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Essays on Cultural Topics and Autobiographical Sketches
The book is a collection of essays on Czech literary and other topics. These are interspersed with autobiographic segments describing the author's and his parent's life in Brno, Prague, Berlin and the Sudetenland in the 1930s and 1940's. To better distinguish essays from autobiographic segments the latter are printed in italics throughout the volume. As reflected in the essays, the author's main interest and expertise appears to lie in the activity and writings of Jewish-Bohemian journalists between the two world wars. Essays that deal with other topics, such as the "Heydrichiada", are for the most part rehashes of information that is readily available elsewhere (Wikipedia, for example).
The author's writing style is often condescending and sarcastic. He mentions in the Preface of the book that his Farrar, Straus and Giroux editor, Ms Sifton, kept reminding him "of the expectations of his American readership". I, for one, am disappointed in the author's narrative and style. The book contains muchtrifling chatter. Thus, the author informs us on page 7 (I have heard the story countless times) that Adolf Hitler was addicted to watching a movie every night and that generally it was a B Western and on pp.42-3 that (and that was new to me) German-Bohemian girls and women in Prague wore hefty shoes and no make-up while Czech girls were well turned out, wearing high heels and expensive stockings. Nor did I care for derogatory superlatives such as (p.235) "The German troops...fought with medieval brutality" or (p.170) "celebrations...with Teutonic pomp". Some of the information is clearly erroneous. An example, though trivial, is the author's statement that the No.14 tram line runs to Branik. That has never been the case. The No.14 runs on the opposite side of town.
Although the author does not elsewhere in the book withold location names this changes when it comes to his May 1945, end-of-German-power, heroics in the Sudetenland. He does not reveal the name of the "little town in the valley" (p.223) which he almost single-handedly cleansed of German "potbellied" policemen (p.234).

Disappointed
Writing style is all over the place and hard to follow.He jumps back and forth in time and mixes stories and facts in an odd way that is best described as choppy.

An Insider's View of the Nazi Absorption of Czechoslovakia
This is quite an unique study of the Nazi takeover of Czechoslovakia in general, and Prague in particular, in that the author, a renown Yale professor of Germanic studies, lived through the events he describes as a child and young man. For those who have visited Prague, a truly remarkable city, it is nothing short of a miracle that so much of its pre-war architecture has survived until today in the Czech Republic. One bonus of the book is the author fills us in on the combined Czech-Jewish-German dimensions of the pre-way city [including Kafka of course]. Fortunately, the Allies did little damage to Prague, for it never was a central target. So much of the terrain the author describes still remains.

So the book proceeds on several tracks simultaneously.The primary focus are the historical events stemming from the Munich fiasco and the return of the Sudenten Germans to Germany, and the eventual "agreement" whereby the entire country became a German protectorate in 1939. In this regard, the author discusses resistance groups, anti-Jewish laws that were imposed, the German effort to subplant Czech cultural life, Reinhard Heydrich during his period as Protector until he was killed by British commandos (leading to the horrendous destruction of Lidice), Heyrich's successor Karl H. Frank, and the Prague uprisings at the end of the war and the displacement of the German authorities.In addition, the author educates us about one of the most fascinating places I visited in the Czech Republic, the former concentration camp at Terezin, where he lost his mother and several of his relatives were imprisoned.We hear relatively little about these historical episodes, and this important book helps restore the balance.

The other track, implemented through discrete sections inserted into the main text, is the author's own life and experiences.The reader really can begin to understand the effectiveness of German control of the country during this period from his own experiences.It is somewhat chilling stuff to read. The author also has first-hand experience with the de-Germanization retributory actions taken after the war and how one unfortunate result was to destroy much of Prague's important German language culture and university education. On a happier note, the author also recounts Prague jazz and movies during the war; interestingly, Goebbels in 1944 tried to shift most German film production to Prague due to the damage done to UFA by Allied bombing.

