The Good Soldier Švejk

	The Good Soldier Švejk
	People
Švejk on-line	Blog	Švejk Museum	Literární Archiv	Bibliografie	Švejk Central	Travel Diary	Contact

The Good Soldier Švejk is a novel with an unusually rich array of characters. In addition to the many who directly form part of the plot, a large number of fictional and real people (and animals) are mentioned; either through the narrative, Švejk's anecdotes, or indirectly through words and expressions.

This web page contains short write-ups on the people that the novel refers to; from Napoléon in the introduction to Hauptmann Ságner in the last few lines of the unfinished Part Four. The list is sorted in the order of which the names first appear. The chapter headlines are from Zenny Sadlon's recent translation (1999-2024) and will in most cases differ from Cecil Parrott's version from 1973.

The quotes in Czech are copied from the on-line version of The Good Soldier Švejk: provided by Jaroslav Šerák and contain links to the relevant chapter. The toolbar has links for direct access to Wikipedia, Google maps, Google search, svejkmuseum.cz and the novel on-line.

The names are coloured according to their role in the novel, illustrated by the following examples:

Dr. Grünstein as a fictional character who is directly involved in the plot.
Fähnrich Dauerling as a fictional character who is not part of the plot.
Heinrich Heine as a historical person.

Note that a number of seemingly fictional characters are inspired by living persons. Examples are Oberleutnant Lukáš, Major Wenzl and many others. This are still listed as fictional because they are literary creations that are only partly inspired by their like-sounding "models".

Military ranks and some other titles related to Austrian officialdom are given in German, and in line with the terms used at the time (explanations in English are provided as tooltips). This means that Captain Ságner is still referred to as Hauptmann although the term is now obsolete, having been replaced by Kapitän. Civilian titles denoting profession etc. are translated into English. This also goes for ranks in the nobility, at least where a direct translation exists.

People index of people, mythical figures, animals ... (588) Show all

I. In the rear

Introduction (6)

Napoléon Alexander the Great Švejk Artemis Herostratus Hašek

2. The good soldier Švejk at police headquarters (5)

Detective Brixi Columbus Jesus Christ Lombroso Jan Nepomucký

3. Švejk before the court physicians (10)

Mr. Demartini Murderer Valeš Pontius Pilate Prokop Švejk Mrs. Antonie Švejková Doctor Heveroch Rittmeister Rotter Vlčka Doctor Kallerson Doctor Weiking

4. They threw Švejk out of the madhouse (9)

Virgin Mary The Pope King of England Saint Wenceslaus Archbishop Saint Cyril Saint Methodius Publisher Otto General Windischgrätz

5. Švejk at the district police station in Salmova street (3)

Inspektor Braun Císař Nero Josef Mareček

6. Švejk at home again, having broken through the vicious circle (4)

The Devil Čimpera Miss Mařena Detective Kalous

7. Švejk goes in the military (5)

Doctor Pávek Mucius Scaevola Lynch Doctor Bautze Marschall Radetzky

8. Švejk as a malingerer (16)

Giordano Bruno Galileo Franta Henčlů Doctor Grünstein Macuna Pokorný Kovařík Koťátko Socrates Baronesse von Botzenheim Editor Filip Shrapnel Footman Johann Babinský Emperor Wilhelm II. Prince Eugen

9. Švejk in the garrison prison (14)

Mr. Klíma Mr. Slavíček Stabsprofus Slavík Feldwebel Řepa Hauptmann Linhart Feldkurat Katz Archbishop Kohn Machar Páter Albán François de Sales Auditor Bernis Korporal Říha Josef Koudela Infanterist Maixner

10. Švejk as a military servant to the field chaplain (16)

Odysseus Toník Pubkeeper Serabona Mařka Soldier Franta Polizeikommissar Drašner Mařena Epicurus Oberleutnant Feldhuber Oberleutnant Helmich Oberst Just Doctor Batěk Hauptmann Šnábl Oberleutnant Mahler Hauptmann Fišer Mrs. Kejřová

11. Švejk rides with the field chaplain to serve a field mass (6)

