Josef Matějka
1895–1918 (age 23)
Biography
Josef Matějka was a young Czech whose brief life coincided with one of the most significant periods in modern European history. Born in 1895, he came of age during the final years of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the First World War.
Matějka's death in 1918 occurred at a pivotal moment in Czech history, as the nation moved toward independence and the establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic. He represents the youth of his generation whose lives were profoundly affected by the great historical transformations of his era. He was laid to rest at Olšany Cemetery.