Subjects:  1. Central Europe - History    2. Czechoslovakia    3. Ethnic relations    4. History    5. Hungarians    6. Population transfers    7. Slovakia    8. Central Europe    9. Social history    10. Warfare & Defence   

Reviews (3)

Channeler of Truth
Franz Kafka wrote "A book ought to be an ice pick to break up the frozen sea within us." Indeed, Hurka's journey to honor his father, learn of his father's heroism and suffering, and to learn about himself, was a journey into the interior chambers of the human heart that possesses vulnerability and passion. It is a book that is capable of thawing the frozen parts of us. I learned about the valor and pride of the people of the Czech Republic during the Communist reign, as well as the story of one man's heroism.The author wrote so beautifully, I am enticed to someday visit this part of the world.

Touching, Powerful Memoir
Joseph Hurka has written a very touching memoir of his father's valiant fight against fascism in his home country.This rings especially poignant in the troubled times now facing America.I purchased this book the Saturday before the vile terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center.I began reading it, thinking it was a wonderful memoir of a bygone era.Now, post-attacks, upon my finishing this book I have a renewed sense of just how precious freedom is and what so many other people have been willing to do to secure it.Bravo to Hurka Senior, for all the proud fighting he did to do his part to keep the hope of freedom alive; we owe him and all those like him a great debt of honor.And also bravo to his son, this book's author, for writing such a powerful story of real heroism so well and so vividly.Truly, a joy to read, and in times such as these a must-read.I highly recommend this book.

Poetic Narrative Written by a Hero's Son
Mr. Hurka tells the story of his father, a hero, with the rhythm of a poet.Unlike many sons who have written about their fathers, this isn't about that author.Mr. Hurka allows his father's amazing life to shine through his own talent as a writer and lets the reader get to know a true patriot hero.With his lyrical tones, the reader can only hope they will be allowed to know more of Mr. Hurka himself in a future book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anti-communist movements    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Czechoslovakia    7. Eastern Europe - Czech Republic & Slovakia    8. Historical - General    9. Hurka, Josef    10. Personal Memoirs    11. Residential Construction    12. Woodworking    13. Building skills   

Subjects:  1. 1848-1918    2. Autonomy and independence movements    3. Bohemia (Czech Republic)    4. Central Europe - History    5. Czechoslovakia    6. Eastern Europe - Czech Republic & Slovakia    7. History    8. History - General History    9. Politics and government    10. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    11. Former Czechoslovakia    12. Germany    13. History / Europe / Eastern   

Subjects:  1. Czech Republic    2. Eastern Europe - Czech Republic & Slovakia    3. Ethnic relations    4. Germans    5. Germany    6. History - General History    7. International Relations - General    8. Political Science    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Relations    11. Sudetenland    12. Sudetenland (Czech Republic)    13. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    14. Former Czechoslovakia    15. International relations    16. Land rights    17. Modern period, c 1500 onwards    18. Political Science / International Relations    19. c 1000 CE to c 1500   

Subjects:  1. 1918-1938    2. Czechoslovakia    3. Eastern Europe - Czech Republic & Slovakia    4. Germans    5. History - General History    6. Political History    7. Political activity    8. Politics and government    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Socialist parties    11. History / Europe / Eastern    12. Political ideologies   

Subjects:  1. Bratislava    2. Bratislava (Slovakia)    3. Eastern Europe - General    4. Ethnic relations    5. Ethnicity    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. Slovakia    10. Social conditions    11. European history: c 1750 to c 1900    12. European history: from c 1900 -    13. Language Arts & Disciplines / Journalism    14. c 1800 to c 1900    15. c 1900 - c 1914   

Reviews (1)