Saint Adalbert Guillotin Teacher Kolařík Pivoňka Oberleutnant Witinger Dalton

12. A religious debate (12)

Heine Susanna in the bath Papin Brahms Saint Augustine John the Baptist Saint Joseph Saint Serapion Saint Ludmila Saint Bernhard Herod Boccaccio

13. Švejk goes to provide the last rites (10)

Božena Němcová Mr. Tauchen Saint John Chrysostom Boušek Oberleutnant Janata Leutnant Prášek Hauptmann Wichterle Oberleutnant Machek Feldkurat Matyáš Professor Zenger

15. Catastrophe (8)

Oberst Kraus Mannlicher Schiller Poet Vierordt Bagmaker Kuneš General Laudon Božetěch Graf Crenneville

Afterword to the first volume, "In the rear" (5)

Doctor Guth Saint Aloysius Monk Eustach Mrs. Laudová Olga Fastrová

II. At the front

2. Švejk's budějovická anabasis (55)

Xenophon Caesar Toníček Mašků Pantáta Melichárek Jew Herrman Jareš Fürst Schwarzenberg (st.) Fürst Schwarzenberg (ml.) Kořínek Wachtmeister Flanderka Oberleutnant Berger Wachtmeister Bürger Pepík Vyskoč Starý Procházka Minister für Landesverteidigung Gendarm Rampa Pejzlerka Nicholas Nikolaevich Hus Butcher Chaura Palacký Rittmeister König Wachtmeister Matějka Hercules Pubkeeper Rampa Fähnrich Koťátko Einjährigfreiwilliger Materna Leutnant Anton Doctor Masák Icarus Oberst Schröder Einjährigfreiwilliger Wohltat Saint Agnes Kriegsminister Pushkin Publisher Kočí Korporal Althof Gefreiter Müller Feldwebel Sondernummer Fähnrich Dauerling Feldmarschall Conrad Hauptmann Adamička Major Wenzl Kadettstellvertreter Zítko Hauptmann Ságner Carpenter Mlíčko Kanonýr Jabůrek Leutnant Pelikán Oberleutnant Kretschmann Hauptmann Spíro Mrs. Schreiterová Oberleutnant Dankl Leutnant Schleisner Hauptmann Skoday Einjährigfreiwilliger Marek

III. The famous thrashing

1. Across Magyaria (52)

Feldoberkurat Ibl King Carlo Alberto Fahnenführer Hrt Archduke Joseph Ferdinand Telephone operator Chodounský Korporal Matějka Oberleutnant Macek Jurajdová Professor Herold Detective Chodounský Detective Stendler Mr. Zemek Mrs. Grotová Detective Stach Mr. Stern Mr. Grot Ludwig Ganghofer Kronek Albert Bügler von Leuthold Archduke Albrecht Bronckhorst-Gronsveld Leutnant Dub Kerckhoffs Kircher Oberleutnant Fleissner Ronovský Róža Šavaňů Metal caster Adamec Nikodém Zugsführer Zyka Kolařík Kozel čeledín Vomel Oberleutnant Šeba Ordonnanz Matušič General Woinovich Sir Edward Grey Greinz Judas Iscariot General Ritter von Herbert Udo Kraft General Mazzuchelli General Benedek Bahnhofskommandant Zykán Offiziersdiener Batzer Fürst Schwarzenberg General Merveldt General Dankl Archduke Friedrich Doctor Welfer Major Koch

IV. The famous thrashing continued

2. Spiritual consolation (3)

Oberleutnant Wurm Růžena Gaudrsová Porter Faustýn

	I. In the rear
	6. Švejk at home again, having broken through the vicious circle

The Devil

The Devil is mentioned 42 times in The Good Soldier Švejk.

The Devil name is first invoked when the interrogator at c.k. policejní ředitelství gets uptight about Švejks reassurance that his exclamation: "Long live the Emperor, we'll win this war!" was not meant ironically. His name occurs repeatedly, mostly in the form of Czech and German swear words.

