Abstract
The name of Hugo Vavrečka (1880-1952), journalist, diplomat, director of the Bat'a company, minister of propaganda, and grandfather of the Havel brothers, is rather marginal in Czech historiography. He has received only sporadic attention, and the last years of his life not at all.
They are among the ones that pose the most questions and provide the least expected answers. This book, therefore, first offers the reader a brief introduction to Vavrečka's life up to 1945, summarises the main areas of his work and shows his priorities and attitudes in life, which were fully manifested in the main period 1945-52 when Vavrečka - like other members of the former First Republic and partly Protectorate elite - had to cope with the problems that arose from his pre/war activities.
The author follows in detail Vavrečka's adaptation to the changing social conditions and his position in them and presents an almost detective-like investigation into the various strategies of negotiation and action he chose when faced accusations of collaboration, for example. The author also seeks answers to questions about what Vavrečka thought about the world around him and how he imagined (not only his) future.