Josef Chaloupka
(Born June 4, 1898, in Brno, Died January 24, 1930, ibid.)

Josef Chaloupka was born in Brno in the district Královo Pole as a first born twin. Yet, his sister Božena died 11 days after the birth.

During the World War I, Chaloupka graduated from a training college for intending teachers in Brno. As a young beginning teacher he had to enter the forces and was injured during his military service when he was on the Russian Front. In 1919 he began to work in Měnín but one year later, he definitely moved to Brno where he stayed and worked until his tragic death in 1930. In Brno, he taught at Vesna School, which was a school specialized in education of girls in social sphere.

Chaloupka belonged to the founders of the group of young authors. His closest co-workers were the poet and dramaturg Lev Blatný, and other authors like František Götz, Dalibor Chalupa, Čestmír Jeřábek and Bohuš Stejskal. The members met and presented their work in the group. Later the activities of the group have desisted and Chaloupka joined another literary organization, Moravské kolo spisovatelů (The Moravian authors' circle). He also worked as editor of various newspapers and magazines and redacted several publications. He married in 1927 and in 1928 he took a journey to France. He died of gas-poisoning. It is not clear whether this happened by accident or whether it was a suicide.

Chaloupka's literary work includes various types of poetry. So, while his first poetry book Vzplanutí ("The Conflagration") is a contemplative work using expressionistic elements, one of his following books Kamarád mrtvých ("The Fellow in Death") is a baladic composition describing love facing fear of death. The attitude to life of the poet is fully displayed in one of his latest books Tvůj bližní ("Thy Neighbor"). The lyrical and baladic poems in this book are based on true compassion with other human beings.