Background

The Devil is a mythological figure in numerous religions; symbolising evil. Alternative names are Satan, Lucifer, Mephistopheles and Beelzebub. In monotheist religions, the Devil is generally considered the opposite of God. He presides in Hell as opposed to God who rules in Heaven. The Devil has a bad name, he is invoked whenever one seeks to convey a negative association, typically uttered through so-called swearwords. As a symbolical expression, the word devil through it's many variations, may be one of the most used ever.

Quote(s) from the novel

[I.6] Vem vás čert, Švejku,“ řekla nakonec úřední brada, „jestli se sem ještě jednou dostanete,tak se vás vůbec nebudu na nic ptát a poputujete přímo k vojenskému soudu na Hradčany. Rozuměl jste?

[I.14.6] Zatímco Švejk koupal Maxa, plukovník, bývalý jeho majitel, strašně doma láteřil a vyhrožoval, že postaví toho, kdo mu psa ukradl, před válečný soud, že ho dá zastřelit, pověsit, zavřít na dvacet let a rozsekat. „Der Teufel soll den Kerl buserieren,“ ozývalo se v bytě plukovníka, až se třásla okna, „mit solchem Meuchelmördern werde ich bald fertig.“

Also written:ČertczDer Teufelde

Čimpera

Čimpera owned a piece of land in Straškov no.5 that he advertised for sale in a newspaper found at U kalicha. Švejk read the advert out loud to demonstrate his total lack of interest in the attention of detective Bretschneider who again sought to trap him.

Background

Čimpera no doubt refers to A Václav Čimpera who actually lived in Straškov no. 5 in 1910. This is information from Encyklopedie pro milovníky Švejka, II., Hodík a Landa, 1999. The document to the right is from 22 February 1910. It is not known why (or whether) Čimpera later sold the property.

Quote(s) from the novel

[I.6] Švejk sňal s věšáku nějaké noviny a prohlížeje si zadní stranu inserátů, ozval se: „Tak vida, tenhle Čimpera v Straškově č. 5, p. Račiněves, prodá hospodářství s třinácti korci vlastních polí, škola a dráha na místě.“ Bretschneider nervosně zabubnoval prsty a obraceje se k Švejkovi řekl: „To se divím, proč vás to hospodářství zajímá, pane Švejku.“

Credit: Milan Hodík, Jaroslav Šerák

Miss Mařena

Mařena was a woman who the porter at the nigh café Mimosa had brought home. This happened when Švejk got back from his time in custody and discovered that Mrs. Müllerová had rented his room out, and that in his bed slept the night porter and the mentioned woman. Mařenay contributed to the novel with a single utterance when she dressed down Švejk with the select words: "you son of an Archbishop!"

Quote(s) from the novel

[I.6] „Já jsem chtěl spát do osmi večer,“ zaraženě ozval se portýr, navlékaje kalhoty, „já platím denně z postele dvě koruny té paní a můžu si sem vodit slečny z kavárny. Mařeno, vstávej!“

Detective Kalous

Kalous was police agent who, like detective Bretschneider, bought dogs from Švejk in order to lure something compromising out of him. He got nowhere and soon disappeared from the plot.

Background

The detective may have been inspired by Josef Kalous, a policeman in Nusle who is listed in the address book of 1910.

In 1913 Karikatury printed a story by Jaroslav Hašek called The detective Mr. Kalous[a]. It was signed Richard Mayer, one of the many pseudonyms that Hašek used.

Quote(s) from the novel

[I.6] Pak tam šel koupit psa detektiv Kalous a vrátil se s vyjevenou potvorou, připomínající hyenu skvrnitou, s hřívou škotského ovčáka, a v položkách tajného fondu přibyla nová: D...90 K.

Literature

Pan Kalous detektivem, KarikaturyRichard Mayer,10.3.1913 [a]
Jak Cetlička volil, Právo liduJaroslav Hašek,20.11.1913

References
a	Pan Kalous detektivem	KarikaturyRichard Mayer	10.3.1913

	I. In the rear
	6. Švejk at home again, having broken through the vicious circle