Customer Reviews:
Great - but could have been even better.......2007-09-27
As good as this book is, it could have been much better. Kovaly has a fascinating story to tell but too much of her story tells how this happened and then that happened without enough analysis or explanation. Kovaly lived through Hitler and Stalin and she has an amazing story to tell.
The book starts with the deportation of the Jews from Prague, where Kovaly lived, to the ghetto of Lodz in Poland. She describes the horrors and the death she encountered there. She then skips ahead to the last concentration/slave labor camp she was in before the war ended. She describes how she tells the German man who runs the factory about the extermination camps, a topic with which he seems to be utterly unfamiliar. And although the part she tells us is fascinating, she leaves out much of the story that she tells him. Finally she tells us of her escape as she is being marched away from the advancing Russian armies, her return to Prague, and her rejection by all the friends she had left behind. By far this is the best part of the book.
But this part ends sixty pages into the book and she has much more to tell us. After the war, Kovaly marries the man she always loved and he becomes a member of the Czech communist party and eventually a minister in the government. With the failures of communism, a scapegoat is needed by the government and her husband is arrested and executed as a traitor as part of the Slansky trials. As the widow of a traitor, her life in Prague is hell but she spends her every effort to care for her child and to rehabilitate her husband. Finally, in the early 1960's, reforms in Czechoslovakia led to her husband and all the others having their convictions overturned. The reforms continue until the Prague Spring of 1968 leading to the Russian invasion and the crushing of the new freedoms. At this point Kovaly flees for the West to join her son who is living in London.
The book is short at less than 200 pages and many things happen so the story moves quickly. But too much of the story tells us what happened as a way for Kovaly to avoid talking about herself. For example, by starting with the deportations, we learn nothing about Kovaly's life before the Nazis. Kovaly doesn't even tell us how old she was or what she was doing when she was rounded up. With all Kovaly has been through she has had to have built a wall to protect herself and she only shows us glimpses through that wall. But the book still remains an amazing story of the holocaust and the early communist years in Czechoslovakia. Her glimpses into how communism must always fail by its very nature from someone who was on the inside are worth reading to help us understand the 20th century. Kovaly leaves out the happy ending she finally achieved. It is a happy ending she deserves.
Under A Cruel Star & Reflections of Prague.......2006-08-07
My mother's book, in print since 1973 under various titles, the last being 'Under A Cruel Star', inspired me to write my own side of the story about my lost father, JUDr Rudolf Margolius. Now published and called 'Reflections of Prague: Journeys through the 20th century' it fills gaps in my mother's book provided by further research and historical information, some of which was not available to her and which many readers of her book had asked us for over the years. Hopefully this companion volume provides answers to these questions. I hope you find this book interesting and would welcome your feedback.
A mother's undying love for her son; a son's undying love for his mother..........2006-07-14
When I finished reading Heda Margolius Kovaly's stunning chronicle of continuous struggle, concentration camp survival, and eventual triumph, I had to stare out my window onto the street below for a long while, watching the people.
There I was, working and residing in modern-day Prague, mingling amongst the tourists and locals, with my feet touching those very same cobblestones of a city which Ms. Margolius Kovaly horrifically describes in her heart-rending tale of human resilience, UNDER A CRUEL STAR.
The realization blew my mind. I had to catch my breath.
Not too long ago -- a mere drip in the historical bucket -- very bad people once populated this ancient city and land. They were entirely free to express their poisonous views, shouting vile epithets about so-called "pure race," the so-called "scourge" of Jews, and about the so-called "evils" its then-society faced from saboteurs, fifth-columnists unaligned with Czechoslovakia's Communist Party.
As I walk these streets, I interact and share the same space with these people, the descendants, heirs, and inheritors of a very rotten recent legacy. It's this legacy that Ms. Margolus Kovaly chillingly describes and in vivid, sordid detail in her poignant memoir, UNDER A CRUEL STAR.
Commend, I say, this mighty woman of valour for sharing with you how much pain she once had to endure. Applaud her for how much strife she had to overcome when she returned from the unspeakable indescribable conditions of the Nazi's killing factory at Auschwitz, of which much has been written in the canon. I needn't repeat it here.
Be shocked at the clarity and the precision of Heda's language, and -- trust me -- reel and wonder why it is that she even chose to return to this infernal place, this city of Prague, municipal architect of her early life's damnation. For that, Heda deserves the equivalent of a "purple heart" for her resilience and fortitude. But this is not nearly enough...
As I read Heda's story, those small insignificant stresses which descend on a given day PALE by comparison. No longer will I feel needless stress. No longer will I be affected by it.
I am describing to you the impact of this memoir. Heda's strength will permeate you.
I love this book because it pries open a vista on a period these present Czech authorities are anxious to enshroud in mystery. I hear very little discussion today of what is known as Czechoslovakia's "collaborationist past" in the modern-day "Czech Republic."
