A visually stimulating, action packed book about how communism inspired, persecuted and almost destroyed Czechoslovakia.




Czechoslovakia Behind The Iron Curtain
Czechoslovakia: Behind the Iron Curtain is the third book published by Global Slovakia (www.globalslovakia.com), an NGO founded and directed by Zuzana and Gabriela. The book honours their parents, grandparents and great grandparents who suffered in silence as communism ruled and caged their land. It will be accompanied by a series of short videos to match key historical signposts and themes.
The Book Contains:
Authentic Photography
Original Illustrations
True Stories



We need to a Be Part of this Powerful Project

Inspire
With your help this story will inspire new generations.

Make a Difference
Your donations will directly contribute to this project.

Share
We'll help the heart of Europe share its story with the world.

Grow
Help people never forget the value of freedom.
Project Milestones
FALL, 2019
Bilingual history publications
A bi-lingual popular history paperback book based on original research and interviews, accompanied by era photography and original illustrations. The English version of the script is near completion, with an estimated release date of Fall 2019. The Slovak version of the book will be released in January 2020. Target audiences are adult populations and young adults (16+). First edition print: 1,000 copies in English and 1,000 copies in Slovak. Partners: Inspira Publishing & Pemic Distributing.ginal research, accompanied by photographs and illustrations. The English version of the script is near completion. Target audiences are adult populations and young adults (16+). First edition: 1,000 copies in Slovak + 1,000 copies in English + 1,000 copies in Czech. Partners: Inspira Publishing & Pemic Distributing
FALL, 2019
Public
symposium
The event will be held in Bratislava, Slovakia and feature a line of history experts, members of the dissident movement, diplomatic leaders and representatives of Czech and Slovak secondary schools and universities. Global Slovakia NGO will convene the symposium, helping to cultivate a rich dialogue across various perspectives, including society, business and politics.
FALL, 2019
SCHOOL & UNIVERSITY PANEL PRESENTATIONS
Global Slovakia will tour 11 secondary schools and 5 universities in the region to hold interactive 1-hour long lectures and discussions on the themes of communism, the Velvet Revolution, as well as freedom and democracy. The discussions will be conducted with selected classes of students and built into the regular academic schedule as suggested by the teachers, so as to assure smooth and easy implementation.
About Us

The project is run by Global Slovakia, a Slovak-based non-profit organization dedicated to sharing the region of Central Eastern Europe with the English-speaking world. The organization specializes in awareness-raising cultural and educational programs that facilitate understanding across differences and support a more stable, open and democratic continent and the world. Global Slovakia’s work is also aimed at encouraging business, tourist and cultural development and promoting reverse brain drain back to Slovakia.

Our Team
We are Zuzana and Gabriela, an international writing duo. Young, ambitious and dedicated to sharing Slovakia, our homeland, with the world, we walk our talk. In 2018 alone, we released two books that made a splash on the national media back home, and gained positive international acclaim abroad. Check out our Amazon reviews, links below.
As a reward for the quality of our work and the boldness of our endeavour, we travelled with the Slovak President to the United States. Flying on the Slovak Air Force One was a pretty cool experience, but continuing our mission of raising the visibility of our country in North America was our catalyst.
Which is why, our third book, ‘Czechoslovakia: Behind the Iron Curtain’ is our most powerful project yet! Why? Because it brings an important message to all of humanity, during a very critical time on our planet.
The book narrates the unbelievable, yet very real fate, of how a free country became trapped in communism. This is a story of a people stripped of the very thing that makes them human: their freedom and their individuality.
Our Previous Publications
The Great Return
www.thegreatreturn.eu
This 300-page book narrates the story of a 21st century Slovakia, country being transformed by those that left, learned and returned. As documented through cutting edge research, personal interviews and 58 portrait photographs.


Slovakia: The Legend of the Linden
www.legendofthelinden.com
www.legendalipy.sk
Dive into 200+ pages of evocative text, illustrations and photography that emotionally narrate the great Slovak story, as told through history.
- Watch our Trailers :
- In English
- In Slovak with English Subtitles
- In Czech and Slovak
- In English and Slovak
Read the First Chapter of the book for FREE
Our Mission
The 20th century rocked our planet – the Great Depression, two World Wars, and the near mutual nuclear annihilation, at the height of the Cold War, saw a world ripped in half according by an impenetrable Iron Curtain.
When the Berlin Wall, at last, came down and communism fell with it. The East and the West were no long mortal enemies. Effort was made to bridge the divide, and much hope for better and more peaceful future blossomed in people’s heads and hearts.
Only 30 years later, the old problems of the past, have begun to rear their ugly head. Polarities are once again on the rise, and with them the call to return to – unfreedom. This book serves as a time-capsule of the gains as well as the losses of life in socialism, that speak volumes about just how precious and fragile freedom is.
It is clear, that our planet is at the doorstep of an unprecedented change. These tragedies do not need to be lived again, if we learn from the past. The question remains, will we rise to the challenge? As the different ideologies battle for our attention, we can at least agree on one thing. All future potentials, begin with a healthy respect for freedom.



How it all began
Communism snuffed life in our country in a bloodless coup in 1948. Just like that, the Communist Party supported by the USSR, took over power in the free democratic republic of Czechoslovakia. This maneuver was not just a token change of leadership. On the contrary, communism cut heads and broke backs to secure its power for nearly half a century.
But two decades into the hardcore regime, and 15 years after the death of the Soviet Tsar Stalin, Stalinism began to loosen its reigns over the East. The brutal and ruthless dictator was gone, and through time the people grew more and more courageous to take back their power. In Czechoslovakia, the Prague Spring loosened the grip of the Party over the society and the Czechoslovaks began to breathe more freely.
Of course, once they got a taste of freedom, they wanted more and more of it. Much to the annoyance of the USSR, who under the guise of the Warsaw Pact ordered 500,000 soldiers, alongside their tanks and artillery to march into the country and return order the Soviet satellite. And just like that Czechoslovakia sank back into shackles as an occupied country for another 2 decades.
REVIEWS
What are people saying about out book
Many Thanks To
We couldn't have done it without the help of:
Book Photographers:
- Ladislav Bielik
- Juraj Bartos
- Lubo Stacho
- Dana Kyndrova
- Jan Lorincz
- Dávid Fiala
Book Illustrators and Artists:
- Nina Sefcik
- Matteo Sica
- Masha Dambaeva
- Kateřina Blaháková
- Petra Stefankova
- Zuzana Smatlakova