Journal History

Czech Journal of Historial Heritage Preservation (1937–1961)

The first issue of the journal entitled Czech Journal of Historical Heritage Preservation (Zprávy památkové péče) was published in January 1937. From the start, the periodical had ten issues a year; it was to be the Czech equivalent of existing national journals of modern heritage conservation, such as Die Denkmalpflege (since 1899) or Les Monuments historiques de France (since 1936). For comparison, the Belgian heritage conservation journal, Bulletin de la Commission royale des monuments et des sites, was not established until 1949. In the beginning, the editorial board was directed by Dr Otto Placht, a lawyer and ministerial official. However, even then, the journal Zprávy památkové péče was influenced by leading experts and tireless advocates of heritage conservation, led by Zdeněk Wirth, Antonín Kutal, Pavel Janák, Vincenc Kramář, and many others. He also outlined the journal's ideological purpose: "The journal’s aim is to supplement the system [of existing national history journals] with brief overviews of everything cultivated in the field of conservation and to inform on everything that influences the conservation itself." The journal was to report on the legislation, administration, organization, and personalia of heritage conservation; on the activities of the authorities involved in the heritage fund preservation; and on the activities of museums and other scientific institutions, archives, societies, associations, and unions. From the very beginning, its scope was meant to cover both the theory and practice of conservation.

Due to the Second World War, the journal was not published from 1942 to 1947. Understandably, the topic of the first post-war issue was war damage repair. From 1949 onwards, the format of the periodical improved; the journal was published eight times a year on glossy paper, devoted to newly established urban conservation areas. Since 1954, the magazine was again published ten times a year and began to focus on medieval topics and the discrepancies between artwork restoration and conservation.

Heritage Conservation (1962–1976)

In 1962, the journal had to change its name to Heritage Conservation (Památková péče). In the spirit of ideologizing the journal contents, a decision was made that the journal’s new purpose would be to present the current state of heritage conservation to the general public and that it should focus on sharing practical experience. However, there was a certain political looseness to several sections (e.g., the Free Tribune or Pros and Cons), and the inventories of restoration work were also beneficial. From the mid-1960s onwards, the liberalization of the political atmosphere became evident in the numerous translations from abroad, with a separate section reporting on ICOMOS, a new international organisation (founded in 1964). After the Soviet invasion and occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968, the publication of the journal was reduced to only four issues a year. Normalization also crept into the pages of the heritage conservation journal. Dr Vladimír Novotný, the then editor-in-chief, wrote: "We must not forget, however, that we, too, are obliged to help the Party achieve its goals."

Heritage and Nature (1976–1992)

In 1976, the magazine was renamed Heritage and Nature (Památky a příroda), even though landscape and natural wealth protection had been intensively addressed in the journal since the 1950s. In terms of topics, the journal was divided into two parts – Heritage Conservation and Nature Protection, and publication was increased to ten times a year. As the editorial of the newly conceived issue explained: "Today we view both cultural heritage and natural formations in their interrelationship, especially in their relationships to their surroundings and all components of life." In 1983, the editorial offices of the two parts of the journal were also separated physically – Heritage Conservation moved to Pohořelec, while Nature Protection remained on Valdštejnské náměstí. In 1984, an editorial board was appointed, whose members would become today's leading experts and collaborators contributing to the journal: Ivo Hlobil, Jiří Kropáček, Tomáš Durdík, Josef Štulc, Ivan P. Muchka, et al.

In the 1980s, new sections were introduced, such as Technology, Conservation, Restoration, and Vladimír Jiránek began contributing cartoons to the natural sciences section. After the revolution, the editorial board was abolished in 1990; naturally, ideologically charged articles disappeared altogether. In the same year, a style guide was published to unify the formal requirements for published articles.

Czech Journal of Historial Heritage Preservation again (since 1992)

In 1992, the journals Nature Protection (Ochrana přírody) and Heritage Conservation (Památková péče) again split into two separate periodicals, with the conservation journal renamed Zprávy památkové péče. It was to emphasise conservation practices, the politics of allocating funds for heritage fund restoration, heritage condition, and successful as well as less successful examples of reconstruction and restoration interventions. Since 1993, the editorial office has resided at Valdštejnské náměstí 3. In 1995, the first methodological supplements began to be published, which would later be issued as separate publications. Since 2003, the journal has had its present design, divided into a scientific study section and a non-peer-reviewed section featuring reports, reviews, personalia, and short articles.