Not a single leader in this fledgling country is willing to boldly take responsibility for the actions of this successor nation's preceding governments, whose reins -- the ones they now grip tightly -- are the offshoot of very rotten roots. Today's government must own up to its legacy, one which is responsible -- among countless other atrocities and crimes -- for murdering eleven perfectly innocent men, like Rudolf Margolius, Heda's late husband and father to her author son, Ivan, in 1953's Slansky (show) Trial. I was angered when I'd read how the doctor's in Stalin's infamous "Doctor's Plot" were not hanged, while Mr. Margolius and his ten other co-accused were. It made me *very* angry, and anger I wish not to think too much about for fear of what it might result in.
Evaluating this all, you scratch your head wondering where Heda derives all her strength? From where comes her unassailable moral fortitude and her staunchness without fail?
Look, don't read this book because *I'm* telling you to. I know I review a lot of titles, and you'd normally trust me judgement because you trust me, but don't, okay?
Also don't read this book because it's stylistically-impeccable and superbly written. I'll have you know there isn't a shred of literary critique I've got for the brilliant lines filling Heda's pages.
Read this book to place your life into perspective, if it's a comfortable and cushy one. Read this book to either compare or contrast Heda's past with what you call *your* past, and finally understand how the might of the human spirit is unbreakable. Heda Margolius Kovaly is the living proof. She is the embodiment of intrepid courage. And it's high time you get to know what that is.
I wish there were more than five stars I could give.
-- ADM in Prague
(for the writings of Ivan Margolius, please see "REFLECTIONS OF PRAGUE," for more information)
extraordinary memoir in several languages.......2006-05-26
I am the English-language publisher of Ms. Kovaly's extraordinary memoir, that is now being read in major universities around the world for an eyewitness view of twentieth century totalitarianism --in this case Nazism and Stalinism -- in Central Europe. This translation has been the basis for the UK, French, German, Dutch and Japanese editions of this book. There are very few books in any language by or about Czech Jewish women. Another excellent one is my wife Helen Epstein's journalistic memoir of her maternal line of Bohemian Jews titled Where She Came From: A Daughter's Search for her Mother's History, which covers the years 1800-1948 in the Czech lands.
a note from the translator of this book.......2005-05-14
As the translator from the Czech and the editor of the Plunkett Lake Press version of this book, I'd like to address the confusion about editions. Heda Kovaly first wrote this book in Czech. It was translated first by Czech philosopher Erazim Kohak who published it together with his own writing in one volume. In 1985, Heda Kovaly and I together translated and produced a new edition of her memoir. We called it Under A Cruel Star. That version was subsequently published by Penguin and then Holmes & Meier. There are also British, French, German, Dutch and Japanese translations that have been published under different titles. All have used the Plunkett Lake text.
Book Description
Who but Rick Steves can tell travelers where to ride an Austrian mountain luge or visit the 3,000-year-old bust of Queen Nefertiti in Berlin? With Rick Steves' Best of Eastern Europe 2006, travelers can experience Rick's favorite destinations in Eastern Europe, including Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Krakow, Ljubljana, and Dubrovnik — economically and hassle-free. Completely revised and updated, Rick Steves' Best of Eastern Europe 2006 includes opinionated coverage of both famous and lesser-known sights; friendly places to eat and sleep; suggested day plans; walking tours and trip itineraries; clear instructions for smooth travel anywhere by car, train, or foot; and Rick's newest "back door" discoveries. America's #1 authority on travel to Europe, Rick's time-tested recommendations for safe and enjoyable travel in Europe have been used by millions of Americans in search of their own unique European travel experience.
Customer Reviews:
Best Travel Book I Have Ever Purchased.......2007-01-10
I am a recent convert to Rick Steves. When I decided to travel around Eastern Europe I at first opted for the old standby - Lonely Planet. However, I stumbled upon so many great reviews of Rick Steves that I decided to get this book instead. I am certainly glad that I did.
Rick has a flair for sucking one into the world of which he writes. Before I even took my trip I found myself reading the travel book for leisure, not just planning.
The tips on hotels and hostels were great, as well as various restaurants. While I am not exactly a heavy spender, the book gave me great suggestions that allowed me to really feel like I was mixing in with the locals, especially in Slovenia.
I was also very impressed with Rick's recommendations on which sites and monuments to check out and which ones to skip. Steves is not afraid to state quite bluntly if an attraction is worth skipping. The only time Rick let me down was with the Joze Plecnik house in Ljubljana, which turned out to be a complete waste of time. I would have rather just spent more time in Bled.
I highly recommend any Rick Steves book. He is arguable the best travel writer around today. It's a pity that he only focuses on Europe, as I'm sure even a book on Tajikistan would be fascinating.
Great buy.......2007-01-03
It's always good to read the history of a place before visiting it! I helps to understand the behavior of the people. And the hints are also really worth!! Great savings!!
Best Way to see Eastern Europe.......2006-11-05
Rick Steve makes travel a cinch. The book hooks you up with the best restaurants, hotels, and places to see. I used this book last fall and did things I would have missed without it. Such as chasing a wedding couple in a rowboat in pouring rain across the lake in Bled to see the groom carry the bride up 100 steps, having an elegant dinner in Tito's favorite villa and staying in the coolest jail house in the world in Lujbiana (sp.). I bought this 2nd book for my sister who is going to Eastern Europe next spring.
