New Biography Sheds Light on Štefánik's Paris Years Through Friend's Testimony

A new three-volume biography of Czech sculptor Otakar Španiel by author Jiří Hořava has revealed significant new insights into the Paris years of Milan Rastislav Štefánik, one of Slovakia's most celebrated historical figures. The third volume contains testimony from Španiel, who was a close friend of Štefánik during his time in Paris, offering fresh perspective on this period of the Slovak astronomer and politician's life. The biography addresses the long-standing question of what Štefánik meant by his famous declaration "I will break through, because I want to break through!" - a statement that has remained somewhat enigmatic regarding his specific ambitions and goals. Štefánik, who died in 1919, was a key figure in Czechoslovak independence and is considered one of the founding fathers of both Czechoslovakia and modern Slovak statehood, making any new revelations about his formative years significant for understanding Slovak history.