Not just a yizkor book---
This is not a typical yizkor (memorial) book, but a history that offers a rich description of life in rural Slovakia.The author draws not only on primary sources like vital records, but also on personal memoirs and numerous interviews with survivors in Slovakia, the US, and Israel. Painstakingly and with humor, sherecreates day-to-day life from c1640-1942, introducing tinkers plying their trade, housewives carrying eggs to market, children playing in the snow.We learn about pink salt,local crafts,market days, courting...A BONUS: a complete list of all the Stropkovers as of 1942(just before the Holocaust) with detailed genealogical imformation included. Also, over 100 pictures, including rare ones of an actual deportation, taken by an enterprising Christian photographer.A good read on a subject not readily available in English! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - Czech Republic & Slovakia    2. Ethnic relations    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)    7. Jews    8. Slovakia    9. Stropkov    10. Stropkov (Slovakia)   

Subjects:  1. Description and travel    2. History    3. Slovakia   

Subjects:  1. 1945-1992    2. Communism    3. Contemporary Politics    4. Czechoslovakia    5. Eastern Europe - Czech Republic & Slovakia    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. Relations    10. Soviet Union   

Subjects:  1. Archaeology    2. Aurignacian culture    3. Brno Region    4. Czech Republic    5. Eastern Europe - Czech Republic & Slovakia    6. Excavations (Archaeology)    7. General    8. History    9. History - General History    10. History: World    11. Stranska Skala Site (Czech R    12. Tools, Prehistoric    13. European archaeology    14. Social Science / Archaeology   

Subjects:  1. 1945-1992    2. Central Europe - History    3. Czechoslovakia    4. Eastern Europe - Czech Republic & Slovakia    5. History - General History    6. Komunisticka strana Ceskoslo    7. Komunistickâa strana éCeskoslovenska    8. Political History    9. Politics and government    10. Central Europe    11. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    12. History    13. Political structure & processes   

Subjects:  1. Boundaries    2. Eastern Europe - Czech Republic & Slovakia    3. Eastern Europe - History    4. Eastern Europe - Poland    5. Europe - Germany    6. Germany    7. Germany - History    8. History    9. History - General History    10. History: World    11. Partition, 1919-1922    12. Poland    13. Silesia, Upper (Poland and Cze    14. Silesia, Upper (Poland and Czech Republic)    15. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    16. Inter-war period, 1918-1939    17. World history   

Subjects:  1. Coup d'etat, 1948    2. Czechoslovakia    3. Eastern Europe - Czech Republic & Slovakia    4. Eastern Europe - Czechoslovakia    5. History    6. History - General History    7. Komunisticka strana Ceskoslo    8. Politics and government   

Subjects:  1. Carpatho-Rusyn language    2. Eastern Europe - General    3. General    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Linguistics (Specific Aspects)    7. History / Europe / Eastern    8. Language & Linguistics    9. Political science & theory    10. Slavic (Slavonic) languages    11. Slovakia   

Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - Czech Republic & Slovakia    2. History - General History    3. Reference   

Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - Czech Republic & Slovakia    2. General    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Architecture    5. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    6. Former Czechoslovakia    7. Germany    8. Photographs: collections    9. Places & peoples: general interest   

Subjects:  1. Ethnic    2. Ethnomusicology    3. Folk music    4. Genres & Styles - Folk & Traditional    5. History and criticism    6. Music    7. Music/Songbooks    8. Social life and customs    9. Tatra Mountains (Slovakia and    10. Tatra Mountains (Slovakia and Poland)    11. Poland   

Subjects:  1. 1968-1989    2. Czechoslovakia    3. Eastern Europe - Czech Republic & Slovakia    4. Eastern Europe - Czechoslovakia    5. Eastern Europe - History    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: American    9. Intervention, 1968    10. Personal narratives    11. Political History    12. Politics and government    13. Eastern Europe    14. Non-Classifiable    15. Politics & government    16. Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects   

Reviews (1)

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. Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Biography    3. Eastern Europe - Czech Republic & Slovakia    4. Emigration & Immigration    5. General    6. History    7. History - General History    8. Lackova, Elena    9. Lackovâa, Elena    10. Romanies    11. Slovakia    12. Social Science    13. Sociology    14. Biography: general    15. Lacková, Elena    16. Social groups & communities