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Border Crossings: Coming of Age in the Czech Resistance
Border Crossings: Coming of Age in the Czech Resistance is the captivating and tender memoir of Charles Novacek, a Czechoslovakian whose idyllic childhood exploring the Tatra Mountains was shattered by the Nazi occupation of his homeland. He spent his youth defending his neighbors, his family and his country, first from the Nazi atrocities of World War II and then from the Soviet oppression of the
ensuing Cold War.
Charles was eleven years old when his father and uncle recruited him into the Czech Resistance. Antonin Novacek not only taught his son to survive in the wild, but also prepared him for wartime. Charles was taught to trust no one and how to resist pain, hunger, and fear.
Among his first assignments was the delivery of messages to soldiers parachuting behind enemy lines and hiding them in caves he equipped for their shelter.
As a young man, Charles was captured and jailed by the Communists and rescued by an underground resistance network. Realizing he was in too much danger to remain in Czechoslovakia, he staged a daring escape only to land in a miserable displaced persons camp. His will to live prevailed once again, and Charles married and eventually built a successful life in America.
ensuing Cold War.
Charles was eleven years old when his father and uncle recruited him into the Czech Resistance. Antonin Novacek not only taught his son to survive in the wild, but also prepared him for wartime. Charles was taught to trust no one and how to resist pain, hunger, and fear.
Among his first assignments was the delivery of messages to soldiers parachuting behind enemy lines and hiding them in caves he equipped for their shelter.
As a young man, Charles was captured and jailed by the Communists and rescued by an underground resistance network. Realizing he was in too much danger to remain in Czechoslovakia, he staged a daring escape only to land in a miserable displaced persons camp. His will to live prevailed once again, and Charles married and eventually built a successful life in America.
274 pages, Paperback
First published October 21, 2012
About the author
Charles Novacek
1 book7 followersCharles Novacek was born in Ožd’any, Czechoslovakia on May 11, 1928. He graduated from the Industrial College of Engineering in Brno, Czechoslovakia with a degree in mechanical engineering and attended the Masaryk University School of Law in Brno. After escaping his homeland in 1948, Novacek fled to Germany, then Venezuela and was finally able to immigrate with his family to the United States in 1956 where he taught himself English as his seventh language.
Novacek was a registered professional engineer and spent thirty-three years in the Detroit, Michigan, metropolitan area as a civil engineer, project, design and quality assurance manager. In retirement Novacek studied Mandarin Chinese and earned a B.G.S and an M.A. in Liberal Studies from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and an M.A. in Painting from Eastern Michigan University. Novacek wrote and painted all of his life, but didn’t start wring his memoir Border Crossings: Coming of Age in the Czech Resistance until the year 2000. He died in July 2007.
Novacek was a registered professional engineer and spent thirty-three years in the Detroit, Michigan, metropolitan area as a civil engineer, project, design and quality assurance manager. In retirement Novacek studied Mandarin Chinese and earned a B.G.S and an M.A. in Liberal Studies from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and an M.A. in Painting from Eastern Michigan University. Novacek wrote and painted all of his life, but didn’t start wring his memoir Border Crossings: Coming of Age in the Czech Resistance until the year 2000. He died in July 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 3, 2013
Amazing story. Reads as if you were sitting next to the author.
April 13, 2015
Novacek's is a heartrending story, and he is a hero for overcoming monstrous adversity. But I found some of his James Bond-like accounts a tad hard to swallow.
June 19, 2020
Border Crossings: Coming of Age in the Czech Resistance (A Memoir) by Charles Novacek.
Since I was young I have always been fascinated by the history of world war 2 and over time that interest has grown into very specific areas, one being the resistance movement in the countries occupied by the Nazis. I’ve read much on the Norwegian resistance but books about the other half of my heritage, Czech, have been harder to find. I recently finished memoir by Charles Novacek who came of age during the Nazi occupation.
Even before the Nazis occupied Czechoslovakia Novacek experienced hate in his own country. Czechoslovakia was a creation of the victor’s World War 1 who combined various ethnic groups into one country. Sadly. those groups spoke different languages and had many prejudices against one another. Novacek’s parents came from different groups so his parents, sister, and himself were often targets of hateful and needless discrimination.
