Reminiscence of Prague, 24 October 1989 (Foreword to "Sixteen Poems", Ladislav Verecký )

Report of death of Ladislav

Ladislav Verecký (25 June 1955 - 21 April 2010)

Ladislav was an outstanding journalist, columnist, translator and writer

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Prague before the thaw

The title of the foreword to this "special surprise" samizdat tribute, a bilingual limited edition of "16 Poems" (which three Czech poets and translators had selected)?

 "Diplomat with a secret mission". You'll have to be able to read Czech to find out more.

“Diplomat  s tajným posláním...A James Potts tak dokázal, že jeho tajná pražská mise byla úspěšná.”

From my journal:

Last night, 24 October, my poetry reading at the Karel Čapek Bookshop. Apart from the three poet-translators Pavel Šrut, Ivo Šmoldas and Ladislav (“Dennis”) Verecký, and the “publishers” Petr Koháček and Mr Trnka, among those present at the reading were Marcela Pánková and her husband Jiři, Zdeněk Hron and Hanka Hronová, Miroslav Holub, Dana Habová, Vladimír Janovic, Jaroslav Kořán, Jan Vodňanský, Alois Bejblík, Ian and Jarmila Milner, Zdeněk Stříbrný, Marketa Kolíbalová, Jaroslav Veis, Jiři Josek, Helena Berková,Anna Pilátová and Ian Whitwham, and a British journalist from the TLS.

A great evening, still remembered! I felt really honoured by my Czech friends, in those still difficult times.

House in Smichov

Staff in Prague:

Hrabal