Excellent Information.......2006-06-30
Rick Steves did his homework and this book definately helped in the small details. Especially helpful was the section regarding Auschwitz. Getting to and from can be tricky, and the book helps the situation. However, the minibus system wasn't as described in the book. Overall, a fantastic resource for traveling to Eastern Europe.
Needs improvement to be user-friendly!.......2006-06-22
Although there was a wealth of information within the book, it was almost impossible to locate through the Index. If you are trying to find an explanation or discussion quickly, do not bother with this book, as we found it necessary to leaf through pages and scan for key words, which often were noted museums, churches, palaces, etc.
For ease of use, and because of its weight, it should be separated into 2-3 volumes. We stopped carrying it very soon after arriving in Eastern Europe.
Book Description
The complete history of the Slovak Armed Forces during World War II is covered here in this book. Hundreds of period photos, tables, maps, color uniform plates, orders of battle, strength returns/losses abound. This is an academic and authoritative study of the Slovak military, including the Hlinka Guard & Air Force, as well as the Army and Gendarmerie. The political and military history of Tiso's regime is included, as well as a section on the Shoah (Holocaust).
Amazon.com
In The Winter's Tale, a play of 1610, William Shakespeare gave a coastline to Bohemia, a landlocked country. Three hundred and twenty-eight years later, his compatriot Neville Chamberlain would call a brewing war in Czechoslovakia, as the country was called, "a quarrel in a far away country between people of whom we know nothing." As Canadian scholar Sayer writes, knowingly, Bohemia eventually got its coastline, one "guarded by minefields, barbed-wire fences, and tall watchtowers with machine guns," while the West took little notice. The general ignorance of all things Czech would cost Europe dearly, for conflagrations from the Thirty Years War to World War II (and even sparks that might have ignited World War III) have begun in the tiny country known by many names---Czechoslovakia, Bohemia, Moravia. Canadian scholar Sayer writes of the Czechs' struggle over centuries to define themselves as a people and nation, and he does so in a vivid, detailed narrative that will enlighten readers who are unfamiliar with the critically important center of Eastern Europe. --Gregory McNamee
Book Description
In The Winter's Tale, Shakespeare gave the landlocked country of Bohemia a coastline--a famous and, to Czechs, typical example of foreigners' ignorance of the Czech homeland. Although the lands that were once the Kingdom of Bohemia lie at the heart of Europe, Czechs are usually encountered only in the margins of other people's stories. In The Coasts of Bohemia, Derek Sayer reverses this perspective. He presents a comprehensive and long-needed history of the Czech people that is also a remarkably original history of modern Europe, told from its uneasy center.
Sayer shows that Bohemia has long been a theater of European conflict. It has been a cradle of Protestantism and a bulwark of the Counter-Reformation; an Austrian imperial province and a proudly Slavic national state; the most easterly democracy in Europe; and a westerly outlier of the Soviet bloc. The complexities of its location have given rise to profound (and often profoundly comic) reflections on the modern condition. Franz Kafka, Jaroslav Hasek, Karel Capek and Milan Kundera are all products of its spirit of place. Sayer describes how Bohemia's ambiguities and contradictions are those of Europe itself, and he considers the ironies of viewing Europe, the West, and modernity from the vantage point of a country that has been too often ignored.
The Coasts of Bohemia draws on an enormous array of literary, musical, visual, and documentary sources ranging from banknotes to statues, museum displays to school textbooks, funeral orations to operatic stage-sets, murals in subway stations to censors' indexes of banned books. It brings us into intimate contact with the ever changing details of daily life--the street names and facades of buildings, the heroes figured on postage stamps--that have created and recreated a sense of what it is to be Czech. Sayer's sustained concern with questions of identity, memory, and power place the book at the heart of contemporary intellectual debate. It is an extraordinary story, beautifully told.
Customer Reviews:
Poetic scholarship!.......2005-12-19
Anybody wanting to gain a deeper knowledge of the Czech people, Czech culture, and Czech spirit should read Derek Sayer's 'The Coasts of Bohemia.' Anybody wanting to dive into the sticky mess of Central European history would also do well to read this book. And those unbelievers who think that a scholarly work must be by its very nature dry and dense, MUST read this book.
Sayer's work stands alone in the veritable dearth of good works dealing with Czechdom. A towering mountain, 'Coasts' is far and away the best door to a culture and nation little understood in the 'West.' In this monumental work, Sayer continues in the grand tradition of Czech historiography started by the grand master of Czech history, Palácky. And like Palácky before him, Sayer attempts to give an answer to that elusive question: Who are the Czechs?
Starting his work with the formulators of written Czech, Josef Jungmann and Josef Dobrovsky, Sayer makes a wise decision. During the Hapsburg rule from 1620 to 1918, the only real home of Czechdom was Cestina, the Czech language. From there, Sayer takes the reader on a serpintine journey through the heart of Czech cultural consciousness. We meet up with poets of the national awakening like Karel Hynek Macha, whose epic poem, 'Máj,' could easily be considered the Czech people's Aeneid, a work that defines who they are as a voice in the cacophony of Europe. Critics of culture like F.X. Salda and voices of modernism in Czech culture like Kundera or the Noble Prize-winning poet, Jaroslav Seifert, also make appearances as Sayer makes a case for the Czech artistic voice being paramount in the creation of national identity. Sayer shows how even supposedly 'international' art trends like surrealism and social-realism all served a very selective end: the search for national identity.
In the realm of politics and ideology, Sayer argues that the Czechs have pursued an uniquely singular course throughout their history. The first people in Europe to rebel against catholic uniformity (hence the term 'bohemian'), Czech preacher, Jan Hus, laid the groundwork for Luther's more cathartic 'reformation.' The followers of Hus, the 'Hussites' not only preached a more Gospel-centered Christian creed stripped of the Roman church's ceremony and tradition, but promoted a lifestyle of radical egaliterianism. This conception of a rank-less society more than anything irked the Catholic Hapsburgs who waged a long and savage war with the Hussites until 1620 when the Austrian Hapsburgs put their unruly neighbors under the boot of Catholic rule until the demise of Austro-Hungary in 1918. Sayer argues that the coals of Hussiterian democracy never cooled down completely but instead smoldered on until the creation of Czechoslovakia in 1918. This grand social experiment led by the teacher-ideologue, Tomas Masaryk, proved to be Central Europe's only real democracy during the years between both world wars. Yet, Sayer makes a strong claim that Hussitism only gained full resurrection (albeit in a radically perverse form) with the ascension to power of the Czech Communist Party in 1948. The Hussite dream of a radical levelling of all economic and social class was made real with the party's drastic restructuring of Czech society which included the violent expulsion of the Sudeten Germans from the Czech lands, the shameful odsun of 1946-47. Czech communists soon took their ideology of 'people's democracy' to such radical extremes that they stamped out all forms of dissent in their quest to create uniform Czech society. Kundera's novels paint a grim picture of a society which sought to regulate, control and oppress its citizens in even the most intimate of spheres.
By the time the reader finishes 'Coasts,' he/she will not only be wiser by far, but quite exhausted as well. The sheer detail and volume of Sayer's information threatens at times to overwhelm the reader. That one quarter of the book is devoted to 'notes' is not by chance. Yet, even these notes are fascinating cultural and historical tidbits. If Sayer's work has a flaw, it lies in the author's selection of material. Selection is the most crucial (and most difficult) element of historiography. What to include, what to exclude, not only makes or breaks a work, but also carries echoes for generations to come. Who and what is left out of the history books is often doomed to oblivion in day to day life as well. Thus said, Sayer's work attempts to define Czechness around a deliberately tiny base. That of one province, Bohemia. While Bohemia did suffer the lion's share of conflict with the neighboring Germans as well as play a central role in the national awakening, two other Czech lands, Moravia and Czech Silesia have also played crucial roles in the formation of Czech identity. Some of the most internationally-known Czech artists originate from these parts i.e. Kundera, Janácek, Lysohorsky and even Mucha. Unfortunately, Sayer glosses over the cultural and historical connections with these lesser-known Bohemias. Moreover, his treatment of Slovakia's role in the making of the Czech nation and Czechoslovak 'idea' is cursory at best. A grievious absence considering the prominent role many Slovaks have played in Czech political life from Masaryk to Dubcek.
All in all though, there is little room to complain. Sayer's work has filled a gapping hole in Central European studies. A profound act of scholarship and one written in a style approaching the lyric, 'The Coasts of Bohemia' is a giant indeed. Read it!
The Coasts of Bohemia -- a truly beautiful voyage of discovery.......2005-08-07
Derek Sayer's book is exceptional well written and informative, indeed the text is positively lyrical at times. The aim is to provide an understanding of a "people of whom we know nothing" in Central Europe, and Sayer does a masterful task in shaping and clarifying Czech national identity and national culture.
The book is not simply a historical text. While the history is there, and while there is copious scholarly detail and referencing of historical events, the main strength of the text is in illustrating a deep national awareness in literature and the arts. One can almost imagine walking with Sayer on his return visit to Prague, walking through the magical streets of this beautiful city and commenting on buildings, street names, and monuments. He has a delicate but assured ability for capturing detail, coincidence, and irony. The book reads very well and it is amazing to remember that the original text was written in Czech and translated into English by the author's wife.
This is an excellent way of understanding more about Czech lands and the Czech spirit and identity. It is a very beautiful literary work that rejoices in the artistic and literary richness of the Czechs, particularly over the last century. I, for one, am very grateful that Derek Sayer made it back to his homeland to reflect on complex issues of history, national identity, and national culture and to write this masterful book: a must for those of us who love the Czech lands and their peoples.
Where is My Home?.......2005-07-22
Sayer takes an original, creative approach in writing the history of Czech culture. Sayer's book is predicated on the notion that the nation is an imagined community, constantly being re-invented and examines what Czechs have long remembered and forgotten about themselves and their little nation.
The book is unique because Sayer does not employ the typical linear approach to writing history, rather, he casts a wide net over the entire spectrum of Czech intellectual activity from 1618-1960, focusing on the cultural borders of language, symbols, and identity vis-vis the Germans just to name a few. Sayer brings the seemingly obscure to life in a lucid, pleasurable read.
The book highlights the Czech feeling of "smallness" or "malostnosti" within Europe. The Czechs have long been at the center of political, cultural, and philsophical developments over the course of history but tragically were often passive observers to events in their own land due to being subjects of other nations' empires. As a consequence, Czechs felt a powerful need to define their cultural coastlines. Their national anthem, "Gde Domov Muj" or "Where is My Home" is indicative of the Czech historical quest for identity and national destiny.
Sayer takes leave of his story circa 1960 when socialism was at its appogee. This tremendous book is the difinitive source of Czech historical culture. To understand the challenges of integrating the "East" into the EU and the senstivities of small nations, read this book.
A Czech "Cultural" History.......2004-03-24
A previous reviewer is right--this is not a Czech history. But it is the history of how Czech culture has been formed. For that, it is fascinating--For a straight history, look elsewhere. If you are travelling to Prague, it will make many sites much richer--Vysehrad cemetery, the National Theatre, Old Town Square.
Misleadingly titled.......2003-12-22
The book's subtitle is "A Czech History," but people looking for a general history of the Czech lands will be disappointed. Sayer focuses not on battlefields and parliaments but on art, literature and historiography. He either completely ignores or barely mentions such topics as the world wars, the Munich Pact and the Communist coup while devoting dozens of pages to poets, artists and critics. Thus, despite the rather esoteric nature of Czech history, Sayer assumes readers already know the basics. I guess a title like "The Humanities and Czech Identity, 1620-1960" wouldn't sell as well.
Book Description
A new edition of the standard work on Slovakia's fascinating history This classic book offers the most comprehensive and up-to-date history of Slovakia, from its establishment on the Danubian Plain to the present. While paying tribute to Slovakia's resilience and struggle for survival, it describes: -Contributions to European civili-zation in the Middle Ages -Development of Slovak conscious-ness in response to Magyarization -Struggle for autonomy in Czechoslovakia after the Treaty of Versailles -Resistance to a Nazi-controlled Europe -Reac-tion to Communism -The creation of the second Slovak Republic. Now fully updated to the present day, the book examines the vagaries of Slovak post-Communist politics that led to Slovakia's membership in NATO and the European Union.
Customer Reviews:
Thick growth of trees, no forest.......2006-06-08
Over the last century or so, a large number of nations have become sovereign entities, recognized by others, members of the United Nations, with flag, airline, World Cup football team, and anthem. These range from Tuvalu and St. Lucia to Nigeria, Vietnam, and Kazakhstan. Everyone knows that there are others, equally deserving of such recognition, that don't achieve it. Kurdistan is a prime example; Tibet, Chechnya, Euskadi, and national states for Native Americans come to mind too. It is interesting to ponder on the historical currents or maybe even accidents that determine whether or not a nation comes into existence. Slovakia's history could serve as a prime example. Never really a nation on its own, the Slovak people endured a millennium of Hungarian rule, only---on coming close to national recognition---to be subsumed for another seven decades into Czechoslovakia, in which country they played perpetual second fiddle. This history could have been written around such a question---why some and not others ? It was not.
Nineteenth century nationalism may have led to the creation of many national states, particularly in Europe, it led to the demise of colonialism, but it has played a negative role in the world also. The "us against the world" mentality, atavistic tribalism, and xenophobia have all been encouraged and used by nationalistic forces. Nationalistic history thus can play either positive or negative roles . I would say that THE HISTORY OF SLOVAKIA is such a nationalistic book, though to be fair, a few attempts are made to show more balance. Granted, if you want to know the history of that small Central European country (people) in English, I think you will have to read Kirschbaum's name and date-studded work. But beware. By calling the book "history of Slovakia", the author may be `creating' an entity that never really existed until the late 19th century.
The history of the Great Moravian Empire of the 9th century is highly speculative---at such a remote distance in time, how can we be sure that it had anything to do with modern Slovaks ? Slavs, yes. It plays the role of that "original root" which every nation tends to find, whether it actually existed or not. Kirschbaum himself questions some of the Slovak historiography, for instance, a claim that Matthew Cak, in the 14th century, was a Slovak ruler or hero. Perhaps he was just another powerful Hungarian landlord. We read about the Slovak national awakening in the 19th century, the separation of the Slovak lands from Hungary and joining with Bohemia and Moravia to form the first Czechoslovak republic (to 1938), the subsequent re-amalgamation from 1948 to 1989, and the ultimate "Velvet Divorce" in 1993, after which Slovakia finally achieved nationhood. It is the section on the period 1939-1945, when Slovakia was a German puppet state in Central Europe, that seemed ambiguous and dubious. It is a whitewash of collaborators with the Nazis. The mantra is "The regime may not have been palatable to everybody, but it protected the country and provided the conditions for the expression of national aspirations." At the same time, over two-thirds of the Jewish citizens were exterminated. National aspirations indeed ! "Slovaks proved that they were able to govern themselves." (p.211) A spurious claim as Slovakia lay under the German thumb. Slovaks never attacked anyone--just a `symbolic' two divisions sent into the Soviet Union along with the Wehrmacht. This is nationalistic history. It is written to "identify all the trees", but we don't see the forest. I'm sorry. I'd like to read a more balanced view.
A scholarly work.......2005-08-26
Being interested in the history of my people, I was happy that
someone undertook this subject. I can now appreciate even more
their struggles and happily their survival as a people despite
over 1,00O years of oppression by their neighbors.
Overview of Nation-building/ Survival in a Volatile Region.......2004-02-10
My desire to learn about this obscure Central European country over-rode my hesitancy ... a hesitancy which stemmed from potentially being over-whelmed with names, dates, and historical events of which I knew litte. Not being a historical buff yet wanting to learn, I forged ahead. Fortunately, the writing style of the author allayed my concerns with the first few chapters which set the pace for a comfortable reading experience.
Starting at the beginning, Greater Moravia was the region's name in the 900s (A.D) which was a vassal of the German Frankish empire. The Slavic nobles and people resented this relationship from which territorial disputes arose along with new winners. The area was called Pannonia under the Roman Empire. In 907 A.D. the Magyar tribes conquered the ruling German Franks. The Magyars settled in the region, having an intimate relationship with the Slovaks until the 20th century. Of note, the Slovaks maintained their Slavic language and culture despite this apparent and at times very real domination by another people. Under the Magyars, there was a form of autonomy allowing the separate culture to propigate. Numerous monarchs rose to power and forged political alliances adding to the volatility of the region. The future survival of both Hungary and Slovakia were placed constantly at risk. The author does a superb job of describing political decisions and alliances which affected the direction of the future -- which form the basis of current events. During the Middle Ages, various wars with the Germans and Mongolian invaders eventually brought the reigning Hungarian monarchs to the forefront of both countries. The Ottoman victory in Mohacs, Hungary in 1526 led to the partition of Hungary. Under conditions of this defeat, the Hapsburg monarchy with its absolutist policies, rose to rule over the Hungarians and Slovaks. Catholicism attempted to limit effects of the Reformation and its open ideas toward religion and education which spread despite opposition. While the Slovak political history mirrored that of the Hungarians, the differences in language and culture developed side by side rather peacefully for approximately 800 - 900 years. However, the revolutionary years of the late 1840s changed that. When the Magyars became more nationalistic, the Slovaks became marginalized which forced them to yearn for and develop a foundation for a country of their own. The book does a highly credible job in describing the creation of Czechoslovakia and the international milieu in which this major world event occured. The social, economic, and political policies of the 1930s and 1940s up until World War II are well discussed. The rise of Communism post World War II mimics that of the other defeated nations in Central and Eastern Europe. Kirschbaum states it best, "they became trapped in the bipolar struggle between the Western liberal democratic world and the eastern proletarian Communist one." [p.231] The defeat of Communism, from the ashes of which arose ... a separate country, called Slovakia ... is one of the major success stories of modern times in Europe.
This book is highly recommended reading for anyone who has an interest in the politics of Central Europe and how struggles for domination affected the region. It would also be of interest to anyone who has roots and family ties to the area. The book is a well written scholarly document that includes a detailed and lengthy bibliography for each chapter. Anyone wanting to verify facts, delve deeper into the subject or pursue their own research is given a map to reach their destination. Erika Borsos (erikab93)
A History of Slovak Nationalism, not the Slovak Nation.......2003-04-15
This is not a comprehensive history of the land and peoples of Slovakia. It is principally the story of the idea and eventual reality of an independent Slovak state. The author does discuss historical and military events, social and political issues, economic conditions, and cultural developments, but chiefly within the context of the nationalist movement. It is a well-written and interesting story, but lacks the balance and breadth to live up to the title "A History of Slovakia." This is especially true of the 19th and 20th Centuries where Kirschbaum's focus on the nationalist movement becomes exclusive.
Sad book........2002-10-24
It is very sad that this is the only available book in English dealing with quite obscure topic of Slovak history. The author is a known defender of the First Slovak Republic (aka Slovak state) during the WWII and his positions are very close to a "national socialist", i.e., fascist. Moreover, his romantic approach to Slovak medieval history is preposterous. For somebody interested in this topic it may be a useful reading what is NOT a Slovak history. Hopefully, in the near future we will have translations of books written by respected historians (Kirschbaum is neither).
Average customer rating:
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Czechoslovakia's Lost Fight for Freedom, 1967-1969: An American Embassy Perspective
Kenneth N. Skoug
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0275966224 |
Book Description
This fascinating account, by a Czech-speaking American diplomat who lived in Czechoslovakia from 1967-1969, describes the collapse of a repressive Communist regime, the subsequent unprecedented explosion of popular freedom, the surprise Soviet occupation, and the spirited passive resistance of the population until the gradual strangulation of the "Prague Spring." Drawing on his own journal, recent memoirs, and documentary materials in the National Archives, the author shows how American diplomats and senior U.S. officials analyzed and reacted to ongoing events. He explains how reform leader Alexander Dubcek became wedged between enthusiastic popular support and the objections of ultra-orthodox Soviet leaders. Skoug's economic and commercial responsibilities gave him considerable access to Czechoslovak officials even in the Novotny period, and he was an eyewitness to the invasion and many other crucial events of the period, including the great patriotic demonstration of March 1969 which the Soviet Union exploited to force Dubcek's resignation. Despite overt Soviet pressure, neither Prague nor Washington anticipated intervention. The Johnson Administration, courting Moscow for help on Vietnam, displayed calculated indifference to the dispute and reacted tepidly to developments. Left alone, the Czechoslovak population met the invader with militant, if passive, resistance, but the Dubcek leadership capitulated to Soviet demands and acquiesced in an occupation that gradually betrayed all of the gains achieved. Subsequent reluctance by Washington to criticize Moscow helped the Soviet Union cut its diplomatic losses. On the other hand, the Czechoslavak crisis may have helped to persuade Gorbachev to allow Eastern Europe to resolve its own affairs in 1989.
