August Klecka was an American politician and newspaper editor of Czech descent. He was a member of the Baltimore City Council from 1915 to 1933, representing Ward 7. Upon his election in 1915, Klecka became the first American of Czech descent to be elected to the Baltimore City Council.[1] He was a leading personality in the Czech community and for Czech Democrats in Baltimore.[2] Klecka represented Czech voters and ran the Slavic Building and Loan Association.[3] He also performed as acting mayor of Baltimore for a time in 1931.[4]
August Klecka | |
|---|---|
| Baltimore City Council 2ndDistrict | |
| In office 1915–1933 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 February 1878 Baltimore, Maryland |
| Died | 12 August 1946 (aged 68) Baltimore, Maryland |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Lillian |
| Parent(s) | Joseph Klecka (Father) Marie Hranicka Klecka (Mother) |
Klecka was born on 2 February 1878. His father Josef Klečka (from Nehodiv) was a prominent figure in Baltimore. His mother Marie Hraničková was an immigrant from Kvášňovice. August's brother James was Chief Magistrate of the People's Court of Baltimore.[5]
Starting in 1929, Klecka served as the editor of the Telegraf, a Czech-language newspaper in Baltimore.[1]
He was appointed as Federal Marshal for the state of Maryland by Franklin D. Roosevelt, serving from 1933 to 1946.[6]
In 1901, Klecka married Julia Lavicka at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church.[7] She died in 1931 while he served as acting mayor.[8] In 1932, he married a widow, Lillian Lottes-Bricker,[9] at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Frederick.[10]
After Klecka's death in 1946, his wife Lillian took over his role as Ward 7's most important political figure.[3]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b Chapelle, Suzanne Ellery Greene (1980). Baltimore: An Illustrated History. Woodland Hills, California: Windsor Publications. p. 156. ISBN 0897810090.
- ^ Rechcigl, Jr., Miloslav (2013). Czech American Timeline: Chronology of Milestones in the History of Czechs in America. Bloomington, Indiana: AuthorHouse LLC. p. 132. ISBN 978-1491824849. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
- ^ a b Durr, Kenneth D. (2003). Behind the Backlash: White Working-Class Politics in Baltimore, 1940-1980. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press. p. 225. ISBN 0-8078-2764-9. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
August Klecka.
- ^ "The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland on August 2, 1931 · 16". Newspapers.com. 2 August 1931. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
- ^ "19 Jan 1926, 18 - The Baltimore Sun at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
- ^ "U.S Marshals For The District Of Maryland". Maryland State Archives. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
- ^ "St. Wenceslaus Church CollectionMSA SC 2569M 1675A Publication of the Archives of Maryland Online, 392". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
- ^ "The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland on August 9, 1931 · 20". Newspapers.com. 9 August 1931. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
- ^ "The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland on January 25, 1987 · 27". Newspapers.com. 25 January 1987. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
- ^ "The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland on June 21, 1932 · 6". Newspapers.com. 21 June 1932. Retrieved 2021-11-12.