Plzeň, 4 Dec. 1948
(Kroftova 24)
Dear Dr. Černý,
Our Kritický měsíčník has thus ended its existence, apparently from an order over the phone. Such brevity and speed of management these days! Well, at least it shortened the period in which it had to be taken into account. Without you, it wouldn’t have made much sense for K. M. to carry on; We, your little helpers, must have known that, and the readers felt it even more clearly.
Yet in these melancholic days, I must thank you, particularly for the friendly way you’ve dealt with me for so many years as editor. You’ve had many opportunities to disagree with me; my ability to critically think and express myself must have come up short at times. I have always greatly valued the fact that you never in the slightest limited the freedom of my personal views or opinion, and I now appreciate this with a gratitude that cannot be in anyway diminished. Again, it moves me in realizing the full weight of your merit in enabling me with lucidity to conspicuously place myself in the former throng (what is it now?) of our literary life.
Thank you for everything!
Cordially yours,
B. Polan