Anabase Jaroslava Haška 2010

Birthday of Jaroslav Hašek. My last day at work before 1 November. Half day at work, picked up Kazakh visa, Baudelaire hour with Gro and Marianne at "Venterommet Pub". Leaving 17:00 with DFDS ferry for København.

An unexpected 6 hours in the Danish capital. Visit "Cafe Svejk"". Night train to München.

Visit Dr. Pavel Gan and Larissa. Conversations with and recordings of Pavel Gan. I was given a lot of background material. Haircut, thanks Larissa!

Arrival 14:58 by coach from Nürnberg. Accommodation in Žižkov. Semicultural Scandinavian evening at "Dobrý Den", Flora. Visiting two local pubs on the way home, one of them with live music.

With Arild at "U jelínků" and "U medvídku". With Arild and Johnny in "Pivovarský Klub" (Karlín). Judith, sister and Arild at "U vystřelého oka". A few late beers with Arild in a local pub.

Transfer to Hanspaulka in Dejvice. Walking Žižkov-Staroměstská metro. Lunch at "U Parlamentu". Welcomed by Richard Hašek with "Švejk vodka" from Bugulma. With Richard for a few beers at "Na Hanspaulce".

Planning for the next week, who to meet and what to do. Walking to Flora to see Johnny at "Dobrý den".

65th anniversary of liberation, joint Czech/Slovak celebration in Dejvická ulice. Walk on Hradčany.

Scanning Pavel Gan's documents. Visited Jaroslav Šerák and family.

Official Hašek-trip start with Richard. Solemn start at "U Kalicha". Meeting co-owner Pavel Töpfer, and given a Švejk t-shirt. On to "U kotvy" and "U jelínků". Fun at the latter.

Doing the first six chapters on Švejk, visiting all key points.

Arrival of Dr. Hans-Peter Laqueur. Visit to Staré město.

Overnight trip to Lipnice. Tasting the new excellent Haškův ležák, brewed specially for "Česká koruna". Met Michal Giacintov and Petr Staník (Kudrna), both in k.u.k uniforms. Hungarian party headed by László Polgár arrived.

Back to Prague in miserable weather. Bookfair "Svět knihy" in Holešovice. Launch of new edition of Karel Vaněk's Švejk illustrated by Petr Urban, event co-hosted by Dr. Radko Pytlík. I was announced as "Kronprinz" by Pytlík. Pub-visit with Urban, Pytlík, Hašek, Laqueur, Polgár et al.

Starting at "U Kalicha", walking with Hans-Peter along the route of Švejk from home to the garrison prison at Hradčany. Beer festival with Lászlo, Zsofia and Eero Balk. Ceremonial visit to Hašek-statue in Žižkov and the last of many beers at "U vystrřeleného oka".

Walking Hradčany to Karlín, following Švejk's route to Otto Katz. Visit to Malá strana. Meeting Terje B. Englund and Hans-Peter Laqueur in Dejvice.

Seeing Hans-Peter safely off. Walk to Florenc to take photos of some missing places. Visited "U Rudolfina".

Walk Dejvice-Holešovice, then Karlín-Vršovice-Hradčany-Dejvice.

Walk Dejvice-Hradčany-Břevnov. Instead of the intended Motol I ended up in Řepy. The weather was cold, wet and windy.

Meeting literary historian Radko Pytlík and film director Antonín Kachlík.

Short visit to "Dobrý Den" to say goodbye to Johnny Axelson. Visit to barracks in Vršovice. Rocking farewell party with Richard and Milena at "U Slamníku" in Bubeneč.

Farewell to Richard Hašek, the perfect host. Train to Tábor. Meeting Dr Dr Jan Berwid-Buquoy to pick up his book in Měšice. Beer and CL-final with Jindra and Michal.

Long sleep and wandering in the town. Watching the ice-hockey final with Jindra, Michal, Radek and Alena at "U lva".

A gruelling 30+ km walk without a map. Got lost three times and had to seek shelter in the railway pub in Milevsko due to a thunderstorm. Finally found accommodation at 22:30.

