Čapkova was built in 1900.
Until 1931, it was called Barákova, after Josef Barák, a politician, poet and journalist who was close to Jindřich Fügner (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/07/06/prague-2-day-58-fugnerovo-namesti/).
More on him one day in the not-very-near future, as he still has a street in Modřany.
Jan Čapek was born in Michle in 1876, and grew up on this street (house number 176). He worked as a glove-maker, as well as the supervisor of a mine in Orlová, Silesia. He was also a member of the Michle Sokol (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/26/prague-2-day-114-sokolska/).
He fought in World War I, but was captured by Italians in 1917 and held in the Santa Maria Capua Vetere camp.
While there, he co-founded the Československý dobrovolnický sbor / Czechoslovak Volunteer Corps, which was meant to be the first step to forming an independent Czech & Slovak army there.
There was just one problem: Italy constantly had its eye on territories on the other side of the Adriatic, and didn’t like the idea of Slovenes, Dalmatians or others taking inspiration and forming their own Volunteer Corps.
Therefore, Čapek and the Czechoslovak National Council (led by one T.G. Masaryk (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/09/01/prague-2-day-156-masarykovo-nabrezi/)) agreed that the Czechoslovak Volunteer Corps could form a labour unit instead.
Later in 1917, the Italians, suffering losses, agreed to the formation of Czechoslovak reconnaissance units and a division that would fight on the river Piave. Jan Čapek died in battle there on 17 June 1918, his 42nd birthday, and missed out on seeing an independent Czechoslovakia by only a few months.
In 1922, his remains were transferred to Prague, and then buried at Orlová. Since 1926, a plaque has been on the façade of his childhood home. The street was named after him five years later.
Finally, I don’t know if the rest of my walks around Michle will offer as pretty a view as on this street, because the bar has been set very high indeed.
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