«Another Germany»: public and political activity of German antifascist writers in Czechoslovakia, 1933-1939

Issues of interaction between authorities and culture in Nazi state have a long study tradition in German historiography. German researchers are convinced that a vast majority of cultural elite in the Third Reich were producing “art upon orders” under total control. Such image of German cultural elite is a simplification: like in other life spheres, there were its encouraged and convinced, opportunists and fellow travelers, “interior emigrants” and silent dissidents, and also emigrants. FRG and GDR historiographies have had a selective approach towards a problem, who should be referred as a Resistance member. As a result, activities of German emigrant writers predominantly remained underexplored. The purpose of the paper is to analyze the public and political activities of German antifascist emigrant writers residing in Czechoslovakia. Uniqueness and relevance of the topic are confirmed by the fact, that these issues were not studies as a complex phenomenon in contemporary historical studies. History of German literature did not face a case of emigration comparable with 1930's: a majority of famous German writers have left the country. Czechoslovakia turned into the biggest centre of German emigration in 1933-1938 due to following factors: 1) Common borders with Germany; 2) Low impact of language barrier; 3) German emigrants faced support from Czech population, and variety of newspapers, magazines and books forbidden in Germany were published in Czechoslovakia. Prague turned into a centre for public and political struggle against Nazism. Such publications, as “Arbeiter illustrierte Zeitung”, “Der Gegen-Angriff”, “Neue deutsche Blatter”, “ Die neue Weltbuhne”, “ Der Simpel” were issued there. Also creative organizations as Oskar Kokoschka Union, Berthold Brecht club, “Studio-1934 club”, the Union of revolutionary writers held their activities there actively. Cultural commission of League for human rights, Union for defense of the rights of German writers, Union for rights and freedoms became important unification centres for German emigrants. The German society for people's education “Urania” became a venue for evening events, disputes, presentations and lectures. After the Munich agreement on division of Czechoslovakia came into force, persecution against democratic organizations and unions came into force, Communist party of Czechoslovakia was forbidden, German-Czech scenic club was dissolved. The German emigrants faced complicities in life and work conditions in Czechoslovakia. Refugees fled to France, Great Britain and the USA.

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