A less ambitious 17 km leg two, but still hard with a heavy backpack. Accommodation in the local brewery. Can hardly move my feet and aching in unmentionable places. Walked through Květov, a village of Švejk note. Decided to abandon the plan of carrying the backpack all the way. Will move to Písek and use it as a base and do further legs by taking the bus to the starting point early in the morning. Reason: the backpack is heavy, the electronics doesn't like humidity and accommodation in the villages is not easy to come by.

Accommodation for seven nights at U Kloudů in Písek. Good day and new findings at "Státní okresní archiv", mainly Theodor Rotter.

Office work in the morning, walking in the afternoon. Wet and miserable.

Setting off 6:30. Fog in the morning but the weather improved. Excellent few hours at Radomyšl where I was able to locate Dolejší ulice, "Floriánek" and the place where the farmer Melichárek lived (he was a real person who Hašek allegedly knew personally).

Taking the train to Radomyšl and walking to Štěkeň, and cutting the visit to the Putím hay-stack short. Severe pains in private parts led me to Ražice to take the train home, somewhat prematurely.

Using Skočice as the symbolic location of the Schwarzenberg sheep-shed. It was probably located in the forest above the village (according to Dr Pytlík). It was wet, so I skipped the trip up the hillside.

The final leg of the anabase. Visit to Putim, and got facts about the village confirmed. First dry day since Tábor, but very windy and cold.

Short trip to Putim to visit the location of the former Ražická bašta

Awful weather. Went back to Tábor to pick up my books.

Met Honza Veselý for innumerable beers and visit to Jihočeské Muzeum. Great day.

Hangover after too many Budvar. Visiting and photographing places associated with Hašek. Evening with the Veselý family. Good company and another late night.

Early start, 7:12 to České Velenice, walked to Gmünd. Good weather. Train to Vienna, then on to Bruck. Oddny and Jan arrived. Surprised appearance at the station by Wolfgang Gruber!

Guided tour of Bruck with Friedrich Petzneck, Wolfgang Gruber and Elisabeth Gruber. Visit to Stadtmuseum Ungarturm. I was handed studies on Švejk's stay in Királyhida and an overview of historical cafes and guest houses.

Guided tour of Brucker Lager by Truppenübungsplatzkommandant Neuhold and Wolfgang Gruber.

Day-trip to Bratislava on a hot day.

Morning at leisure, Oddny and Jan in Vienna. Afternoon as guest of writer and Hašek-expert Klara Köttner-Benigni and husband Walter Benigni in Eisenstadt.

Cycle-trip to Rust in scorching heat.

Another meeting with Wolfgang Gruber and Friedrich Petzneck.

Oddny and Jan leaving in the evening. Gruber drove the visitors to Vienna Airport. I carried on to Olomouc as guest of Michal Giacintov.

Visit to Haná folk museum, Fort 17, Moritz brew-pub, Svatováclavský brewpub. Slide show and talk on Czechs in Banát at "U Kuděje".

Train back to Vienna via Břeclav. No particular agenda. Arvid arrived in the evening.

No agenda apart from being scruffy tourists and watching football.

Schönbrunn und Fußball. Raining all day.

Heeresgeschichtliche museum and football.

Trip to Gumpoldskirchen and football. Arduous night on the town.

Left mobile on the train to Bruck, got it back. Failed to pick up photos.

Relaxing and catching up on "office work".

Back to Bruck to pick up photos. Onwards via Komárom to Budapest Keleti. Met László Polgár in the evening.

Long walks in bad weather. Met László Polgár, and other local "bohemists" at "U Ferdinanda". Interviewed by Hungarian State Radio.

Long walk to Rakosrendezö, which I have wrongly believed was were Švejk's train stopped. Interesting meeting with local bohemists at "Bem sörözö" in the evening.

Walking to Buda and the Military History Museum. Watching Italy crash out of the World Cup, who will miss them? Farewell to László Polgár and Miloš Vnuk at the Czech Embassy and Ferenc Jószef sörözö.

