In the socialist countries, Julius Fucik became famous for his book "Reporting with a noose around his neck." He wrote it while in prison awaiting sentencing. This book is recognized as an example of socialist realism. In the last lines of his work, the communist and anti-fascist Julius Fucik urged people to be vigilant.
From the biography of Julius Fucik
The future writer and journalist was born at the end of the winter of 1903. The place of his birth was Prague. In those days, the Czech Republic was part of the powerful Austria-Hungary.
The boy got his name in honor of his uncle, who was a composer. His most famous piece of music was a march called "The Exit of the Gladiators." It was his uncle who instilled in young Julius a love of art.
Fucik's father was a simple turner. But he was fond of theater and even took part in the performances of an amateur troupe. Subsequently, he was noticed and invited to a real theater. Julius was brought up in a creative family. This affected his life preferences and interests.
At one time, Julius tried to follow in his father's footsteps, tried to perform on stage, but he never experienced a special interest in this art form. The young man left the theater and decided to try his hand at journalism and literature.
Fucik inherited patriotic feelings from his parents. Examples from history stood before his eyes: he knew the biographies of Jan Hus and Karel Hawlicek. At the age of 15, Julius joined the Social Democratic movement, and three years later became a full member of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.
After leaving school, Fucik becomes a student at the University of Prague. He chose the Faculty of Philosophy, although his father dreamed of seeing his son as an engineer. Already in the first year of his studies, Julius became the editor of the printed organ of the Communist Party - the newspaper "Rude Pravo". This work gave him the opportunity to meet prominent cultural figures of the country and authoritative politicians.
Fucik and the Soviet Union
In the early 1930s, Fucik visited the Land of the Soviets. The purpose of the trip was a close acquaintance with the country of victorious socialism. Julius dreamed of telling his fellow citizens about how a new society is being built in the USSR. The trip dragged on for a long time - Fucik returned to his homeland only two years later. During the trip, Julius managed to visit not only the capital of the Soviet Union, he traveled around Central Asia. The journalist was greatly impressed by Tajik literature.
Upon returning to his homeland, Fucik sits down at a book in which he shared with readers his impressions of his trip to the USSR. In 1934, Julius Fucik went to German Bavaria. Here he first saw with his own eyes what fascism is. After a series of essays exposing German Nazism, Fucik was known as a rebel. They even wanted to arrest him.
Fleeing from persecution, Julius hides in the USSR. Here the journalist creates a number of other essays on the Soviet Union. However, for some reason, he chose not to notice the negative aspects that the country that sheltered him was rich in. In particular, he did not write about mass repressions. Fucik never for a moment doubted the fairness of Stalin's policy.
Fucik during the years of occupation
In 1939, the Nazis occupied Fucik's homeland. He was disappointed and for a long time could not find himself in the changing world.
Fucik was married to his longtime sweetheart. But the family happiness of Julius and Augusta did not last long. After the outbreak of the war, many anti-fascists had to go deep underground. Fucik's family - his parents and wife - remained in the village, where they moved back in 1938. And Julius himself moved to Prague.
An active member of the Resistance, Fucik continued to engage in journalism even after the German invasion of his country. They had to work in conditions of underground and conspiracy. However, the journalist did not manage to avoid arrest. In 1942, Fucik was captured by the Gestapo and sent to the Pankrac prison in Prague. Here he wrote the book "Report with a noose around the neck", which made him famous.
During the investigation, Fucik was transferred to Berlin, where in 1943 the death sentence was announced. The day when the execution of the anti-fascist took place - September 8 - began to be considered the Day of Solidarity of Journalists.
