A Scientist from Ústí nad Labem Runs for Senate with ANO — Meet the "Singing Professor" Who Wrote a Song About Pavel

Michal Hejcman, a professor at Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem who has taken part in excavations of biblical sites in southern Israel, just 30 km from Gaza, is running for the Czech Senate in the Děčín constituency. Although formally independent, the academic is standing on the ANO party list.

"I already have the life and scientific experience that I'd like to put to use for the benefit of citizens," Hejcman explained his decision. He intends to combine his academic career with politics, believing it will bring mutual benefit to both the region and the university: according to him, the Děčín region faces numerous internal challenges, and many of the university's students come precisely from this area.

What the Scientist Studies

Hejcman specializes in environmental archaeology — the analysis of soils at ancient settlement sites. As the professor explains, the hills of the Czech Central Uplands (České Středohoří) are dotted with hillforts whose original purpose remains largely unknown, but chemical soil analysis — measuring the accumulation of phosphorus, calcium, zinc or copper — can reveal how intensively these sites were used for economic activity in the past.

The "Singing Professor" and His Song About Pavel

In northern Bohemia, the scientist is known not only as an archaeologist but also as the "Singing Professor" — the persona behind his YouTube channel. By his own admission, he started writing songs to avoid burning out from endless hours spent at the computer and on field expeditions. He plays guitar, balalaika and ukulele, and since, in his words, there was no "singing biologist" in Czechia writing songs about plants for children, he decided to fill that gap himself — using his songs in kindergartens, schools, university classes and lectures for retirees.

Among his works is a tribute song about President Petr Pavel titled "General Petr Pavel," featuring lines like "he doesn't cruise the pond with a beer in a boat, he knows how to wear a suit and jog in a T-shirt." Hejcman doesn't believe the song could cause any friction with ANO, the party under whose banner he's running: he notes that he wrote it well before deciding to enter the race, and he openly says he respects the president, praising his dignified conduct, extensive experience, and his role in rescuing French soldiers in Yugoslavia. At the same time, he stressed that ANO leader Andrej Babiš also has vast political and managerial experience, and that the president himself, in his view, enjoys support even among ANO voters.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz