruined Shop), detailing the downfall of a Prague shop-keeping family, is adjudged to be his best, though two humorous novels, “Otec Kondelík a Ženich Vejvara” (Father Kondelík and Suitor Vejvara” and its sequel “Tchán Kondelík a Zeť Vejvara” (Father-in-law Kondelík and Son-in-law Vejvara) went through several editions. His collections of short stories which are most widely read are “Pražské Figurky” (Prague Types); “Drobní Lidé” (Insignificant People); “Z Pražských Zákoutí” (From Prague Nooks) and “Bodří Pražané” (Gay Praguers).

The story selected is from his “Drobní Lidé” and was written in 1885. The title refers to an actual author, Madame Rettigová, who published several novels and also a practical “Domácí Kuchařka” (Home Cook-Book).