The Uses of Adversity: Essays on the Fate of Central Europe

by Timothy Garton Ash

Ten years ago Timothy Garton Ash came to East Berlin to find out from the archives what the Berliners had done under Hitler. Instead he found out - from the streets - what the Berliners were doing under Honecker. He observed the 'elections’; interviewed the local party members and talked into the night with an actor ('Dr Faust') who also worked for the State Security Service. He wrote about what he saw - in German - and the authorities protested. When he tried to return to East Berlin, he was turned back. He went to Poland and wrote a history of Solidarity. It was translated into Polish and became an underground bestseller. He was blacklisted at the frontier. He went to Prague to attend a Charter 77 meeting, but was met instead by the secret police. His reputation now seems to arrive before him. Ten years ago Timothy Garton Ash began to discover Central Europe. 'The Uses of Adversity' records what he found.

Genres: History, Politics, Essays, Nonfiction, Germany

339 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1989

About the author

Timothy Garton Ash CMG FRSA is a British historian, author and commentator. He is Professor of European Studies at Oxford University. Much of his work has been concerned with the late modern and contemporary history of Central and Eastern Europe.

Reviews

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

We may sometimes grow tired in the West of the ways of the literary free market -- the ceaseless hype, the sheer superabundance of publications and reviews -- but if there is one thing worse than a literary market it is the lack of a literary market. The political division of culture can also distort judgment: Second-rate work may be lauded just because it is officially criticized, first-rate work ignored because it is officially lauded. Yes, it is wonderful to find three thousand young people turning up at a poetry reading. But what questions do they ask the poet? Should we demonstrate on May 1? How should we treat someone who joins the Party? What should we think about the local elections? How should we live? The poet wants to be a poet, not a confessor, political leader, economist, or citizens' advice bureau. He has, so to speak, an abnormal importance. And it is no surprise to find that so many of Poland's best intellectuals, faced with these pressures, limitations, handicaps, and demands, have come West, away from the front line, for a breath (long or short) of, so to speak, European normality (a notion that certainly includes New York and Chicago). Yes, intellectuals in Poland matter -- perhaps more than intellectuals ever should.

"Unhappy the land that has no heroes," cries Galileo's angry pupil. But Brecht's Galileo replies: "Unhappy the land that has need of heroes."

[Kalliope · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have only read this time the parts pertaining to Hungary. I bought this book when it came out. Then, 1989, it was "Current Affairs". Now it is part of History. The rate of historical change during the 20th Century is astounding.

[Steve Kierstead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many wonderful essays, mostly about politics in Eastern Europe before and during the breakup of the Soviet empire.

[Stephen Coates · Rating 4 out of 5]

As part of his research for his PhD in the early 1980s, the topic of which was to be how those in what was then East Germany had lived when under the rule of Hitler, Ash was given considerable freedom to live in and travel within that country. However, the Berliners were more interested in telling him about life under the rule of Honecker. Amongst his observations was that polling stations did have ballots with candidates from multiple parties, but those voting for a non-Communist party candidate had to put their ballot in a special box on the other side of the room and doing so would ensure they were observed and recorded. He wrote a book on his observations, in German, and when he tried to return to the country, was barred entry. He subsequently went to Poland and wrote a history of Solidarity which was translated into Polish and became an underground bestseller and he was banned from returning to that country as well. So when he went to Czechoslovakia to attend a meeting of Charter 77, he was instead met by the secret police.

The book is a collection of essays he wrote during the 1980s focussing on the intellectual climate of those living and working in Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia and, to a lesser extent, Hungary. The differences between life in these countries were much more significant than those in the west might have perceived. For example, the Catholic church provided a significant counterbalance to and focal point for the ubiquitous power of the state in Poland but was a much less significant power in the other countries. And the other Eastern Block countries were more affluent, or at least less poor, than Poland. He describes a meeting in Hungary in which a leading poet calls for censorship which may seem surprising but what he as calling for was for clarification on what was permissible and what wasn’t as the lack of definition resulted in writers censoring themselves more than they would if the rules were stated.

Timothy Garten Ash’s insight is impressive and his observations prescient of the changes that were to occur only a few years after the book’s publication. I would have given it 5 stars had I been rating it within a decade of its publication.

[Lorenzo Berardi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still reading this one, but I'm almost done with it.

Next to excellent collection of essays on written in the early 1980s by a then young - and very beardy - Timothy Garton Ash.

On the whole 'The Uses of Adversity' gives a very interesting portrait of a rather abstract concept such as 'Central Europe' as seen a few years before that turning point of a year that 1989 was.

Now that something called 'Eastern Poland' promotes itself on every number of The Economist looking at the equalliy vague 'Central Europe' aka Mitropa (a deceased neologism, I'm afraid) might be worth.

German, Polish, Hungarian and Czechoslovakian politics, social life, cinema and literature are often intertwined here and what the British historian says does often make sense.

Nevertheless, Mr Garton Ash is clearly on steadier ground when writing about Poland, East Germany and Czechoslovakia than when looking into West Germany and Hungary.

If you are looking for the odd interview with the likes of Vaclav Havel, are interested to know how Polish universities or Hungarian censorship got by in the 1980s this is your stuff.

'The Uses of Adversity' hosts a stellar cast including Pope Johnny P, Michnik, Hoenecker, Walesa, Mrozek, Milosz, Kundera and Konrad.

Plus, there's even a cameo of the forgotten Solidarnosc minstrel: Jacek Kaczmarski.
I couldn't ask for much more.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm reading about politics / culture of central and eastern europe in preparation for my trip to Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, Montenegro this summer. Good reading.

[Michael Greening · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prescient essays that are extraordinarily well-written