The Hot Summer of 1968
In 1968, the communist country of Czechoslovakia had a brief fling with freedom. Termed the “Prague Spring,” the experiment in “socialism with a human face” allowed citizens freedom of the press and travel, as well as an end to arbitrary wiretapping. It all came crashing down when Soviet tanks bulldozed over its borders on August 20-21 and occupied the country. Before the Soviets clamped shut the border with Austria, many individuals and families had a terrible decision to make: flee or face the oppressor?
Translated into English for the first time, The Hot Summer of 1968 follows the stories of ten people confronted with the unthinkable. Klimáček introduces a cast of characters that are based on real people and their experiences. Some of the major characters include Anna and Alexander, visiting their daughter Petra at college before the invasion begins; Jozef, a Lutheran pastor-turned-radio-personality who is the voice of freedom for many; and his wife, Erika, who supports Jozef and their newfound refugee community in Canada with herculean effort. Tereza, childhood friend of Petra, rediscovers her Jewish roots at a kibbutz in Israel, where news of the invasion transforms her life forever. Petra, the dedicated medical student who finds her true home at the furthest edges of Canada, helps a First Nations community well-versed in exile and oppression. Klimáček captures the early promises of the Prague Spring and the devastation wrought by the Soviet invasion through these bigger-than-life characters. The only drawback is the odd moments where the author inserts himself into the narrative, mentioning his research or his own feelings on the invasion.
The Hot Summer of 1968 is a touching story of families involuntarily separated and the search for home wherever it leads. It provides a pertinent historical lens to the plight of refugees: yesterday, today, and always.
