Tom� Garrigue Masaryk (March 7, 1850 - September 14, 1937) - founder and first president of Czechoslovakia, educator, philosopher and politician. Is also known as the Liberator president.

Tom� Garrigue Masaryk was born in Hodonin in South Moravia. His parents worked on the farm Jewish businessman Nathan Redlich: mother worked as a cook, his father was a coachman. Through the intercession of the parish priest parents talented son signed up for the lower real school in Hustope�e. After finishing Masaryk went to Vienna, where he was apprenticed mechanic. However, he escaped from school and then worked for some time as a blacksmith's apprentice in �ej�i, then joined the German grammar school in Brno.

Thanks to the excellent benefits gained a scholarship plus extra money as a tutor in the family of Chief Constable Anton Le Monnier. Reception was at the time so tall that he could support his studies and his younger brother Louis. Due to the rejection of compulsory schooling confession, and other objections, the young Masaryk got into a dispute with the school. After one of the incidents was even threatened with expulsion from all his Austrian educational institutes.

At the time, Le Monnier luckily transferred to Vienna and his protege with him. Masaryk then from November 1869, he began studying at a grammar school, graduated in 1872 and enrolled at the Faculty of Philosophy in Vienna to study philology. There he was greatly influenced by the excellent German professor Franz Brentano, with whom he later befriended Masaryk. In 1873, Le Monnier dies, Masaryk but found a new job and financial security for the banker Rudolf Schlesinger. His son Masaryk accompanied on study tours in Italy and then in Germany. In Leipzig, where he expanded education, first met his future wife Charlotte Garrigue, daughter of a wealthy businessman from New York. The girl in all interesting and before departure from Germany betrothed couple. When the New York came news that Charlotte was hurt, went Masaryk across the Atlantic and soon married his love. As a tribute to his wife, the future president of Czechoslovakia began to use her name as well.

The couple first settled in Vienna, where they were born to their children Alice and Herbert. In September 1878 Masaryk submitted his doctoral thesis Suicide mass social phenomenon of modern education , whose book editions later met with considerable response. The family across the Viennese period faced financial problems, so when in 1882 came an offer from Professor John Kv��ala from the University of Prague, Masaryk did not hesitate and accepted the position of Associate Professor. The couple soon joined in Prague's social life and became an esteemed celebrities, despite their free-thinking and emancipated views that the then conservative environment often led to embarrassment. In 1886, they had another son Jan, 1890 a daughter Eleanor, who, however, died the same year. A year later, was born the youngest Olga. In addition to lectures at the university Masaryk also engaged in scientific work and edited the magazine Atheneum, to whom also contributed.

In 1887 and 1888, Masaryk lived in Russia, where he met the writer and philosopher Leo Tolstoy. From this journey originated two-volume work Russia and Europe .

Storm caused Masaryk, when he led the experts questioning the authenticity of the Royal Court Manuscript and Zelenorske. Despite being handed a clear arguments, proving that it is a forgery, could not he part of the professional and lay public to forgive.

In the following nineties published a number of works: in 1895 it was the Czech question our current crisis, Jan Hus and Karel Havlicek. Followed writings Modern Man and Religion (1896) and the Social Question (1898).

Masaryk always advocated impartial and fair view of the matter, even at the cost of his own convictions. It also proved in the case of so Hilsner trial. Jewish youth Leopold Hilsner the time he committed ritual murder, which Masaryk dismissed as unfounded superstition. Hysteria, which then broke out, hit the Masaryk students who his professor as traitors and even demonstrated against him.

Political career started TG Masaryk in the ranks by the Young Czechs, into which he entered in 1890. With views of his party colleagues, however, gradually began to disperse. In 1900 he founded Czech People's Party, which six years later adopted the name of Czech Progressive Party. For it was in 1907 and 1911 elected deputy in the constituency Ro�nov, Vset�n, Vala�sk� Hats, Byst�ice pod Host�nem, Bojkovice, cutlery, Kop�ivnice, Nov� Ji��n, �tramberk, Zl�n, Vala�sk� Mezi����, beautiful and Vizovice.

Until the First World War he served as the only deputy of the party. After the outbreak of the conflict Masaryk went abroad and began to organize resistance to the Habsburg monarchy. He lived first in Italy, in Geneva and then moved to France and then to England. Masaryk was aware of the importance of Czechoslovak legions of emerging especially in Russia, where he had gone to support them. Advocated the free recruitment of volunteers, which the Russian authorities permitted only after the successful deployment of Czechoslovak Brigade at the Battle of Zborova (2 July 1917). This resulted in a well-organized army, which gradually reaching a total of up to 40,000 men. The planned move to France, however, interrupted Bolshevik October Revolution. Masaryk therefore organized a challenging move along the Trans-Siberian Corps to the port of Vladivostok and then ships back to Europe. TG Masaryk went to the USA, where together with Czech and Slovak expatriate associations enforced exile and the emergence of the Czechoslovak state. President of the Republic was elected Nov. 14, 1918, he himself returned to his homeland until December 20 and the following day in Prague was triumphantly welcomed. The highest representative of the Czechoslovak Republic, Masaryk became four times. Resigned December 14, 1935, as his successor recommended Edvard Benes. Tom� Garrigue died on September 14, 1937 at Lany Castle.