So, there is much important central European history included in the book.The author also has contributed an excellent 19 page bibliography, though most sources (as is to be expected) are in German and Czech, as well as an extensive index. To understand today we must understand the past, as the historians tell us.This excellent book helps us do just that.

Peril in Prague
A selective history, interwoven with personal reminisces by the author, of a great European city under the thumb of the Nazis. Highly recommended.

Peter Demetz is both a cultural scholar and a witness. His compelling personal story, as a youthful civilian in and around wartime Prague, unfolds in scattered places throughout this book in beautiful, truthful, and understated prose. ... Read more

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An overview of a European country of great natural beauty, emphasizing its rich cultural traditions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Jelkanem
Read the book, then go and visit the country.It is Slovakia in a nutshell. It's beauty,its people,it,s history. The illustrations are colorful and charming. I recomment the book for social studies in schools.

Slovakia - Heart of Europe
It is ok for a child's book.For $31 I did not expect a child's book with approx 60 pages.I thought it would be a regular adult book with 300 or so pages

A paen to all things Slovak
This beautifully illustrated, colorful, hardback book opens with the Slovak anthem ("Nad Tatrou") and closes with a "Prayer for Slovakia;"all points inbetween sing a beautiful paen to Slovakia.If you're looking for a Christmas gift for a Slovak relative, look no further.Published (separately) in both English and Slovak editions by Bolchazy-Carducci publishers, this picture/fact book provides a general overview of the country with its rich cultural traditions.Probably originally intended for juvenile and young adult readers, this book is a treasure trove for everyone, though, with its high-quality illustrations of all things Slovak.Places like Bratislava and Kosice...Slovak forefathers (including a nice mix of politicians, writers, musicians).There is a 2-page simplified map of "places of interest in Slovakia" that features places like castles, famous cathedrals and the Tatra mountains.Devin Castle gets 3-pages devoted to it (perhaps a bit excessive), followed by a brightly illustrated 2-page map of the High Tatras--"our miniature Alps."Next comes a section of "Slovak superlatives" (or little-known facts) pointedout with bullets.Facts like the biggest fish in Slovakia (the sheat-fish), the smallest mammal (the lesser shrew)...There is a colorful tribute to Janosik and his band of outlaws and then much space is devoted to depictions of various Slovak artwork--leatherwork, embroidery, wooden products...old Easter and Christmas customs are covered in delightful detail and if you've been puzzled by the values of Slovak currency, perplex-no-more because its' thorough lesson on Slovak money should take care of that once and for all.A 3-page spread which recants Slovakia's historical journey to independence is a valuable, concise recap and a good refresher for everyone.The book fittingly closes with Milan Rufus' "Prayer for Slovakia."

Enchanting introduction to the gateway country
Olga Drobna and company do a masterful of displaying the beauty and tragedy of Slovakian histroy.The heartfelt writing and graceful illustrations entice the reader to empathize with the beleagured littlecountry.The translation from Slavic to English only marginally disruptsthe serene nature of the book. ... Read more

