Visitors to the Czech pavilion at the General World Fair Expo 2010 have the opportunity to become acquainted with the biggest names in Czech literature. In the kaleidoscope of pearls of the Czech Republic, one can come across the names Milan Kundera and Karel capek. Then the exhibit entitled Franz Kafka's Prague and the first Chinese publication of Arnost Lustig's book White Birches in the Autumn can be seen in the multimedia hall starting September 4th. Lustig launched the Czech Literature Weeks in person, together with Czech Minister of Culture Jiri Besser and Chinese students of Czech studies, by a reading of certain chapters from his book.
"Literary works are more difficult to present than works of art," said Martina Honcikova, the manager of the accompanying programmes," but thanks to the personal appearance of Arnost Lustig and the Kafka phenomenon, the Czech pavilion is able to do so."
Arnost Lustig has a personal tie to Shanghai. The author's father had wanted to move the entire family to this harbour city during the Second World War, as this city was accepting Jews escaping from the Nazis. The plan was not successful, and instead of Shanghai, the family ended up in a concentration camp. Arnost Lustig survived the Holocaust, a theme that appears in most of his novels. His books have already been translated into seventeen languages, and he was even nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for the novel Beautiful Green Eyes.
"I have travelled the world over, but until now I hadn't been to Shanghai, even though I should have started a new life here seventy years ago," remembers Arnost Lustig. "The Nazis had even taken my father's money as payment for the trip, but ended up putting us on a transport to the camps instead."
The Franz Kafka's Prague exhibit was prepared for the Czech pavilion by a society that is named after this world-renowned author. In the multimedia hall, enlarged photographic portraits of the author, facsimiles of his manuscripts, and shots of Prague by important American photographer of Czech origin Jan Lukas intertwine. In the middle of the room is a writing desk, with the symbolic atmosphere being completed by a model of the statue of Franz Kafka by Jaroslav Ron.
"We attempted to bring together the most valued and globally most recognised cultural values and literary heritage of our country," said Marketa Malisova, the exhibit curator and director of The Franz Kafka Society.
The Czech Literature Weeks will end in the national pavilion on September 19th. Franz Kafka will not abandon the General World Fair entirely, however–as he is one of the permanent symbols of the City of Prague, he has a permanent exhibit at EXPO 2010 as part of the capital city's exhibit.