This collection is on-site.
This collection has no restrictions.
The cataloged correspondence consists of two brief letters from Beneš to František Kupka. The great majority of the collection is made up of Smutnʹy's manuscripts, notes, and subject files on these topics: Edvard Beneš, the 1938 Munich crisis, World War II, the expulsion of the Sudeten Germans from Czechoslovakia after World War II, the communist coup in Czechoslovakia in February 1948, and Jan Masaryk, the last non-communist foreign minister of Czechoslovakia, who died under mysterious circumstances at the time of the coup. Among the printed materials are publications of the Edvard Beneš Institute, including Smutnʹy's works and Beneš's "Mnichovské dny.". Series II (4 boxes) also available on microfilm.
You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
This collection is on-site.
This collection has no restrictions.
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Series II is available on microfilm.
Papers: Source of acquisition--Jaroslava Smutný (Mrs. Jaromír). Method of acquisition--Deposit; Date of acquisition--1971.
Series II -- Gift of the Smutny family, 1995
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Papers Accessioned 1971.
Papers Processed 10/--/81.
Jaromir Smutny was born on 23 June 1892 in Bovorov, in Hapsburg Bohemia. In independent interwar Czechoslovakia, he was minister to Poland. After Edvard Benes became president of Czechoslovakia, Smutny became the head of his chancellery. He accompanied Benes into exile after the 1938 Munich crisis, stayed with him through the war (in England), and returned with him to Czechoslovakia in 1945. In 1948, following the communist coup in Czechoslovakia, Smutny returned to England. There he was chairman of the Edvard Benes Institute. He died on 16 July 1964. Among his writings were Nemci v Ceskoslovensku a jich odsun z republiky (London, 1956), and Unorovy prevrat (London, 1948).