Taggert, Spencer L., collector

Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, the first President of Czechoslovakia, was born on March 7, 1850 in Hodonin, Moravia. During his youth Masaryk worked as a blacksmith and attended the gymnasium in the Moravian capital of Brünn and later in Vienna. In 1872, Masaryk enrolled at Vienna University, and graduated in 1876 with a degree in philosophy. The following year he worked as a private tutor in Leipzig, where he met his future wife, Charlotte Garrigue. For the next few years Masaryk taught as an unsalaried tutor at Vienna University. In 1882, he was appointed Professor Extraordinarius of philosophy at the University of Prague and nominated to a full professorship in 1897. Masaryk's embrace of western ideas in sociology and political science (as opposed to Czech romanticism) can be seen in his writings for two journals; Athenäum and As. In these publications he endeavored to synthesize German idealism and West European positivism and provide a critical examination of Czech culture and science. He wrote extensively on Russian history, panslavism, religion, philosophy, and in strong opposition to Marxism.

Masaryk's religious beliefs changed with time. In 1880, he completely abandoned Catholicism for Protestantism. He later discontinued his affiliation with Christianity and embraced agnosticism.

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