Howard had high hopes for the May 26, 1946 election, the first general election there since 1935. He thought the Czechs could set an example for a Swedish-style experiment in democratic socialism for the rest of Eastern Europe. As it turned out, two left-wing parties did poll well, forming a coalition government with Edvard Beneš's National Socialist Party. (The name preceded the Nazis and did not reflect German policies.) The new Czech government ran afoul of the U.S.'s growing desire to let Germany re-arm as a buffer against Soviet influence. The Americans were annoyed enough at Czech resistance to withdraw a substantial loan package, contributing to an influence vacuum that was filled by the Soviet Union. Beneš resigned as president in 1948 rather than submit to communist control of his government, and the Czechs waited another 45 years for their next free election.
Praha X
Dear Murray and Rosa:
Filthy son of a bitch that I am for not writing before.
Truth is when I wrote to Judith I figured she would show you what I'd written
and then again I'm lazy and there was a lot of work and I'm trying to suck
Czechoslovakia dry in six months and I'm dong some steady writing on the side
and then further I'm leading a social-cultural life which is nothing more than
a killer and then finally I'm a no good son of a bitch. But I have been
thinking of you both and wondering what in the name of Christ you are doing.
Before I forget, thanks for the box of candy. It was a life-saver. That mean
bitch Judith has only sent me one box and I've been here more than three
months. Good thing I'm not a screwing man. I'd have developed a cancer of the
prostate waiting for the frat-bait to turn up. Fortunately candy is coming back
onto the market here, otherwise I'd be a dead duck.
You can't imagine the
rapidity of recovery here. It is due almost entirely to the National Front
government (an idea which the State Dept. and Foreign Office don't like) and
the tremendous drive of the two workers' parties. Here is a rare instance in
Europe where all energy is being funneled into recovery and nothing wasted in
factionalism. The right wing parties in the National Front are as uneasy as
hell and praying for it to break up, while undercover they are working like
one-arm beavers to break it up. So clear is the average citizen that the
comparatively good conditions of Czechoslovakia are due to a National Front
government agreed on a common program of recovering that it would be impossible
for anyone to come out against it with a front attack. You get the situation of
the National Socialist party (these reactionary bastards didn't even change
their name although they weren't originally a reactionary party -- they are
Czech socialists as opposed to "international socialists") which is
now full of black marketeers, former collaborationists, anti-semites, bastards,
and miscellaneous uncircumsised odds and sods backing a very advanced program
of nationalization, land reform and godall knows what. Also there is the
People's Party (the Catholic Mob) which is reactionary as hell as you might
well imagine.
These boys are compelled by the very nature of the times to sign
the Kosice Program (which is the basic document of the National Front's program
for the immediate future) Oh lovely jesus come and save me from these monsters
oh jesus you old son of a bitch why did you have to do this come and save
quickly before they get me sweet mother of god come and save me sweet angels
and devils come and save me sweet daughters of perdition come and save me sweet
sons of satan come and save me please little Jesus come and save me, cant you
hear you old bastard, I said COME AND SAVE ME COME AND SAVE ME HELP HELP do you hear better now or has the
nationalization affected your hearing you old cuss.
You'll have to excuse me, sometimes I go off on a lyrical
tangent. The first general elections since 1935 are going to be held on Sunday.
I think the two left parties will get a majority. I hope to Jesus they do. If
they do Czechoslovakia will be the best country in Europe in a couple of years.
This will be an amazingly interesting experiment. With more than 70 of key and
heavy industry nationalized, with all organs of opinion and opinion influencing
taken out of the hands of private groups, without the drastic controls which
the Russians were forced to introduce, this place will be terrific. I'm
collecting material like crazy and would like to do a book. You remember Sweden
-- the Middle Way. Well, I'm looking round for some idea like that to hang all
this stuff on.
 |
| Rita Hayworth in Prague, 1946. Credit: Tresbohemes.com |
The cultural life here is a knockout. How's this for
comparison with Washington. At the moment there are 21 theatres playing. Each
theater has a repertoire of at least five works. Some, like the National
Theatre, have a repertoire of some 30 works. The same show is never played two
nights running. And the quality is fantastic. Theatre here has been influenced
greatly by the Russian Theatre, a la Moscow Art Theatre, Stanislavsky etc.
