Praagse winter

More about the book

Nikolaus Martin, born in Leitmeritz and raised in Prague, led a carefree life filled with friends, nightclubs, and history until the Nazis annexed his hometown and invaded Prague in March 1939. This memoir captures the harrowing journey of a young man ensnared by the Prague Gestapo. It unfolds like an adventure novel, detailing Martin's three failed attempts to escape Nazi terror, culminating in his imprisonment at the Small Fortress in Terezin. The narrative begins with the trial of an SS guard he encountered in prison and shifts to his life before the war, where he experiences the gradual escalation of Nazi oppression. Friends and family are targeted; one friend is deported, another's father is killed, and a third is executed. Martin is arrested at work but released the same day, only to face forced labor and further attempts to flee. After being caught trying to escape to Switzerland, he goes into hiding but is eventually betrayed and re-arrested. Miraculously, he is transferred to a less harsh job as the war nears its end. He survives a typhus epidemic and witnesses the chaos in Prague post-war, reflecting on the darker sides of human nature. Disillusioned by the political climate, he plans to defect but is recalled just before the Communist takeover. Ultimately, he escapes to the West on skis, navigating a tumultuous period with a blend of humor and realism.