Jozef Ignác Bajza
Jozef Ignác Bajza | |
|---|---|
| Born | 5 March 1755 |
| Died | 1 December 1836 (aged 81) |
| Resting place | St Martin's Cathedral |
| Education | Pázmáneum |
| Occupation | Roman Catholic priest |
| Known for | Author of René, the first novel in the Slovak language |
Jozef Ignác Bajza (Hungarian: Bajza József Ignác; 1755 – 1 December 1836) was a Slovak writer, satirist and Catholic priest in the Kingdom of Hungary.
He is best known for his novel René mláďenca príhodi a skúsenosťi (modern spelling René mládenca príhody a skúsenosti), considered the first Slovak novel, written in his own version of Slovak that is known as the first attempt at Slovak language codification. It is also the first novel in a minor language published within the Habsburg monarchy. An English translation by David Short was published in 2025 as René, or: A Young Man’s Adventures and Experiences All his life, Bajza struggled with censorship. The second volume was confiscated by the church censors because it was explicitly critical of both church and secular authorities. Forward-thinking, idealistic, and stubborn, he saw himself as the “awakener” of the Slovaks.