Novacek’s father, Charles, and even his sister became part of those resisting the Naiz occupation during World War 2 and all played very heroic roles. They all had hoped to see a return to freedom with the defeat of the Nazis at the end of World War 2, but that was not to be as the Allies allowed the Soviet Union to “liberate” much of eastern Europe, including Czechoslovakia. The Czech’s rightfully felt betrayed and the Novacek family remained active in the resistance movement which now focused on the Soviets and the Czech communists. Many of the Nazi Czech collaborators instantly became Communist oppressors under the Soviets. Charles was captured during an act of resistance and was summarily sentenced to be executed. He made a dramatic escape into American occupied Germany where he spent much time in refugee camps waiting to be allowed to emigrate to America.
The remainder of the book follows Charles meeting his future wife in a refugee camp, their immigration to Venezuela, and a revolution there that eventually resulted in their settling in Michigan in the USA. Novacek became a civil engineer of some note and completed several advanced degrees even after retirement.
Reading this book now, during the civil unrest and COVID-19 pandemic was especially enlightening. Novacek experienced true oppression, discrimination, and terror through much of his life in Europe. It makes those who claim that wearing a facemask takes away their freedom even more laughable. It is clear they have no idea about the real meaning of oppression.
Since I was young I have always been fascinated by the history of world war 2 and over time that interest has grown into very specific areas, one being the resistance movement in the countries occupied by the Nazis. I’ve read much on the Norwegian resistance but books about the other half of my heritage, Czech, have been harder to find. I recently finished memoir by Charles Novacek who came of age during the Nazi occupation.
Even before the Nazis occupied Czechoslovakia Novacek experienced hate in his own country. Czechoslovakia was a creation of the victor’s World War 1 who combined various ethnic groups into one country. Sadly. those groups spoke different languages and had many prejudices against one another. Novacek’s parents came from different groups so his parents, sister, and himself were often targets of hateful and needless discrimination.
Novacek’s father, Charles, and even his sister became part of those resisting the Naiz occupation during World War 2 and all played very heroic roles. They all had hoped to see a return to freedom with the defeat of the Nazis at the end of World War 2, but that was not to be as the Allies allowed the Soviet Union to “liberate” much of eastern Europe, including Czechoslovakia. The Czech’s rightfully felt betrayed and the Novacek family remained active in the resistance movement which now focused on the Soviets and the Czech communists. Many of the Nazi Czech collaborators instantly became Communist oppressors under the Soviets. Charles was captured during an act of resistance and was summarily sentenced to be executed. He made a dramatic escape into American occupied Germany where he spent much time in refugee camps waiting to be allowed to emigrate to America.
The remainder of the book follows Charles meeting his future wife in a refugee camp, their immigration to Venezuela, and a revolution there that eventually resulted in their settling in Michigan in the USA. Novacek became a civil engineer of some note and completed several advanced degrees even after retirement.
Reading this book now, during the civil unrest and COVID-19 pandemic was especially enlightening. Novacek experienced true oppression, discrimination, and terror through much of his life in Europe. It makes those who claim that wearing a facemask takes away their freedom even more laughable. It is clear they have no idea about the real meaning of oppression.
January 17, 2020
Coming of Age in The Czech Resistance - A Memoir, PB-B, @ 2012, Read 1/16/20. Non-fiction, Underground Movements, Czechoslovakia, Biography, WWII, Communism, Immigrants, Venezuela, USA, Detroit. GPBC Jan. pick for Feb. discussion. An interesting memoir of a Czech boy and his family, Nazi and USSR occupation, Resistance, immigration. What he, his family and his motherland went through before, during and after WWII and the Cold War. 3☆'s = Good. At times, hard to read, brutal. But I learned things I didn't know!
March 21, 2017
Happy Bookers March 2017.
A view if life prior to WWII in Czechoslovakia and surrounding countries, then during WWII - resistance and yet education, sporting, etc. activities available, and then the horrendous time post-WWII when the Russians "liberated" the Czechs by putting them in refugee camps similar to prisoner of war conditions.
Finally they are allowed to emigrate to Venezuela and then to the USA. A very strong book - easily read, but very emotional.
I would highly recommend.
