The Carpathian Brothers' villa is of interest to the ministry as well as the municipal district

Ladislav Machoň: Two Villas of the Čapek Brothers, Prague-Vinohrady (1923-24)

Prague - The historical villa of the Čapek brothers, which is for sale through the M&M real estate agency, is of interest to the state as well as the municipal district of Prague 10, where the house is located. This was confirmed today by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Culture (MK) Lenka Brandtová and the deputy mayor of Prague 10 Bohumil Zoufalík (Independent Club).
    "We are interested in purchasing the villa and are currently exploring our options. However, the attention from the media is not helping the situation; a significant number of buyers with various intentions may appear," Brandtová told ČTK today. According to her, the state does not have the right of first refusal on the monument-protected villa. This would apply if it were designated as a national cultural monument.
    The municipal district of Prague 10 also wants to negotiate for the purchase. The purchase of the house, which is offered for 49 million crowns, would need to be supported by a professional appraisal and approved by the municipal council, Zoufalík stated.
    "I can imagine establishing a museum and gallery for the Čapek brothers connected with an educational center about this iconic brother duo," said Zoufalík. Today, he tasked officials to begin discussions with the representatives of the seller and obtain more information. Prague 10 is also negotiating with the Society of the Čapek Brothers about the possible future use of the building.
    Director of the Memorial of National Literature Zdeněk Freisleben has specific ideas on how to utilize the villa for researchers, presuming that the state purchases it, in order to preserve the unique monument to Karel Čapek and his circle of friends. "Our collections include many archival documents related to this writer and dramatist. We provided many of them when the Karel Čapek Memorial was being established in Strž near Dobříš. It would be fitting if the owner sold the villa so that we could acquire part of the archival materials," Freisleben told ČTK. However, the owner does not agree to this; he wants to sell everything as a whole. Although he reportedly has an interest in keeping the building in its original condition.
   "The most unique aspect is primarily the last completely preserved workspace of Čapek, and it would be a shame if something were to happen to it. The documents, correspondence, photographs, or developed films, as well as the chair on which President Masaryk sat, are also valuable. These are objects that are primarily intended for specialists. Thus, a unique research and museum facility could be created," Freisleben added.
    The National Library is also interested in managing the villa, its director Tomáš Böhm said to ČTK today. "Our primary interest is for the villa to be purchased by the Ministry of Culture so that it belongs to the state," Böhm stated. "We do not insist on it being managed by the National Library; it could also be managed by the Memorial of National Literature; we just do not want such a monument to fall under any other department than that of the Ministry of Culture," he added.
    However, interest from state institutions is being hindered by Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek (TOP 09). According to his statement in the Lidové noviny (LN), the state should not acquire such properties "in a surge of emotions." "I think that an individual could manage this building more efficiently. However, if significant state institutions express their interest and substantiate the validity of such a step, I cannot rule out (the purchase)," Kalousek stated in LN. Minister of Culture Alena Hanáková (STAN) will inform the government about this matter at one of the upcoming meetings.
    President Miloš Zeman did not want to comment on the sale of the villa today. "Don't be angry, but this is a problem I am not very familiar with. And since I do not know something, I will honestly admit it and will not pretend to be an omniscient person," he told reporters as he left the congress of the Stars and Independents movement in Průhonice near Prague.
    The real estate agency offers the villa including the estate. According to the website slavnestavby.cz, the Čapek brothers had the twin house built between 1923 and 1924 according to the design of architect Ladislav Machoň. The upper floor of Karel's part contained his study and the attic had guest rooms. Josef had an art studio in the gable. The garden, which both brothers tended, was important. After their deaths, the twin house was inherited by their surviving family members. The land has nearly one thousand square meters.