PROKOP DRTINA The Fate of a Czechoslovak Democrat

Prokop Drtina, a prominent Czechoslovak politician whose life closely mirrored the nation's existence, is vividly chronicled in Ondřej Koutek's book. Drtina's journey began during the First Republic, where he served President Beneš as a young member of the National Socialist Party. He later joined the resistance after Munich, becoming a key gure in exile and a popular broadcaster under the pseudonym Pavel Svatý. His political career peaked during the post-war years when he served as Minister of Justice, but his life took a dramatic turn after February 1948, when he attempted suicide, was imprisoned until 1960, and faced difficulties in rehabilitation. Despite these setbacks, Drtina became an active dissident during normalization. Koutek's work draws on extensive sources to provide both a portrait of Drtina and a broader commentary on the history of Czechoslovak democracy.