Under A Cruel Star Analysis

Fear in the Communist Czechoslovakia The years following World War II were some of the toughest years for people living in Europe. Countries, such as Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Russia, were taken over by Communism. Communism was a form of government which viewed all people in the same class as opposed to a society built of individuals with standings in different classes. Czechoslovakia was one such communist country and demanded an unwavering devotion from its citizens, doing so through a campaign of fear. This included actions such as imprisonment and death sentences to anyone suspected of going against the regime. The people of Czechoslovakia knew full well that going against their government was futile, and was viewed as a death wish. In her memoir, Under a Cruel Star, Heda Margolius Kovály looks back on her life living in Communist Czechoslovakia during the Cold War, a time in which citizens lived in constant fear. Whether it be fear of

People wanted to look good in eyes of their government, and keeping of status helped with that. In Communist Czechoslovakia, people feared losing power because of the grave affects it would have. Kovály says, “As soon as someone gained power, he became obsessed by the fear of losing it, because to lose power in our Communist society meant not a step down the social ladder to a former position, but a small far below it” (Kovály 71). During this time, people feared losing their position or job. The higher their title was, the more power they gained. Yet, one mess up would bring a person down to nothing. The Communist government were not ones for second chances. If a person was striped of their title, they went down to the bottom, not to their previous role. This instilled fear in the people to not mess up. They needed to remain perfect in the government’s eyes are all times to ensure their power and