Jozef Ignác Bajza (1780-1849) is viewed as the pioneer of the Slovak novel and the idea of a unified Slovak language, as well as one of the most significant figures of the Slovak National Revival, the cultural and political emancipation movement behind the formation of the Slovak nation as a modern political entity. After completing his studies in Žilina and later in Vienna, he served as a Catholic priest in Trnava and later as a canon of the Catholic chapter in Pressburg, as Bratislava was known at the time. A supporter of Emperor Joseph II’s Enlightenment reforms, he wrote his book, René, or: A Young Man’s Adventures and Experiences in an early form of Slovak. The second volume was confiscated by the church censors because it was explicitly critical of both church and secular authorities. He is buried in St. Martin’s Cathedral in Bratislava.
