Marta Kubišová | Today's AI Wiki

1. Overview

Marta Kubišová, born on November 1, 1942, is a prominent Czech singer and a powerful symbol of resistance against political oppression. By the time of the Prague Spring in 1968, her song "Modlitba pro Martu" (Modlitba pro Martu_{Prayer for Marta}^Czech) had made her one of the most popular female vocalists in Czechoslovakia. This song, along with her public stance, became an enduring symbol of national resistance against the occupation by Warsaw Pact troops in 1968. Despite being banned from performing for nearly two decades by the communist regime due to false accusations, Kubišová remained a vocal advocate for human rights, notably as a signatory and spokesperson for Charter 77. Her unwavering commitment to democratic values culminated in her significant role during the Velvet Revolution in 1989, where she publicly sang her iconic "Prayer for Marta," marking her triumphant return to the public stage and solidifying her legacy as a champion of freedom and democracy.

2. Early Life and Background

Marta Kubišová's early life laid the foundation for her later musical career and her steadfast commitment to social justice. Born in České Budějovice, her family background and initial experiences shaped her path before she rose to national prominence.

2.1. Childhood and Education

Marta Kubišová was born on November 1, 1942, in České Budějovice, a city in present-day Czech Republic. Her father worked as a cardiologist, and her mother was a housewife who later took on a job selling records on Celetná street in Prague. In 1952, when Kubišová was ten years old, her family relocated to Poděbrady. After graduating from high school, she initially sought to attend college but instead began working at a glassworks factory in Poděbrady.

2.2. Beginning of Early Career

Kubišová's musical journey began with a local dance group that performed at afternoon tea events in Nymburk. Her talent quickly became apparent, leading her to the finals of a talent competition titled Hledáme nové talenty (The Search for Talent) in 1961. In 1962, after losing her job at the glass factory, she successfully auditioned for the Stop Theatre in Pardubice. The following year, in 1963, she moved to Theatre Alpha in Plzeň, where she performed in Black Dream, a production by Ludvík Aškenazy. Her career took a significant turn in December 1965 when she began collaborating with fellow singers Václav Neckář and Helena Vondráčková while preparing for performances of Waiting for Fame, laying the groundwork for future successes.

3. Music Career

Marta Kubišová's music career is characterized by periods of immense popularity, political suppression, and triumphant comebacks, reflecting the tumultuous history of Czechoslovakia.

3.1. Gaining Fame and Prague Spring

Kubišová's rise to national fame accelerated in 1967 when she won the prestigious Zlatý slavík (Zlatý slavík_{Golden Nightingale}^Czech) award, recognizing her as one of the country's most popular singers. Her musical repertoire expanded to include a notable cover of The Beatles' "Hey Jude", which she performed with Czech lyrics written by Zdeněk Rytíř. However, it was her song "Modlitba pro Martu" (Prayer for Marta) that truly cemented her status as a cultural icon. With lyrics by Petr Rada, this song became a powerful and enduring symbol of national resistance against the occupation by Warsaw Pact troops in 1968. During the Prague Spring period, Kubišová was incredibly prolific, recording over 200 SP (single-play) records and one LP (long-play) album titled Songy a Balady (Songs and Ballads), which was released in 1969. Despite its release, the album was immediately banned from stores by the authorities, signaling the beginning of her political persecution.

3.2. Golden Kids Activities

On November 1, 1968, Marta Kubišová, along with her collaborators Václav Neckář and Helena Vondráčková, formed the highly popular musical group 'Golden Kids'. The trio quickly became a sensation, captivating audiences with their performances. Their recorded works included the albums Micro Magic Circus (1969) and Golden Kids 1 (1970), both released by Supraphon. However, the group's activities were cut short by the escalating political repression in Czechoslovakia. The last performance of the Golden Kids took place on January 27, 1970, in Ostrava, marking an abrupt end to their brief but impactful collaboration.

3.3. Political Persecution and Ban

Following the Warsaw Pact invasion and the subsequent period of normalization, Marta Kubišová faced severe political persecution. In February 1970, the communist government banned her from performing throughout the country. The pretext for this ban was a false accusation that she had created pornographic photographs, with three fabricated photo-montages presented as evidence. Kubišová courageously took the director of the state-owned record label Supraphon, Hrabal, to court for libel. Although she won the lawsuit, her rights were only fully restored two decades later, after the fall of the Czechoslovak communist regime in 1989. During this period of suppression, she was largely restricted to performing at underground, invitation-only events. In the late 1980s, she even auditioned to become a singer for the avant-garde rock group The Plastic People of the Universe, but this attempt was thwarted by the secret police, further illustrating the extent of the state's control over her life and career.

