Hugo Vavrečka's Private War

Name of Hugo Vavrečka (1880-1952), journalists, diplomat, director of Bata, Minister of Propaganda and grandfather of the Havel brothers, is rather marginally mentioned in Czech historiography. He himself has received only sporadic attention so far, and not at all during the last years of his life. They are among the ones that ask the most questions and provide the least expected answers. < br> This book, therefore, first offers the reader a brief introduction to Vavrečka's life up to 1945, summarises the main areas of his work and shows his priorities and attitudes in life, which were fully manifested in the main period under study, 1945-52, when Vavrečka - like other members of the former First Republic and partly Protectorate elite - had to cope with the problems that arose from his pre/war activities. < br> The author follows in detail Vavrečko's adaptation to changing social conditions and his position within them, and presents an almost detective-like investigation into the various strategies of negotiation and action he chose when faced with accusations of collaboration, for example. He also seeks answers to questions about what Vavrečka thought about the world around him and how he imagined (not only his) future.