PhDr. Vojtěch Kessler, Ph.D.

Research areas

the concept of the Realms of Memory, the question of the genesis and development of historical/collective memory, monument culture, military and social history of the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, the issue of Ethnic German in the Czech lands, the question of collective identities

Graduated programmes, schools and thesis topics, academic degrees

2008–2011: Master in History, Faculty of Arts, Charles University, thesis title: Místa paměti bitvy u Chlumce: pomníky, na které se „nezapomíná“ / The Memory Places of the Battle of Kulm

2011–2015: Ph.D. in History, Faculty of Arts, Charles University, thesis title: Válečné pomníky a historická paměť. K recepci sepulkrálně-militárních památek v českých zemích z válek mezi lety 1757–1914 / Military Monuments and Historical Memory. Toward the Reception of Sepulchral-Military Monuments of Wars between 1757 and 1914 in the Czech Lands

Foreign internships and scholarships

3–9/2018: University of Vienna, Department of Economic and Social History, Programme to support international cooperation of early career researchers
11/2019: University of Vienna, Department of Economic and Social History, Programme to support international cooperation of early career researchers
11/2022: Jagiellonian Library, National Archives in Krakow; Mobility plus PAN-20-01: Polish and Czech Memory cultures concerning the Great War

Domestic grants and major projects

2010–2015: Edvard Beneš, Němci a Německo / Edvard Beneš, Germans, Germany, Czech Science Foundation, Standard Projects, reg. n. P410/10/1273, beneficiary: Masaryk Institute and Archives of the CAS, team member

2013–2015: Památky německého turnerství v Čechách / Monuments of German Turnenschaft in Bohemia, Charles University Grant Agency, ID number: 140213/2013, beneficiary: Institute of Czech History, Faculty of Arts, Charles University, Principal Investigator

2014–2016: Konstruování národní identity: Státní svátky za první Československé republiky / Constructing National Identity: State Holidays in the First Czechoslovak Republic, Czech Science Foundation, Standard Projects, reg. n. 14-12289S, beneficiary: Faculty of Arts, Charles University; Masaryk Institute and Archives of the CAS, team member

2017–2019: Místa paměti v procesu formování české společnosti v 19. a na počátku 20. století / The Realms of Memory in the Shaping of Modern Czech Society in the 19th and in the Early 20th Century, Czech Science Foundation, Standard Projects, reg. n. 17-11309S, beneficiary: Institute of History of the CAS, team member

Teaching activities

Metropolitan University Prague (since 2017)
Charles University, FFabula (2013–2019)
Institute of Czech History, Faculty of Arts, Charles University (since 2020)
Institute of Czech Studies, Faculty of Arts, Charles University (since 2022)
Institute of History, Philosophical Faculty, University of Hradec Králové (since 2022)

Membership of editorial boards

Editor of the journal BELLUM 1866

Membership in domestic and foreign professional societies and scientific councils

Member of the Society for Research in Military History [Společnosti pro výzkum dějin vojenství] (since 2019)
Member of the jury of the Jaroslav Goll Literary Prize [Cena Jaroslava Golla]
Member of the jury of the Terezin Medal [Terezínská medaile]

Significant awards

2019: Miroslav Ivanov (Category II. Non-Fiction Works) for the book Glory to the Republic! The Official Commemorations and Celebrations of Interwar Czechoslovakia [Sláva republice! Oficiální svátky a oslavy v meziválečném Československu]
2020: The Otto Wichterle Award to promising young scientists of the Czech Academy of Sciences