Slovak PEN Centre

The Slovak PEN Centre finds its origins in Czechoslovak PEN, which was established in Prague in 1925, with Karel Čapek as its first President. The Slovak Section of Czechoslovak PEN was founded in 1932 in Bratislava.

PEN suspended its operations during World War II, and subsequently in the former communist Czechoslovakia PEN became an undesirable organisation: though formally in existence, its activity was limited. During the normalisation years of 1968-1989 it could not pursue any activity. The Ministry of Interior attempted to formally dissolve PEN and include it in the official Writers Association.

PEN activity resumed in Prague in the Autumn of 1989; following a meeting of several Slovak writers in June 1989, the Slovak PEN Centre was re-established at the constituent meeting on 31 October 1989 in Bratislava. The Slovak translation of the PEN Charter was signed by 31 writers, including Ladislav Ballek, Martin Bútora, László Dobos, Dušan Dušek, Ľubomír Feldek, Andrej Ferko, Lajos Grendel, Daniel Hevier, Anton Hykisch, Rudolf Chmel, Klára Jarunková, Vincent Šikula, Ján Štrasser, Martin M Šimečka, Pavel Vilikovský, Peter Zajac, Štefan Žáry and Miloš Žiak.

Recent Presidents of the Slovak PEN Centre have included Martin Bútora (1994-1996), G Murín (1998-2004) and A Hykisch (2004-2006). Since June 2006 Professor Dr Mária Bátorová has been President and Dr Juraj Kuniak Vice President.