Czech Author and Dissident Ivan Klíma Passes Away at 94

Czech author and anti-communist dissident Ivan Klíma passed away at the age of 94. His son Michal told the Czech ČTK news agency that Klíma passed away.

Last Updated on 4 months ago by Vijay Kumar

Czech author and anti-communist dissident Ivan Klíma has passed away at the age of 94. His son Michal told the Czech ČTK news agency that Klíma passed away on Saturday morning, 4 October 2025 at home after battling a long illness.

“My father, writer Ivan Klíma, died early this morning at home surrounded by family after a long illness,” his son Michal Klíma told the Czech ČTK news agency.

Born Ivan Kauders on September 14, 1931, in Prague, Klíma endured a tumultuous early life. During World War II, he and his Jewish family were imprisoned in the Theresienstadt concentration camp for over three years. The family survived, an experience that deeply influenced Klíma’s later literary work.

Initially a member of the Communist Party, Klíma became disillusioned with the regime after witnessing its repressive nature. In 1967, he publicly criticized the government at a writers’ congress, leading to his expulsion from the party. Following the 1968 Soviet-led invasion that crushed the Prague Spring, Klíma’s works were banned, but he remained an active dissident, continuing to write with international support, including from American author Philip Roth.

Klíma authored numerous novels, plays, essays, short stories, and children’s books, many of which have been translated into over 30 languages. His notable works include Judge on Trial, Love and Garbage, My Golden Trades, and his memoir My Crazy Century, where he reflected on the impact of totalitarianism on individual lives. His writing often examined human morality and the struggle of maintaining integrity under oppressive regimes.

Following the 1989 Velvet Revolution, Klíma focused entirely on his literary career. He received numerous accolades, including the Medal for Outstanding Service to the Czech Republic, the Franz Kafka Prize in 2002, and the Magnesia Litera award in 2010 for his two-volume memoir My Crazy Century.

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