Pavel grew up in Krnov, a small Silesian town in the Sudets Mountains. After attending a French-language grammar school in Olomouc, he studied history at the Masaryk University in Brno, specializing in 19th-century ethnic conflicts in Central Europe. He has since worked in media, including a period as editor of the liberal Jewish magazine, Maskil.

Pavel has been working as a professional tour guide in English and French since 2012. His favorite topics are the psychology of architecture and the sociological understanding of Central European history. He is also a specialist in Czech beers and loves biking.