Trip to Rakospalota and Ujpest to at least have visited these places associated with Švejk. Onwards to Kistarcsa, Isaszeg, Gödöllő, Aszód and Hatvan. Overnight in Újhatvan.

Kal-Kápolna, Füzesabony, Miskolc, Tiszalúc, Mezözombor, Sátoraljaújhely.

Organising photos and notes. No program apart from football.

Stopping at Lastovce, Trebišov and Michalovce. Camera stolen.

Going back to recreate stolen photos. Meeting local český spolek na pivo.

Visiting local newspaper and museum. Buying new camera. Thanks to Peter Procházka, Petr Tymeš and Jarmila Břičká for help and good company.

Photo-session with Švejk. Walking from Brestov to Radvaň nad Laborcom.

Trips to Palota and Čabiny

Office work. Train to Łupków.

Train to Szczawne, walking to Zagórz, train to Sanok.

Planning onward journey to Przemyśl. Thanks to Bogdan Strúż for all the help, and the books and brochures.

Walking and hitch-hiking to Tyrawa Wołoska, lift back to Sanok.

Day-trip by bus and on foot to Liskowate and Krościenko. Miserable weather.

Bus to Ustrzyki Dolne, train to Khyriv (full of smugglers). Trip to Skelivka.

Train to Dobromyl, maršrutka to Mostyska and to the border. Crossed by foot to Medyka. Bus into town.

Taking part in "Manewry Szwejkowskie", the largest regular Švejk-arrangement anywhere. Thanks to Marek Chodań in particular.

Maršrutka to Sambir.

Train to the beautiful city of Lviv.

Meeting Vasyl, Halina and Anna.

Day-trip in scorching heat to Zhovtantsi and Velyki Kolodno.

Tourist and office work at Hasova Lampa.

Two hour bus drive up to Sokal by the river Zapadny Buh.

Sokal hora, Synagogue. Thank to Ivan and Maria Strilets for a bed and enormous amounts of food.

Bus to Dubno via Lutsk.

Trip to Chorupan where Hašek was captured on 24 September 1915.

Train trip to Zdolbuniv, a town that Hašek allegedly visited as POW shortly after his capture.

Bus to Zhytomyr. Hašek walked this route in late September/early October 1915

Train to Kyiv. Thanks to Halina Karpenko and Tamara Cheradze.

In the Ukrainian capital where Hašek worked for the "Union of Czechoslovak associations" as a recruiter, and wrote for their newspaper "Czechoslovan". Visit to Darnitsya where Hašek spent 3 days in the transit camp in October 1915. Trip to Borispol where Hašek was imprisoned after allegedly insulting a Russian officer (this story appears in various versions).

Pleasant train journey west.

Day trip to Berezne, until 15 August 1916 headquarters of Hašek's regiment (1.střelecký pluk "Mistra Jana Husi"). He was briefly employed as staff secretary here in early July 1916 (so I thought). Note in 2011: this was not the Berezne where Hašek was stationed.

Train via Zdolbuniv and Krasne. Took virtually all day.

Day-trip to the memorial of the battle of Zborov.

Train back to Lviv.

Meeting members of Česká Beseda. Visit to dentist.

Social visit: Ivan, Maria, Larissa, Robert, Tomas. Trips to Obenizhny and Komariv.

Maršrutky Sokal-Červonohrad-Brody. The last night ever in the Austrian Empire.

Train Brody-Zdolbuniv-Berdyčiv. The latter is the birthplace of Joseph Conrad, but also a place that Jaroslav Hašek visited, probably several times.

Train Berdychiv-Bakhmach, arrive at 23:00

Train Bakhmach-Kharkiv, 9:27 - 16:22.

Hot days in Kharkiv.

Comfortable trip and a short stop in sweltering Kursk (44 C). Night train to Moscow.

Visited "U Švejka" with sushi on the menu. Restaurant Budvar with beer for RUB 320!

Train #32 leaving Kazanskyi voksal at 17:20. Very comfortable overnight journey.

Day-trip to Totskoye, site of the POW-camp where Hašek spent time from October/November 1915 until July 1916.

Train to Samara

Visit sights associated with Hašek in Samara. City history museum and M.V Frunze museum.