3.4. Comeback after Velvet Revolution

Marta Kubišová's successful return to the public sphere began dramatically with the Velvet Revolution in 1989. Her first LPs after the revolution were a re-issue of her previously banned album Songy a Balady and a compilation of old songs titled Lampa. In 1990, she made a full return to the studio and the stage. On June 2, 1990, she performed a celebrated show titled "Marta v Lucerně" at the Lucerna Palace in Prague, an event that symbolically received the Golden Nightingale award she had won in secret in 1970. The music for this show was performed by the group Energit, directed by Lubos Andršt, with whom she subsequently embarked on a tour of 60 concerts across Czechoslovakia, as well as international performances in Japan, Paris, and Berlin. In 1991, she co-hosted Advent concerts. Two years later, in 1993, she reunited with Helena Vondráčková and Václav Neckář for a Golden Kids comeback.

Kubišová continued her musical activities into the new millennium. For several years, she regularly prepared recitals on her home stage at the Prague Ungelt Theatre, where she also appeared in a chamber musical titled Líp se loučí v neděli, earning her the prestigious Thalia prize for her performance. In 2005, she released a new album, Vítej, lásko, with all lyrics written by John Schneider. That same year, she published the CD In my world (Můj svět), an international project featuring American Indian artist Dave White Wolf Trezak, with most of the music composed by Alma Maresova. In 2008, Supraphon released her first DVD. Her later albums include Vyznání (2010), Touha jménem Einodis (2013), Magický hlas rebelky (2014), and Soul (2016).

3.5. Discography

Marta Kubišová's discography includes significant solo works and albums recorded with the Golden Kids group, many of which became iconic.

3.5.1. Golden Kids

Micro Magic Circus (Supraphon, 1969)
Golden Kids 1 (Supraphon, 1970)

3.5.2. Solo

Songy a balady (1969, reissued 1990, 1996)
Lampa (1990)
Někdy si zpívám (1991)
Songy a nálady (1993)
Řeka vůni (1995)
Singly 1 (1996)
Bůh ví (1996)
Nechte zvony znít (Singly 2) (1997)
Dejte mi kousek louky (Singly 3) (1998)
Modlitba (Singly 4) (1999)
Marta Kubišova v Ungeltu (1999)
Tajga Blues (Singly 5) (2000)
Já jsem já (2004)
Vítej, lásko (2005)
In my world (2005)
Vyznání (2010)
Touha jménem Einodis (2013)
Magický hlas rebelky (2014)
Soul (2016)

4. Social Movement and Contribution to Democratization

Marta Kubišová's life transcends her musical achievements, as she became a pivotal figure in Czechoslovakia's social movements and made significant contributions to its democratization, particularly during the communist era.

4.1. Charter 77 Signing and Activities

Marta Kubišová was a prominent signatory of Charter 77, a courageous human rights initiative launched in 1977 that criticized the Czechoslovak communist government for its failure to implement human rights provisions of its own constitution and international treaties. Her involvement went beyond mere signing; from 1977 to 1978, she actively served as a spokesperson for Charter 77, a role that brought her under intense scrutiny and monitoring by the communist state's secret police. Her unwavering activism for human rights during this oppressive period showcased her deep commitment to democratic principles and civil liberties.

4.2. Symbol of National Resistance

Kubišová's music and public stance transformed her into a potent symbol of national resistance and resilience against the oppressive political regimes in Czechoslovakia. Her song "Modlitba pro Martu" (Prayer for Marta), originally recorded during the Prague Spring, resonated deeply with the populace as a hymn of hope and defiance against the Soviet-led occupation. Even during her nearly two-decade-long ban from public performances, her name and her iconic song continued to represent an enduring spirit of freedom and opposition to authoritarian rule. She embodied the quiet but firm resistance of many ordinary citizens who longed for democracy and human rights.

4.3. Role in Velvet Revolution

Marta Kubišová played a highly visible and impactful role during the Velvet Revolution in 1989, which peacefully brought an end to communist rule in Czechoslovakia. On December 10, 1988, after a long absence from the public eye, she made a significant appearance at a demonstration commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, where she sang the Czechoslovak national anthem. This public return foreshadowed her pivotal moment during the revolution itself. On November 22, 1989, from a balcony overlooking Wenceslas Square in Prague, she famously sang "Modlitba pro Martu" and the Czechoslovak national anthem to massive crowds of protestors. This powerful act became one of the most iconic moments of the Velvet Revolution, symbolizing the nation's liberation and the triumph of democratic aspirations. Her voice, once silenced, became the voice of a nation reclaiming its freedom.

5. Personal Life

Beyond her public persona as a singer and dissident, Marta Kubišová's personal life was marked by significant relationships and profound health challenges, which she faced with resilience.