Scene technique is as good as any in the world. There are several advanced or
experimental theatres. One of them Buran's D-46 is about the most exciting
thing I have ever seen, even though I can only follow a small part of the
spoken play. Acting is superb. A very good friend and neighbor is one of the
leading actors in this outfit. D-46 uses the Russian system of no stars. Each
actor plays major and minor roles.
 |
| Josef Liesler illustration |
Then there is painting. So help me these bloody Czechs have
two or three of the best painters in Europe after Picasso. There is one guy
named Liesler who is a whiz. I am trying to buy one of his before I leave.
As for music, Czech music is already known. However, I was
amazed to find literally dozens of composers I'd never heard of and all of whom
are top rank. Just a little below Shostakovich. This diet is so rich I'll
shortly be breaking out in cultural boils. My knowing friends, and the Czechs
are essentially a modest people, tell me that the really great art is poetry. [Adolf] Hoffmeister, the cartoonist, tells me that three of their their poets, Seifert,
Halas, and Nezval are the best in the world. It's a great pity there are no
first class translators who could make this available in English.
I live as much of my life away from the [United Nations] Mission as possible.
The people are a disgrace. I mean the Americans and the British and other
representatives of western civilization. Almost all of them are speculating on
the black market. Some of the rackets are cute. One retired British army
Colonel with red face and colonial administration mannerisms is in secret
partnership with a former collaborator who somehow had managed to avoid arrest.
They buy furs which are fairly plentiful and then through stupid young boys in
the RAF the stuff is smuggled into England where sold at tremendous prices as
dear old Blighty hasn't had any furs (if you'll except the p. hair of ravenous
c. crazy Americans soldiers) for six or seven years. With the proceeds
cigarettes, etc. are bought and smuggled back into CSR the same way. These are
sold on the black market. Proceeds are then used to finance the purchase of
more furs. A vicious circle isn't it? Then this colonel bastard criticizes the
Czechs and their damned socialism and their selling out to the Russians and
their turning their backs on British civilization and so forth. It's a queer
setup, here in Prague. The Americans and the British take their instructions
from their respective embassies. The Mission chief, a Russian, carries on his
job conscious of being head of an international organization and carrying out
the Resolutions which are supposed to guide our operations and stopping the
Mission from being used for political purposes.
And yet the American and
British newspapers tell us that it is the Russians who never keep their word,
never stand by their agreements and generally cut up rough. Oh shit! you'll
have to forgive me, but I have moved the British down into second place on my
hypocrisy list. Mr. Stettinius. [Edward
Stettinius was the first U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations] and Mr. Byrnes [James F. Byrnes was U.S. Secretary of State] could teach the devil a thing or
two. My attitude towards that black market has changed greatly. You wouldn't
recognize the old maestro of the negotiated single dollar bills. When I saw the
sort of people who are dealing in black market operations there was no question
about keeping my nose clean. This is a decent democratic country and I wouldn't
like to insult it by treating it as I did pre-war Hungary and never to be
forgotten Romania, dear sweet land of sunflowers, waving poppies and corsetted
staff officers, and Mr. Rappaport. Ah, ah! that Rappaport!
I am working on a typewriter which ought to be withdrawn in
the interests of United Nations solidarity. What a monster. If it weren't for
the fact that the roller doesn't work it would be o.k. I can't stand it anymore
. Please be more lenient than I deserve and let me have a word about where you
are and what you are doing. I cabled CurlPurl and had a reply that book not
published yet but "on way." I hope there's some action soon.
Howard
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