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Ilona Lakova's darked skinned illiterate Gypsy father fell in love with her pale skinned Polish mother whilst a prisoner in Russia during the First World War. They returned to his mothers house in a Gypsy settlement on the edge of the village of Saris in Slovakia where their family of nine grew up, despised and mocked by the peasants on whom they depended for work. Ilona describes in simple unaffected language what it was like to be part of a tight knit community bound together by language, customs, music and a love of family, the spirit of "Romipen". Like all respectable Romani girls she was married early to a husband chosen by her parents and moved into the house of her mother in law and at the outbreak of war was a mother herself. Fear of the fascist Hlinka Guard who shaved the heads of Gypsy girls and sent the men to labour camps dominated their lives. Dawn came with the arrival of the Russians and the hope of a new life in a socialist society where all were equal. Life changed. Good money could be earned on construction sites in the Czech lands. She and her husband joined the Communist Party but Gypsies were the last in line for equal treatment.Ilona wrote a play about life in a Gypsy settlement during the war, formed a theatre company with friends and family and for two years toured the country. Fame brought new opportunities, a job for her husband, a flat for the family, intensive training and the chance to help her fellow Gypsies whose conditions in their settements were even worse that before the war. She was the first Gypsy woman to be appointed a Communist Party official, was active in the Red Cross and met the country's President in the former Castle of the Hapsburg emperors in Prague. But it was a false dawn which saw the Roma forgetting their own language, abandoning their traditions and pride in their way of life. her people had lost their self respect, were filthy and sometimes starving. The peasants no longer employed them in the Socialist state and they had lost all hope. She struggled to get them work, ration cards, clean water and they called her their partisan. Ilona describes all this in the words of an educated woman who went on to study at Charles University but remained in tune with the vanishing life of the Gypsies.Her story was recorded in Romani over many years by her friend, the sociologist Milena Hubschmannova of Charles University, who translated it into Czech, adapted it for radio and eventually arranged for its publication as "I was born under a lucky star" in 1987. ... Read more

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Real Deal on the Raw Deal
Elena Lackova was born in the Northeastern region of Slovakia, a wild and ancient region settled long ago by Saxons and later, Hungarians. The Slovaks made up the peasantry and--as Lackova tells it--the Roma (Gypsies) were the underclass, at turns serving and being oppressed by every other social class/ethnic group. Lackova's voice is not as historical as it is personal and the book is not traditional history but rather oral history, historical events as lived by Lackova, her family and her settlement. The stories offer a series of impressions at turns shocking, humorous, joyful and sad. The reader can gleam a lot about Roma culture from Lackova's memories, about the struggles and setbacks but also the patience and humor of a much maligned people.

I spent the last two years in Peace Corps Slovakia and can best describe the situation of the 500,000 Slovak Roma as a kind of de facto apartheid. In Slovakia the "townships" are called settlements, and Lackova points out a fact scarcely recognized in modern Slovakia--that settlements were created in World War II through zoning laws inspired by the fascist-leaning Slovak government. Those familiar with South Africa will find other simularities, as well, including linguistic/educational oppression and routine police brutality.

Ilona Lackova's book bravely sheds light on a deep problem urgently demanding redress. ... Read more

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As societies around the world are challenged to respond to ever growing environmental crises, it has become increasingly important for activists, policy makers, and environmental practitioners to understand the dynamic relationship between environmental movements and the state. In communist Eastern Europe, environmental activism fueled the rise of democratic movements and the overthrow of totalitarianism. Yet, as this study of environmentalism in Slovakia shows, concern for the environment declined during the post-communist period, an ironic victim of its own earlier success.

In Nature Protests, Edward Snajdr demonstrates how concerns about ecology generated a social movement that led to political dialogue about freedom, ethnicity, and power. He connects the role that green dissidents played in communism's collapse with the forces in Slovak society that replaced them. Through ethnographic interviews and archival materials, he explains why Slovakia's ecology movement, so strong under socialism, fell apart so rapidly despite the persistence of serious ecological maladies in the region. Synthesizing theory in anthropology and political ecology, he suggests that the fate of environmentalism in Slovakia marks the beginning of a global post-ecological age, where nature is culturally maginalized in new ways.

In addition to its significance for policy makers, this book will be a valuable resource for anthropologists, sociologists, political ecologists, and scholars of East European and post-Soviet studies. ... Read more

