The state will buy Reynk's farm in Petrkov, the family will be paid 18 million CZK

Lípa - The state will buy the estate of the poet and graphic artist Bohuslav Reynek in Petrkov, and a cultural center will be established there. The family is to be paid 18 million crowns for the property. This was stated to journalists by Minister of Culture Lubomír Zaorálek (ČSSD), who visited Petrkov today along with Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO). According to Zaorálek, the Petrkov complex should pass into state ownership by the end of this year, and it will be taken over by the Memorial of National Literature.

The granddaughter of Bohuslav Reynek, Veronika Reynková, said she agrees with the sale at this price. "I am very glad it turned out this way. It was actually my original intention. Since I have to sell it, I want the entire object to remain open to the public," she said.

The intention to purchase the Petrkov estate was also supported by Babiš. "I believe we will be able to create a truly new center of culture here," he told journalists. He also noted that significant investments will be associated with this.

"I believe the state can take care of it dignifiedly; we will do everything for that," Zaorálek stated. He added that he has already agreed with Finance Minister Alena Schillerová (for ANO) on matters related to finances. According to him, a detailed proposal for the use of the Petrkov estate is still in the works. "We have a certain idea of how we would start, and then there would be time to prepare a project that would be far more extensive," Zaorálek said.

The director of the Memorial of National Literature, Zdeněk Freisleben, stated that Petrkov should not become a memorial. "We would prefer it to be a place of encounters, certain connections, whether it's visual arts or literature," he said.

The poet, graphic artist, and translator Reynek (1892 to 1971) lived and created in the Petrkov house with his wife, the French poet and translator Suzanne Renaud, and their sons, photographer Daniel and translator Jiří also lived there. Both sons passed away shortly after each other in 2014, and the property passed to their descendants.

According to the petition Save Petrkov!, the house should serve as a reminder of Reynek's work and that of his close ones and companions who visited Petrkov. More than 1,900 signatures have been collected under the petition since early May, according to the website.

The former one-story chateau has been protected as a heritage site since 2009. The building has a park and farm buildings adjacent to it. The sale offer includes forests, fields, and two ponds. In total, it comprises 92,198 square meters of area. On the ground floor of the chateau, there are two two-room apartments currently used by the owners.