Like other central European countries Czechoslovakia, during the 20th century, was variously occupied by the Austro-Hapsburg Empire, the Nazis and the communist. Many of the books I have read touch on the latter two and in many cases those two are the key themes of the novels.
A significant number of the books were written during the Communist regime and in many cases they were published insamizdat format or published abroad, particularly by 68 Publishers in Canada.
When it comes to novels published concerning the German occupation, the most striking example of the books I have just read was clearlyJiří Weil’s Mendelssohn is on the Roof. This novel mocks the Nazis when Reinhard Heydrich, the Nazi in charge, spots the statue of Mendelssohn on the roof of the theatre and he is horrified that a Jewish composer is so honoured and demands it be removed immediately. The problem is that the statues are not labelled and nobody knows which one is Mendelssohn. However the rest of the book focuses of the horrors that the Jews go through, culminating with a group of them being taken off to the extermination camps in the East.
Of course, many novelists set their work in their capital/major city and the Czech writers are no exception. A lot of the books are set in Prague. I have been to Prague, but many years ago, and I vaguely recognised one or two of the places in the books that are set in Prague but many, are course, set in places that tourists tend not to visit. Indeed, I suspect that some of them are places that locals do not know well such as subterranean passages and tunnels.Brno is the second largest city in the Czech Republic and there are a few books that set there as well.
The main theme, which occurs in books which deal with other subjects as well, is how awful the communist system is – poor uniform housing, very poor public services massive restrictions on what you can and can and cannot do, ruthless and often brutal police and similar forces of law and order. Some people try to escape but it is not very easy.
Perhaps the most unexpected book was Petra ProcházkovásFrišta (Freshta)) as it was a story of a Russian woman who had married an Afghani and was living in Kabul. The author herself had been married to an Afghani. Though , it is not set during the Taliban era it still shows the repression of women and the uncomfortable living conditions such as seven people to a bedroom.
While many of the books are serious, deal with the serious problems of Nazi occupation and communist issues, humour is prevalent and a key feature of Czech literature as we have seen in other novels such as those of Bohumil Hrabal being an obvious example. Czech cinema of the era has also many examples. The humour is often dark and can also, as with , satirical, mocking whoever the rulers happen to be. The one openly humorous book I read was Saturnin by ZdenekJiotka, who was influenced by P G Wodehouse.
Two interesting books – IvaPekarkova’s Truck Stop Rainbows and Bianca Bellova:’s The Lake -both deal with environmental pollution and, of course its effect on the population and nature.
I read one novel set in the future , about a new Messiah and which posits the idea that Israel is the most powerful country in the world, but they are still looking for the Messiah.
None of the novels disappointed –some were more more interesting than others, depending on your taste. They did. give a view of of of Czechoslovakia as it was under communism, and to a certain an extent under the Nazis.
And next year I have three possible candidates for my reading marathon and none is in Europe nor has , at least at the time of writing, has been bombed or invaded by Donald Trump.