Rozpůlený dům - CDmp3 (Čte Jan Holík, Magdaléna Borová, Filip Kaňkovský)

The story of one Sudeten family with a touch of autobiography… ***** The small Krkonošská village of Benecko, where the pioneer of Czech skiing Bohumil Hanč was born, could once serve as a miniature model of the "divided house" that the newly formed Czechoslovakia became after the dissolution of Austria-Hungary. The conflicting Czech and German elements, along with the sympathies and antipathies held towards both nations, divided many families – including that of the writer Alice Horáčková. Thus, the main characters of her novel become a rather disparate trio of brothers: while the temperamental Vincek is swept away by the wave of German nationalism, the calculating Hanz is primarily concerned with business, and the thoughtful Emil decides to align himself with the Czech majority. However, life is not black and white, and marital bonds, romantic relationships, hidden feelings, parenthood, and offspring come into play, often pushing politics aside. And as usual, it is primarily women who manage to maintain common sense and ordinary human compassion in these tense times… ***** The author drew inspiration for her "family novel" from her own family's history – after 1945, part of her relatives were displaced while some remained. ***** Duration of the recording: 21 hours 17…