PETR CHELČICKÝ AT VODŇANY

Petr Chelčický ranked among the most influential religious thinkers of the 15th century. He lived in the village of Chelčice near Vodňany, and his pacifist teachings distinguished him from the main Hussite factions. He knew the leaders of the Hussite movement personally, especially Jan Hus. His religious principles included the complete equality of all Christians. According to Chelčický, people living in secular coexistence must endure evil without resistance to be rewarded in the afterlife. This belief sets him apart from the Hussites, who were not hesitant to defend their truth and religion with weapons.

The painting represents an event in autumn 1420 when the victorious Hussite army marched from Prague back to southern Bohemia. At that time, the powerful feudal lord Oldřich of Rosenberg, an implacable enemy of the Hussites since his defeat at Tábor, invaded the town of Vodňany with his mercenaries. He murdered or banished supporters of the reform movement, demolished the city walls and appointed new, anti-Hussite town councillors. The news of this act quickly reached the Hussite army, which set out from the camp near Písek and stormed Vodňany to right the wrongs perpetrated by the attackers.

Smoke rises from the plundered and burning city in the background. The inhabitants flee to the pond near the Chelčice village and lay their dead and wounded on its shore. Hopelessness, fear and anxiety reflect on many faces: on the left is a crying little girl who was able to save only the dishes in the basket and a bird in a cage from her home. Next to her, a young woman mourns the death of her loved ones. The sight of destroyed homes evokes other feelings in the hearts of the inhabitants. The desire for revenge overwhelms everything else. At this moment, Petr Chelčický steps in and proclaims his great faith in the power of love, tolerance and forgiveness. He holds the man's raised fist and tells him: "No, you must not repay evil with evil because then it multiplies, and it does not end. Let the evil perish."

In his tractates, Petr Chelčický condemns everything that contradicts Christian love, faith and hope, especially violence in any form. He lived to see his ideals fulfilled: In 1457, Jan Řehoř founded the Unity of Brethren in Kunvald according to his teachings.