Under a Cruel Star: A Life in Prague 1941-1968 by Heda Margolius Kovaly

Heda Margolius Kovaly’s memoir details the effects that two of the twentieth century’s most destructive totalitarian ideologies had on individual lives. Both fascism and communism sought to liberate some groups of human beings while crushing others deemed to be enemies. Kovaly herself sees this process from both sides, first as a Jew in Auschwitz and then as one of the communist elite in post-war Czechoslovakia. Describe some of the ways that Kovaly portrays her and other individual’s efforts to cope under these two regimes. According to her, why did people who had suffered under Nazism turn around and support communism? Which of the three forces mentioned in the quote above does Kovaly consider the most powerful?

Write a 3-5 page paper (12 point font, double-spaced, regular margins) addressing these questions and issues.You will need to cite any direct quotes and paraphrasing from the novel. I expect the paper to have a clear thesis and argument that is supported by concrete examples from the novel and relates to the historical context we are learning about in lecture and in the textbook. Use MLA citation for the paper.