Three hours journey to Sukhodol. Tschi-Khan mountain.

Trip to Bolsyaya Kamenka. Visited Café u Švejka in Samara

Five hours on the bus

Lenin Museum and Volga promenade. Cadet School and Kafe Gasheka

Train journey

Tourist in the Tatarstan capital.

Six hours in a bus across Tatarstan.

Visit the local Jaroslav Hašek museum

Train journey to Ufa.

Visit places associated with Hašek. Pražkoje pivovar.

Night train

Visit sites associated with Hašek (one memorial plaque). The railway station here was on 14 May 1918 the scene of an incident that triggered outbreak of hostilities between the Bolsheviks and the Czechoslovak legions.

On the South Ural railway

Tourist in a very pleasant city in northern Kazakhstan

Short 5 hour train journey

Sights associated with Hašek. Restaurant U Švejka. Museums and sightseeing.

Night train east. Finally on the Transsiberian.

Tourist in Siberia's largest city.

Bus and passenger of Sergey Soloukh via Leninsk-Kuznetsky

Guest of author and švejkolog Sergey Soloukh and wife Olga.

Bus to Jurga. Night-train to Krasnoyarsk

Visiting places associated with Hašek. Tourist by the Yenisey river

Four hours east, still in Krasnoyarsk region

Hašek allegedly celebrated his 2nd marriage here in May 1920. Visit to the house (ul Kalinina)

Fourteen hour train journey onwards to Irkutsk, arriving 3 in the morning.

Four days visiting sights associated with Hašek and the Civil War. Hostel Baikaler. Good day trip to Kachug (17.9).

Day-trip up the Selenga Valley to Gusinoye ozero

Train #1 in beautiful scenery

Time for washing clothes, writing and relaxing

Train #5 to Moscow. Computer stolen by restaurant staff.

Resting, replacing stolen computer and installing software.

Train to the Ivangorod, walking to Narva at dawn.

The returning POW's were deloused here.

Bus to Tallinn

Sightseeing in the Estonian capital.

TallinkSilja 17 hours

Visit Södermalm and Soldaten Svejk

Suburban train Stockholm södra - Nynäshamn

18 hours across the Baltic Sea from Nynäshamn. Sleeping on the floor.

Tourist in the historic city of Gdańsk.

This journey should have been by sea but this is impractical nowadays.

The steamer "Kypros" with Hašek on broad arrived here on 8 December 1920.

Artur Longen claims Hašek visited Václav Spanda alias "Bretschneider" in Bülowstrasse 9-10, Berlin, in December 1920. Visited the location and nearby Nollendorfplatz where Schwejk was performed at Erwin Piscator's Volksbühne.

Private visit

Dresden to Pardubice via Liberec.

Two days in Pardubice. Visiting Hradec Králové and Jaroměř.

Back to "U Kuděje" to report on the trip

Finally back in the Czech capital. Pub crawl with the Kudějologové.

Turned up at hotel in uniform with a severe hangover and minus an Austrian army cap. Later reported at Hanspaulka.

Trying to recover lost army property. U hrocha and U černého vola.

Visitors from Bergen and Vik arrived. Pizza and beer at Karlovo nám.

Visitors from Bergen, Oslo, Liverpool, Liboč and Kemerovo. Meeting at Café Slavia, U kalicha, U Bansethů and Braunův sklep

Celebrating 50th birthday with a trip to Lipnice nad Sázavou. Continued at U černého vola, U kocoura, J.J Murphy and U medvídků.

Visitors from Bergen and Vik going home. U bubeničků for the rest.

Sleeping. Visit to Budvarka and U černého vola.

Sleeping. Visit to Budvarka and U medvídků. Meeting Vladimír S., Adam, Olga, Vladimir B. and Aljona.

Sleeping and admin work. Meeting Olga, Vladimir S. and Alyona at U malého glena for blues concert.

Meeting Radko Pytlík and Richard Hašek.

Underground walk at Liboc with Jarda, Vladimir and Olga.

Final beer at U vystřeleného oka.

End of an adventure...