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Milan Balabán
theologian · pedagogue · writer · parson · religious studies scholar · poet · university teacher · Protestant theologian
- September 3, 1929 · Boratyn
- January 4, 2019 · Libice nad Cidlinou
- 89 years
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About Milan Balabán
Milan Balabán, 89, Czech theologian, Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren pastor and anti-communist dissident (Charter 77).
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Full Biography
|Milan Balabán (3 September 1929 – 4 January 2019) was a Czech theologian, professor of religion and the Old Testament, Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren (ECCB) pastor, and poet. Balabán, an anti-communist dissident during Czechoslovakia's communist era, was a Charter 77 signatory. He was also among of group of Czech Old Testament scholars who wrote and translated the Old Testament theologians the Czech Ecumenical Translation of the Bible, which remains the most widely used Czech language translation of the Bible today.
Biography
Balabán was born on 3 September 1929 in the village of Boratyn, Tarnopol Voivodeship, Poland (now located in present-day Ukraine). He graduated from the Protestant Theological Faculty (Evangelická teologická fakulta Univerzity Karlovy [cs]) at Charles University and became a minister in the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren.
Balabán joined the Nová orientace [cs] (New Orientation), a group of Protestant Evangelical theologians and clergy which advocated for democratic reforms in Czechoslovakia, during the 1950s. He continued to push for democratic reforms throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, as an anti-communist dissident. As a result, the communist Czechoslovak Socialist Republic authorities revoked his license to serve as a clergyman in 1974. He was forced to work manual labor jobs, which included time in the Prague city sewer system.
Balabán signed the Charter 77, which called for human rights and democratic reforms in Czechoslovakia.
Milan Balabán died on 4 January 2019 in Libice nad Cidlinou, Czech Republic, at the age of 89.
Awards
- Medal of Merit (October 2002), awarded by President Václav Havel, a fellow Charter 77 dissident.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milan_Balab%C3%A1n
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- October 21, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Milan Balabán's archived record and the sources above.
1.What is the birth date of Milan Balabán?
- A.20 May 1925
- B.3 September 1929correct
- C.4 January 2019
- D.12 October 1935
Milan Balabán was born on 3 September 1929 in the village of Boratyn.
Source: Biography section
2.Where was Milan Balabán born?
- A.Tarnopol, Slovakia
- B.Prague, Czech Republic
- C.Libice nad Cidlinou, Czech Republic
- D.Boratyn, Polandcorrect
Milan Balabán was born in the village of Boratyn, Tarnopol Voivodeship, Poland.
Source: Biography section
3.At which university did Milan Balabán receive his education?
- A.Charles Universitycorrect
- B.University of Economics in Prague
- C.Masaryk University
- D.Palacký University Olomouc
Milan Balabán graduated from the Protestant Theological Faculty at Charles University.
Source: Biography section
4.Milan Balabán served as a pastor in which religious denomination?
- A.Roman Catholic Church
- B.Evangelical Church of Czech Brethrencorrect
- C.Czech Orthodox Church
- D.Lutheran Church of the Czech Republic
Milan Balabán became a minister in the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren.
Source: Biography section
5.What group did Milan Balabán join during the 1950s that advocated for democratic reforms?
- A.Civic Forum
- B.Charter 77
- C.Nová orientacecorrect
- D.The Velvet Underground
Milan Balabán joined the Nová orientace (New Orientation) group of Protestant Evangelical theologians in the 1950s.
Source: Biography section
6.In what year did the Czechoslovak authorities revoke the license of Milan Balabán to serve as a clergyman?
- A.1968
- B.1955
- C.1989
- D.1974correct
The communist Czechoslovak Socialist Republic authorities revoked his license to serve as a clergyman in 1974.
Source: Biography section
7.What manual labor job did Milan Balabán perform after losing his license?
- A.Work in the Prague city sewer systemcorrect
- B.Forestry work
- C.Construction work
- D.Farming in Libice nad Cidlinou
After his license was revoked, Milan Balabán was forced to work manual labor jobs, which included time in the Prague city sewer system.
Source: Biography section
8.What important human rights document was signed by Milan Balabán?
- A.Charter 77correct
- B.The Warsaw Pact
- C.The Maastricht Treaty
- D.The Prague Declaration
Milan Balabán signed the Charter 77, which called for human rights and democratic reforms in Czechoslovakia.
Source: Biography section
9.What is the primary significance of the Czech Ecumenical Translation of the Bible that Milan Balabán helped translate?
- A.It was the first translation authorized by the Pope.
- B.It is the most widely used Czech language translation of the Bible today.correct
- C.It was written in the original Latin.
- D.It is the oldest Czech translation.
The Czech Ecumenical Translation of the Bible, which Milan Balabán worked on, remains the most widely used Czech language translation of the Bible today.
Source: Introductory section
10.In which city did Milan Balabán die?
- A.Prague
- B.Libice nad Cidlinoucorrect
- C.Boratyn
- D.Tarnopol
Milan Balabán died in Libice nad Cidlinou, Czech Republic.
Source: Biography section
11.How old was Milan Balabán at the time of his death?
- A.92
- B.85
- C.89correct
- D.79
Milan Balabán died on 4 January 2019 at the age of 89.
Source: Biography section
12.Who awarded the Medal of Merit to Milan Balabán in October 2002?
- A.Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk
- B.Petr Fiala
- C.Miloš Zeman
- D.Václav Havelcorrect
Milan Balabán received the Medal of Merit in October 2002, awarded by President Václav Havel.
Source: Awards section
13.What profession was Milan Balabán known for besides being a theologian and a pastor?
- A.Physician
- B.Architect
- C.Lawyer
- D.Poetcorrect
Milan Balabán was a Czech theologian, professor, pastor, and poet.
Source: Introductory section
14.Which of the following describes the political stance of Milan Balabán during the communist era?
- A.Government official
- B.Communist Party member
- C.Political neutralist
- D.Anti-communist dissidentcorrect
Milan Balabán was an anti-communist dissident during Czechoslovakia's communist era.
Source: Introductory section
15.In what year did Milan Balabán die?
- A.2019correct
- B.2002
- C.2021
- D.2010
Milan Balabán died on 4 January 2019.
Source: Biography section
16.What subject did Milan Balabán teach as a professor?
- A.Political science
- B.Linguistics
- C.Religion and the Old Testamentcorrect
- D.History of Philosophy
Milan Balabán was a professor of religion and the Old Testament.
Source: Introductory section
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