Jozef Gregor-Tajovský

Jozef Gregor, better known as Jozef Gregor-Tajovský (18 November 1874 – 20 May 1940), was a Slovak novelist, playwright, poet, teacher, and politician. As a novelist, he is considered to be a leading figure of the second wave of Slovak literary realism and as a playwright, he is the founder of Slovak realistic drama. His plays are still part of the core repertoire of Slovak professional theatres, including the Slovak National Theatre, as well as various other domestic and foreign stages.

Biography Early life and studies Gregor was born Jozef Alojz Gregor on 18 October 1874 in the central Slovak village of Tajov (at the time part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), close to the Kremnica Mountains, the oldest child in a large family. His father was František Alojz Gregor (1849–1922) and his mother Anna Gregorová (nee Grešková, 1853–1925). Tajovský had six brothers and two sisters. One of his brothers, Eduard (1896–1954), became famous as a woodcarver, and several of his pieces are exhibited in the Jozef Gregor-Tajovský memorial house in Tajov. After graduating from business school, he joined the Rural People's Bank, later the Tatra Bank, but also worked at Ľudové noviny. In 1907, he married Hana Lilgová in Nădlac, Romania.

In 1912, Gregor became secretary of the Slovak National Party in Martin and in 1915, during World War I, he served as the editor of the Slovak Národný hlásnik.

Writing Most of Gregor's stories, initially disseminated through magazines and periodicals, and later collected in various volumes (e.g., Z dedini, Besednice, Smutné nôty), were centred on rural subjects. He often wrote about alcoholism, Magyarization, freedom and political autonomy, family, and social relations.

His work in the theatrical field (e.g., "Ženský zákon", "Nový život", "Statky-zmätky", "V službe", "Hriech", "Tma", "Smrť Ďurka Langsfelda", "Jej prvý román") often also hinged on descriptions of rural environments.

Legacy Divadlo Jozefa Gregora Tajovského is a professional theatre in the Slovak city of Zvolen, established on 28 August 1949 under the name Stredoslovenské divadlo and renamed Divadlo Jozefa Gregora Tajovského five years later. Gymnázium Jozefa Gregora Tajovského is a gymnasium in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, established in 1976. Initially called Gymnázium na Tajovského ulici, as it was situated on a street named after Gregor himself, it was renamed in honour of the playwright in 1989. Jozef Gregor-Tajovský memorial house, Tajov Jozef Gregor Tajovský School Centre, Nădlac, Romania Jozef Gregor Tajovský Elementary School, Senec, Slovakia Jozef Gregor Tajovský Elementary School, Banská Bystrica

Selected works Writing

Na mylných cestách (1893) Čarodejné drevo (1896) Starého otca rozpomienky (1896) Rozprávky pre ľud (1896/1900) Ferko (1897) Rozpomienka (1897) Omrvinky (1897) Z dediny (1897) Jastraby (1898) Rozprávky (1900) Úžerník a iné články (1901) Mládenci (1902) Maco Mlieč (1903) Apoliena (1903) Nové časy (1904) Besednice (1904) Smutné nôty (1907)

Mamka Pôstková (1908) Horký chlieb (1909) Na chlieb (1909) Mišo (1909) Umrel Tomášik (1910) Lacná kúpa a predsa draho padla! (1910) Spod kosy (1910) Tŕpky (1911) Jano Mráz (1911) Kosec Môcik (1911) Slovenské obrázky (1912) Výklad programu Slovenskej národnej strany (1914) Malý slovenský zemepis (1918) Prvý máj (1919) Rozprávky z Ruska (1919) Na front a iné rozprávky (1920) Rozprávky o československých légiách v Rusku (1920)

Plays

"Sľuby" (1898) "Ženský zákon" (1900) "Nový život" (1901) "Medveď" (1903) "Matka" (1906) "Statky-zmätky" (1909) "V službe" (1911) "Hriech" (1911)

"Tma" (1912) "Tragik z prinútenia" (1915) "Jubileum" (1915) "Sova Zuza" (1922) "Smrť Ďurka Langsfelda" (1923) "Jej prvý román" (1930) "Blúznivci" (1934) "Hrdina" (1938)