Book Description
Recognized the world over by frequent flyers and armchair travelers alike, Eyewitness Travel Guides are the most colorful and comprehensive guides on the market. With beautifully commissioned photographs and spectacular 3-D aerial views revealing the charm of each destination, these amazing travel guides show what others only tell.
Customer Reviews:
Eyewitness Travel of Czech & Slovak Republics is best overview.......2007-09-30
Eyewithess Travel Guides give the best overall overview of any travel book or other product on the market - good organization; great pictures, maps and other graphics; interesting & and concise text about history, food, etc.; good suggestions for lodging and eating. This guide was very helpful to understand and enjoy the Czech & Sovak Republics but I also purchased the more detailed guide for Prague.
Book Description
Sample the beers, taste the high life, feast on the architecture - and when you've had your fill, chill out in the spa towns, discover the fairy-tale castles and breathe deep in Slovakia's glorious mountain scenery. Whether you want to party in Prague or hike in the High Tatras, you can connect with the heart of Europe through this inspiring guide.
* BEHIND THE SCENES - our comprehensive listings cover art-house cinema and world-class opera, traditional old pubs and the trendiest nightclubs
* CASTLE COUNTRY - special section on the countries' spectacular castles and chateaux * HIKE the Tatras or ramble through the valleys - our Activities chapter is packed with ideas * SLEEP TIGHT - recommendations for every budget, from penzions to palaces * HIT THE ROAD with our fully cross-referenced maps
Customer Reviews:
Travel Slovakia.......2006-11-04
This book is full of little details and descriptions of the area with location maps that make it easy to find areas of interest.
Book Description
The political complexion of the old Czechoslovakia has changed much since the first edition of this guide in 1992, and these changes are reflected in this revised and updated edition. The author tours through castles and spa towns, as well as old villages farther afield, and he covers all aspects of this fascinating country, including the glories of its art and architecture, but also its music, literature, and cinema.
Book Description
On 3 October 1953, five young men, armed with four pistols, crossed the border from Czechoslovakia into East Germany. Their mission was to deliver an explosive secret message from a Czechoslovak general to U.S. authorities at all costs. The journey was to take three days. Their ultimate objective was to join the U.S. Army Special Forces, then return to liberate their country. What ensued was the largest manhunt of the Cold War.
This fast-paced book tells the exciting story of their plight as thousands of East German and Soviet troops chased them across swampland, forests, and fields for thirty-one days. After surviving several pitched gun battles, gunshot wounds, starvation, and the bitter cold, three finally reached West Berlin. Prior to their escape, they had formed the nucleus of an anti-Communist resistance group, inspired by the testament of celebrated World War II resistance leader, Czech general Josef Masin, father to two of the young men and grandfather to the author of this book.
As she was growing up, Barbara Masin heard parts of this story. Eager to learn more, she began to investigate. The result of her efforts is this thriller, which makes use of eyewitness interviews and extensive archival research in four countries. Her book places events in their historical context and analyzes the bitter present-day controversy surrounding the group's actions, examining the larger question of individuals making moral choices. It is a dramatic tale of courage and daring against overwhelming odds and a testament to American ideals of freedom.
Customer Reviews:
Proud to be a Masin.......2007-08-21
Wonderful gripping book! I couldn't put it down! So much history and so much strength in the Masin brothers and their group! I am proud to be a Masin (no close relation known). great job on the book!
DeAnn Masin
Interesting perspective.......2007-01-07
Despite her personal connection to the protagonists of the history, the author provides what seems to be a fairly unbiased accounting of events. Her closing notes regarding the impact in the politics and society of today's Czech Republic I found especially interesting. The book should be of interest to anyone looking at the particular events themselves or even more generally in the impact of the communist period on today's Republic.
An inspirational tale of courage, daring, and absolute commitment to ideals of freedom........2006-12-09
Gauntlet is the true story of five dedicated anti-Communist young men whose epic journey and struggle in the 1950's could have altered the course of the Cold War in Europe. Though grounded heavily in historical testimony and evidence, Gauntlet reads like a novel, as it follows the group's fugitive attempt to deliver a message from a Czechoslovak general to U.S. authorities. An inspirational tale of courage, daring, and absolute commitment to ideals of freedom.
Audacity of Youth.......2006-11-12
I could hardly put this book down. A loyal Czech father with a secret message throws down the gauntlet to his sons and they react with breathtaking action. This is a true story of incredibly daring young men who wre chased by the Communist Russian and East German Armies across East Germany. This book is based on five years of research by the daughter of one of the living survivors.