A view if life prior to WWII in Czechoslovakia and surrounding countries, then during WWII - resistance and yet education, sporting, etc. activities available, and then the horrendous time post-WWII when the Russians "liberated" the Czechs by putting them in refugee camps similar to prisoner of war conditions.
Finally they are allowed to emigrate to Venezuela and then to the USA. A very strong book - easily read, but very emotional.
I would highly recommend.
April 27, 2020
This book is obviously self-published - the writing is stilted at times, but boy what a life the author lived! I have a special connection to this story because my father was also a teenager in Czechoslovakia during WWII.
August 17, 2024
After visiting Prague, I was curious about its history. This is the story of a young man during the Nazi's and then when they got taken over by the Soviets. A compelling story that would have been even more compelling with better editing.
August 16, 2023
Interesting reading.
August 24, 2013
Border Crossings: Coming Of Age In The Czech Resistance
Border Crossing is a book about love; wife's love for her deceased husband and man's love for his country. This memoir gives a history lesson as well as tells a adventure packed human story of a truly amazing man, Charles Novacek, a learned man and a polyglot. Written with a strong sense of voice, this books is very readable and engaging. Charles' life journey is truly fascinating and worth reading about. Border Crossing gives a human story to a little know part of Czechoslovakian history. Charles Novacek is a survivor in every sense of the word. He now keeps living for future generations in this memoir through his wife, who "gave him immortality".
Border Crossing is a book about love; wife's love for her deceased husband and man's love for his country. This memoir gives a history lesson as well as tells a adventure packed human story of a truly amazing man, Charles Novacek, a learned man and a polyglot. Written with a strong sense of voice, this books is very readable and engaging. Charles' life journey is truly fascinating and worth reading about. Border Crossing gives a human story to a little know part of Czechoslovakian history. Charles Novacek is a survivor in every sense of the word. He now keeps living for future generations in this memoir through his wife, who "gave him immortality".
December 12, 2013
It's important to me to read autobiographies. I'm interested in how a person's experiences in life shape their individuality, especially those who have suffered adversity and continued to believe in themselves. Among these are the many, many people who have been willing to risk torture and death for a cause they believe in.
Charles is one of these people. His parents carefully cultivated in him the quality of integrity throughout his childhood. This quality gave him, and his sister, the courage to fight for freedom from tyranny. They were both very brave, fighting first the Nazis and later the Communists.
For me the story is the embodiment of the phrase "Give me liberty of give death!"
Charles is one of these people. His parents carefully cultivated in him the quality of integrity throughout his childhood. This quality gave him, and his sister, the courage to fight for freedom from tyranny. They were both very brave, fighting first the Nazis and later the Communists.
For me the story is the embodiment of the phrase "Give me liberty of give death!"
November 21, 2013
A very illuminating, painful book to read. This is the author's biography, what he went through as he lived in Czechoslovakia as a young man. He eventually emigrated to the US, Detroit area, where he became an accomplished, and well respected engineer.
At times difficult to read but appreciate learning/knowing so much more about what happened after the end of WWII for those now under the rule of the Soviet Union.
At times difficult to read but appreciate learning/knowing so much more about what happened after the end of WWII for those now under the rule of the Soviet Union.
December 12, 2014
"Border Crossings" is a wonderful book about a young man growing up with the Czech resistance in WWII. What great loyalty and determination so many people had to withstand the cruel, inhumane treatment by so many Nazi's and then Soviet Union KGB officers.
This book eventually lands this young man in the United States, very near to where I live. His contributions to the Detroit area are outstanding! Very well written.
This book eventually lands this young man in the United States, very near to where I live. His contributions to the Detroit area are outstanding! Very well written.
March 31, 2014
This is a remarkable book. The story of Charles Novacek's early years is as captivating as any fictional thriller or spy story. It is a real life page turner that will leave you in awe of this amazing man and his story.
January 6, 2014
Amazing that people who live nearby had quite a history. Novacek's memoir of working in Czech resistance during and after WWII added another layer to revealing events of the 1940s and Cold War era.
March 28, 2019
This book was very informative. I am amazed at all that Charles endured and all that he was able to accomplish despite the conditions under which he had to live. I feel his case is highly unusual as far his ability to continue his education during these war-torn years. Unfortunately, nothing seems to have changed as far as corrupt, evil, power-driven governments encroaching upon the rights and people of independent countries.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews