Helena Kadečková studied Germanic studies and Nordic studies at the Charles University`s Faculty of Arts and Islandic at the Reykjavik University. From 1958 to 2011, she worked as a teacher at the Charles University. She published a series of studies about the history of Iceland and Norway and especially about Scandinavian literature. She paid special attention to the mythology and the Middle Ages in Scandinavia. In addition to her publications, pedagogics and science, she dedicated her time to translating. During her life, she translated and popularized a series of works from Icelandic, Old Icelandic, Norwegian and Danish. In 1971 she released a children`s book with the title “Óli, your friend from Iceland”.

Ms. Kadečková was awarded several prizes, both from the Czech Republic and abroad, for her contributions to the development of Nordic literature and foreign cultures. The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav and the Icelandic Order of the Falcon are some of her honours from abroad. In her homeland, she was given the title "First Lady of Nordic studies".

May she rest in peace.