The Greatest Cold War Story Ever Told.......2006-09-23
The Naval Institute Press in Annapolis, Maryland published a dazzling, accomplished book by Barbara Masin called Gauntlet. I was surprised by the title, as I had previously read the older, differently named, version of the manuscript supplied to me by the author. When I hear the word Gauntlet, the Clint Eastwood movie of the same name always pops into my mind specifically the final scene of an old and rugged Clint running the gauntlet (or driving in his case) through the streets of Phoenix, being shot at from all sides, with high hopes and sense of duty, only to arrive on the steps of city hall to find a conclusion that he did not really like. Then it struck me - the finely crafted story told to us by Barbara Masin is in many facets and angles very similar, but very real and with an added epic weight.
It is a story of five young men, brothers Ctirad and Josef Masin (who is to become Barbara Masin's own father), Milan Paumer, Vaclav Sveda and Zbynek Janata, who in October 1953 fled communist Czechoslovakia on foot and shot their way through equally communist East Germany to West Berlin. It was the culmination and grand finale of their anti-Communist resistance activities, going in the footsteps of their legendary father and their families - and that it where the "gauntlet" comes into play. East German StaSi and VoPo mobilized over twenty thousand soldiers and policemen to capture the five young men.
They eventually captured two out of the five and promptly gave them to Czech commies to be executed, with many other relatives - but the Masin brothers and Milan Paumer (with a gunshot wound in the stomach) finished their run of the gauntlet to West Berlin. The book is a gripping thriller that would make Robert Ludlum proud - with one big distinction: this was not fantasy, this was a real life story and even those unfamiliar with the harsh realities of Eastern Europe in the dark ages of the Cold war will be sucked into the action. The realism of the story is chilling and makes it next to impossible to put the book down.
The Masin family was far from ordinary and the book follows the story of several generations in the family. Josef Masin, the father (1896-1942), was a soldier, hero of both world wars, member of Czechoslovak Legions in WWI, which fought their way across Russia and Siberia to the Pacific Ocean and was a member of the underground resistance against the Nazis. His sons, Ctirad (b. 1930), Josef (b. 1932) and daughter Zdena (b. 1933) were the next generation. Their mother, Zdena Masinova, although she did not know about her sons activites and escape plans, was sentenced to 25 years of prison and died in prison soon afterwards in horrific conditions. Their uncle Ctibor Novak was executed together with Vaclav Sveda and Zbynek Janata. Multiple friends and relatives were also executed or imprisoned - even if they knew nothing about the Masin brothers' group's anti-Communist activities.
The Masin brothers still have not set foot back in their native land. Today the Czech Republic is still only marginally free and allegedly democratic, but the majority of its population, after more than fifty years of constant brainwashing, has quite a ridiculous attitude about their own history and the role they themselves played in it. The Masin brothers and Milan Paumer are repeatedly nominated for the highest of Czech awards, only to be rejected by the communist-dominated Czech government. Yet other Czech politicians are afraid to take a clear stance in this case. Poorly educated, brainwashed for multiple generations and generally fearful, the population of today's Czech Republic seems to lack the guts needed to push the issue through. Nevertheless, the Masins and Paumer are held in high regard by the community of Czechs and former-Czechs living abroad, who in contrast to the inhabitants of the Czech and Slovak Republics, are familiar with the experience of fleeing to the West at the risk of one's life, and seem to be Masin's admirers: in 2005, the Czech and Slovak Association of Canada gave the Thomas Masaryk Award to the Masin brothers and Milan Paumer.
The Masin brothers and Milan Paumer were heroes. In this context heroes are individuals, who by example of their own bravery are able to inspire the masses. And inspire they did. Close to 1 million former Czechs and Slovaks now happily live abroad.
Czechoslovakia is from the historic point of view quite an unfortunate country - it was a truly free country for only twenty years (1918-1938) of their 1500 or so year history. By becoming Americans, the Masins and Paumer found - not that they planned it that way - the end of their rainbow. Czechoslovakia probably was not destined to be free, then or now - so those of us - inspired by the Masins - those of us who had freedom embedded in our DNA just had to go and become Americans. Which isn't bad at all, considering where we came from and what most of us have been through.
The Czech translation of the original manuscript was published in the Czech Republic about a year ago under the name "Odkaz". Since then, an additional seven months of research was added to the book for its English edition. It is a fast read and sure to delight anybody from history buffs and thriller aficionados right down to elderly cancelled Czechs who want their English-speaking children and grandchildren to read about their ancestors old country which never came to be free. It serves as a fine introduction for those unfamiliar with the history of that sad part of the world. A must for every library. This intense and amazing story is, without doubt, the greatest Cold war story ever told.
Thank you, Joe, Ray and Milan. And thank you all, who died on the way here. You all were and are our heroes and inspiration.
---------------
Gauntlet. (Five Friends, 20,000 Enemy Troops, and the Secret That Could Have Changed the Course of the Cold War) - by Barbara Masin, Published by Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland 21402, ISBN 1-59114-515-5 384 pages, Printed in the U.S.A.
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- Your Life Is Worth Mine: How Polish Nuns Saved Hundreds of Jewish Children in German-Occupied Poland, 1939-1945
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- Adaptation, Acculturation and Transnational Ties Among Asian Americans (Asians in America: The Peoples of East, Southeast, and South Asia in American Life and Culture)
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