A History of Slovakia, Second Edition: The Struggle for Survival

Starting at the beginning, Greater Moravia was the region's name in the 900s (A.D) which was a vassal of the German Frankish empire. The Slavic nobles and people resented this relationship from which territorial disputes arose along with new winners. The area was called Pannonia under the Roman Empire. In 907 A.D. the Magyar tribes conquered the ruling German Franks. The Magyars settled in the region, having an intimate relationship with the Slovaks until the 20th century. Of note, the Slovaks maintained their Slavic language and culture despite this apparent and at times very real domination by another people. Under the Magyars, there was a form of autonomy allowing the separate culture to propigate. Numerous monarchs rose to power and forged political alliances adding to the volatility of the region. The future survival of both Hungary and Slovakia were placed constantly at risk. The author does a superb job of describing political decisions and alliances which affected the direction of the future -- which form the basis of current events. During the Middle Ages, various wars with the Germans and Mongolian invaders eventually brought the reigning Hungarian monarchs to the forefront of both countries. The Ottoman victory in Mohacs, Hungary in 1526 led to the partition of Hungary. Under conditions of this defeat, the Hapsburg monarchy with its absolutist policies, rose to rule over the Hungarians and Slovaks. Catholicism attempted to limit effects of the Reformation and its open ideas toward religion and education which spread despite opposition. While the Slovak political history mirrored that of the Hungarians, the differences in language and culture developed side by side rather peacefully for approximately 800 - 900 years. However, the revolutionary years of the late 1840s changed that. When the Magyars became more nationalistic, the Slovaks became marginalized which forced them to yearn for and develop a foundation for a country of their own. The book does a highly credible job in describing the creation of Czechoslovakia and the international milieu in which this major world event occured. The social, economic, and political policies of the 1930s and 1940s up until World War II are well discussed. The rise of Communism post World War II mimics that of the other defeated nations in Central and Eastern Europe. Kirschbaum states it best, "they became trapped in the bipolar struggle between the Western liberal democratic world and the eastern proletarian Communist one." [p.231] The defeat of Communism, from the ashes of which arose ... a separate country, called Slovakia ... is one of the major success stories of modern times in Europe.

This book is highly recommended reading for anyone who has an interest in the politics of Central Europe and how struggles for domination affected the region. It would also be of interest to anyone who has roots and family ties to the area. The book is a well written scholarly document that includes a detailed and lengthy bibliography for each chapter. Anyone wanting to verify facts, delve deeper into the subject or pursue their own research is given a map to reach their destination. Erika Borsos (erikab93)