5.1. Family Relations

Marta Kubišová experienced changes in her marital life. She married film director Jan Němec in 1969. However, their marriage ended in divorce, and Němec subsequently emigrated to the United States. Kubišová later married director Jan Moravec. On June 1, 1979, she gave birth to her daughter, Kateřina. Her family life unfolded amidst the backdrop of her political persecution and activism, adding a personal dimension to her struggles and triumphs.

5.2. Health Difficulties

Kubišová faced severe health challenges during her life. In 1971, she suffered a miscarriage in the eighth month of her pregnancy, a traumatic event from which she also experienced clinical death. Despite these critical health setbacks, she recovered, demonstrating her remarkable resilience in overcoming personal adversities alongside her public struggles.

6. Film and Television Appearances

Marta Kubišová also contributed to the world of cinema and television, not only as an actress but also in other capacities, showcasing her diverse artistic talents.

Year	Title	Role / Notes
1966	Vysílá studio A
1966	Revue v mlze
1966	Mučedníci lásky
1967	Jak se krade milión
1967	Píseň pro Rudolfa III.
1968	Bylo čtvrt a bude půl
1968	Kulhavý ďábel
1968	Gramo / Hit 68 (TV)
1968	Náhrdelník melancholie - Sedm písní Marty Kubišové
1969	Proudy lásku odnesou (TV)
1970	Vražda ing. Čerta
1971	Dívka na Koštěti	Arranger for Angelo Michajlov's score
1990	Zvláštní bytosti
1992	Hodnota tváře
1994	Stalo se na podzim
1999	Noční hovory s matkou
2000	Zpověď Ungelt
2001	Zdivočelá země II
2004	Kameňák 2
2005	Pátrání po Ester

7. Major Awards and Honors

Marta Kubišová has received numerous major awards, state honors, and recognitions throughout her career, acknowledging both her artistic achievements and her profound civic contributions to Czech society.

Zlatý slavík (Golden Nightingale) Award**: She won this prestigious award three times, in 1967, 1969, and 1970. Her 1970 award had to be received in secrecy due to the commencing normalization period.
Medal of Merit (Czech Republic)**: On October 28, 1995, she was awarded the state award - the Medal of Merit - by President Václav Havel, recognizing her significant contributions to the nation.
Honorary Medal of T.G. Masaryk**: On March 7, 1998, she received this honor at a ceremony held in the ballroom of Prague Castle, further acknowledging her dedication to democratic ideals.
St. Wenceslas Honours**: In October 2002, Kubišová was bestowed with the St. Wenceslas Honours.
Thalia Prize**: She was awarded the Thalia prize for her performance in the chamber musical Líp se loučí v neděli at the Prague Ungelt Theatre.
Order of the White Double Cross (Second Class)**: On January 1, 2018, Kubišová received this state award from President of Slovakia Andrej Kiska, a testament to her enduring impact across the former Czechoslovakia.

8. Legacy and Evaluation

Marta Kubišová's legacy is deeply intertwined with the modern history of the Czech Republic. She is widely regarded as a cultural icon and a powerful symbol of resilience and freedom, whose influence extends far beyond her musical career.

8.1. Positive Evaluation and Contributions

Marta Kubišová is overwhelmingly viewed in a positive light, celebrated for her significant contributions to Czech culture, music, and the unwavering fight for democracy. Her "Modlitba pro Martu" remains an anthem of national pride and resistance, embodying the spirit of the Prague Spring and the Velvet Revolution. Her courageous stance against the communist regime, despite severe personal and professional repercussions, solidified her image as a moral compass for the nation. She became a voice for the voiceless, inspiring hope and defiance during decades of oppression. Her continued activism, notably with Charter 77, demonstrated a profound commitment to human rights that transcended her artistic profession. Biographies such as Adam Georgiev's Chytat slunce (Catching the Sun), published in 1995, and Luboš Nečas's Asi to tak sám Bůh chtěl, published in 2005, further document and celebrate her impactful life and career.

8.2. Criticism and Controversy

While Marta Kubišová is largely revered, the primary "controversy" associated with her was not due to her own actions but rather the false accusations leveled against her by the communist regime. In 1970, the government fabricated evidence of pornographic photographs to justify her ban from performing for nearly two decades. This act of political persecution, rather than any genuine wrongdoing on her part, created a period of immense difficulty and injustice in her career. Despite winning a libel lawsuit against the director of Supraphon, her rights were only fully restored after the fall of the communist regime. This episode highlights the oppressive tactics employed by the state against dissidents and underscores Kubišová's resilience in the face of such fabricated controversies.

9. Influence

Marta Kubišová's work and activism have had a profound and lasting impact on Czech society and culture, shaping national identity and democratic values.