Peter Jaroš 1940 – 2026

Biography

Peter Jaroš (1940–2026) was a Slovak novelist, short-story writer, screenwriter and film dramaturg, born January 22, 1940, in Hybe, Slovakia. He is best known for his multigenerational novel Tisícročná včela (The Millennial Bee), widely regarded as one of the most important Slovak novels of the second half of the 20th century. He wrote the screenplays for two of the most popular Slovak films of the communist era, Pacho, hybský zbojník (1975) and The Millennial Bee (1983), and over his career produced about three dozen books, six radio plays and eight film scripts. From 1992 to 1994 he sat in the Slovak parliament for the Party of the Democratic Left, and he co-wrote the preamble to the Constitution of the Slovak Republic. Jaroš died on November 8, 2026.