Reflections of Prague is the story of how a Czech Jewish family become embroiled in the most tragic and tumultuous episodes of the twentieth century. Through their eyes we see the history of their beloved Prague, a unique European city, and the wider, political forces that tear their lives apart. Their moving story traces the major events, turmoil, oppression and triumphs of Europe through the last hundred years – from the Austro-Hungarian Empire to the First World War; from the vibrant artistic and intellectual life of Prague in the times of Kafka, the Capek Brothers and Masaryk to years of hunger in a Polish ghetto and the concentration camps of Hitler; from the tyrannous rule of Stalin to the rekindled hopes of Dubcek and the subsequent Soviet occupation to liberation under Havel. Told from Ivan’s perspective, it is a poignant but uplifting tale that tells of life lived with purpose and conviction, in the face of personal suffering and sacrifice. ‘A remarkable book. This archetypical story of the twentieth century is intertwined with an almost stream-of-consciousness narrative of the history of the Czechs, of Prague, interspersed with samples of exquisite poetry by great contemporary poets. So the narrative flows like Eliot’s sweet Thames full of the debris of tragic lives, of horrors, of moments of beauty and testimonies of love – all against the backdrop of man’s inhumanity.’ Josef Škvorecký
‘A poignant and vivid mémoire of a child searching for traces of his father, lost in the murky ideologies of post war Central Europe. An engrossing book.’ Sir John Tusa
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements ix
1. Journey with my Lost Father 1
2. Lonely Times 16
3. The Safety of Bratislava 23
4. Rudolf 30
5. Heda 41
6. Rudolf: Into Adulthood 53
7. Heda: Life’s Endings and Beginnings 60
8. Between the Wars 67
9. An Impotent Army 78
10. Chances of Survival 83
11. Transport to Lo¤dz¤ 99
12. A Stumble out of Auschwitz-Birkenau 111
13. Return to Prague 117
14. From Idealism into Self-Destruction 127
15. Politics Taking Over 141
16. Stranded in the Forcefully Distorted Economy 147
17. The Soviets Arrive 151
18. Journeys of Misunderstanding 156
19. Towards Manufactured Guilt 161
20. Ways into Detention 174
21. To Nowhere 188
22. In the Name of the Party 197
23. Making Trade 202
24. Ruzyne› Interlude 208
25. The Theatre of Absurdity 219
26. A Trip to the Land of No Return 234
27. The Last Journey 241
28. Sinking Deeper 246
29. Towards Beauty 253
30. A Walk from School 259
31. Youthful Dreams 267
32. The Emergence of Truth 274
33. Living Anew 287
Appendices: Families and Friends, Artists and Writers, Defendants, Politicians and Interrogators 302
Notes 308
Index 311
About the Author :
Ivan Margolius was born in Prague, where he began studying architecture at the Czech Institute of Technology. In 1966 he arrived in the United Kingdom and completed his training, before practising at Foster and Partners, Skidmore Owings & Merrill, and Yorke Rosenberg Mardall. He is the author and co-author of many award winning historical, architectural and design publications, including Prague – a guide to twentieth-century architecture, Tatra – The Legacy of Hans Ledwinka, Art + Architecture, Architects + Engineers = Structures and Czech Inspiration. He is the son of JUDr Rudolf Margolius, who was murdered as a result of the infamous Slánský Trial in Prague.
Review :
"... stands as an important testimony to tragic times...." (The Prague Post, July 2006)
"It's a memorable story which stays in the mind long after the last page has been turned." (Nottingham Evening Post, December 2006)