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A History of Central European Women's Writing offers a unique survey of literature from the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, and Slovenia. It illustrates the development of women's writing in the region from the middle ages to the present day, placing individual writers in their social and political context and showing how processes shaping their lives are reflected in their works.Celia Hawkesworth teaches Serbian and Croatian studies at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College, London. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A little on a lot...
I purchased this book mainly as a reference for Czech and Slovak women writers, attracted to its self-described need to "stress communality of experiences by countries shaped by similar historical and political processes."The editors claims the intent of the book is to reverse the neglect of women writers in central European countries and touts her own horn by telling us that "this is a pioneering work."It may be so, in that it is the first anthology containing the former Hapsburg-controlled lands, but at least as far as Czech and Slovak women writers are concerned, pretty much the same old material gets rehashed.The Czech section is thorough and is one of the longer chapters in the book;there is some new myth-killing info on Nemcova as it discusses the curious "cult of personality" that surrounded this author of Babicka.Biographical info on other Czech women is interesting (Svetla, Krasnahorska) and there is an interesting addition of a writer named Irma Geisslova.The Slovak section of the texzt is 18 pages in length.The first author discussed in detail is Lehocka, described as "an archetype of the Slovak women's movement" (hyperbole at its worst), for in the the next paragraph, Soltesova is branded as "a pioneer of Slovak women's literature and the women's movement" (yet, the author admits, Soltesova liked to emphasize 'woman's natural role'in daily life).The editors make the claim in the Introduction that "the text does not set out to give a feminist account of material covered" and yet seems eager to hang such titles on each different writer--with a decidedly feminist bent to them.About Podjavorinska:"(she) avoided radical feminism because she needed male writer's support."The disappointingly short blurb on Slovak writer Timrava grossly misjudges her work, calling it "banal" and "sanitized."Since this book hails from Britain and European editorship, though, the text is blessedly free of American academic pomo-jargon;there is little mumbo-jumbo.Ursula Philips, who authors the chapter on Polish writers, has a direct, powerful writing style.Some chapters in the book are frustratingly short (yet understandably so).The valuable bibliography lists all the authors who have works available in English translations. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from National Catholic Reporter, published by Thomson Gale on July 15, 2005. The length of the article is 882 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Slovakia at the crossroads: small nations with rich histories may have much to teach us.(THE LION'S DEN)
Author: Robert Royal
Publication: National Catholic Reporter (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 15, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 41Issue: 34Page: 16(1)

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A comprehensive analysis of where politics, culture, and art merge, The Great Country Houses of the Czech Republic and Slovakia is a captivating read for anyone curious about the history and architecture of these two countries. Gerhard Trumler’s striking photographs allow readers entrance, for example, to the Liechtensteins’ twin chateaux of Valtice and Lednice in the Czech Republic. The lords of these castles established one of the greatest art collections in the world and played a major role in the diplomatic and military lives of the nation; they still remain as the ruling house of the Principality of Liechtenstein. Pratt’s new chapter speaks of the difficulties of restoration and problems concerning modern-day ownership. Though many estates were lost or damaged during the World Wars, the houses as they stand today—some restored, some languishing in disrepair—present a rich cultural heritage of two fascinating countries. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Canadian Journal of History, published by University of Saskatchewan on April 1, 1996. The length of the article is 795 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Rusyns of Slovakia: An Historical Survey. (book reviews)
Author: A.B. Pernal
Publication: Canadian Journal of History (Refereed)
Date: April 1, 1996
Publisher: University of Saskatchewan
Volume: v31Issue: n1Page: p119(2)

Article Type: Book Review

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Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovakia were all German allies in the Second World War, unlike the other countries of Europe which had either been forcibly occupied by the Nazis or remained neutral.SOE Missions mounted within their borders were thus doubly hazardous for they were conducted in enemy-populated territory, heavily policed by military forces and gendarmerie.Furthermore all these states had well developed and experienced security services, usually supplemented by Gestapo and Abwehr units.A further complication to the activities of SOE in these countries was that they had all been effectively conceded by Western Allies to Russia; not surprisingly therefore, operations in the Soviet 'sphere of influence' were to prove diabolically difficult.

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''As in the story of Hansel and Gretel... I decided to memorize the location of trees and stones...'' Narrated by the 12-year-old elder daughter of a Jewish Slovakian family of four who wandered from hideout to hideout, this is a tale of survival, a little girl's courage, and first love. Honorable Mention, the Ze'ev Prize for Young Adult Books, 2000. ... Read more