In the Time of Madmen, by Mark A. Prelas
In the Time of Madmen is a powerful story of how family survived the hardest of times with love, fortitude and a spirit of entrepreneurship that brought hope and sustainability. The story mingles lived experience with family history as it unfolds the journeys of the author’s parents, Katicà Bek and Jure Antonovi?, from childhood through old age. The characters become dear to your heart as Prelas brings you along the journeys of his parents’ childhood antics and discoveries, and as they develop their passions and talents as young adults whose hopes and futures become blindsided with the evil powers of Adolph Hitler.
Violence and hate changed their histories when World War II ignited, forcing them into slavery. But fate led them together, and love sparked and prevailed. Prelas’s work exemplifies the experience of innocence robbed when Germany invaded the lives of millions. His work exemplifies how the one thing Hitler could not invade was one’s spirit for life. It is through this strength that Prelas’s family reigned stronger than any power around them.
Katicà’s maternal lineage was from the great Matija Gubec of the Croatian-Slovene Peasant Revolt in 1573. Her father was Jewish. She grew up in Popova?a where Katicà had a natural gift to understand the blend of languages around her. She was an avid student and excelled at swimming. In August 1939, Katicà left to study medicine at the University of Heidelberg, where she would also train for the 1940 Olympics. Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, crushing her dreams. As Katicà and her sisters were forced from their farm and into slavery, her father gave them a final warning: never reveal your Jewish heritage.
Jure was born on his family’s winery near the village of Budimir (rural Croatia) in April 1913. Jure quickly excelled at math and grew restless with vineyard living. At the tender age of 13 he began traveling with his brother Josip, selling pots and pans, fabric, jewelry and food. The Great Depression made life as a salesman difficult. Hearing that a soldier never went hungry, Jure joined the Yugoslavian army. Danger rose as Hitler’s power spread, and Jure was enslaved on a German farm. His sales skills were quickly noted by the farm owner, and they partnered in a very risky network selling their food stock and handmade items. If caught, death was certain.
Katicà was in Lübeck working as a slave laborer in a factory. Her quick mastery of language interpretation was quickly recognized by barrack soldiers, and she became an invaluable interpreter. While in Lübeck one day, Jure noticed her from a distance. Her beauty instantly captured his eye and heart, and with a sense of glee, he recognized her Croatian accent. Their dance of love began, and they married in June 1943.
Life after World War II was brutal. The communist government had taken all but five acres of Katicà’s parent’s farm, and Jure’s father lost his winery. Jure who had openly criticized the communist regime and fearing for his life, fled to the United States with his little daughter. They settled in Colorado waiting for Katicà to join them after her recovery from tuberculosis. The family worked hard to build their life in America. It was here that the author was born. Work was difficult and they were targets of much prejudice. Love and the spirit of entrepreneurship helped them rise, once again, against the negative powers.
After Jure’s death, Katicà traveled to Lübeck, where family and history were revisited, old wounds were put to rest, and new memories were created. Katicà nurtured her grandchildren once back in America, volunteered, and swam as often as she could. Her life was about achieving the impossible under the worst possible circumstances.
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The author states, “No individual could know all that Mom had been through. We had only an inkling of her character and depth of soul… even though I spent most of my life around her, there is so much more I would like to learn”. He further writes, “There were times I prayed that World War II had never happened and that my father and mother could have lived normal lives. But I also understood that my existence was directly connected to every tragic experience that they had endured.”
In the Time of Madmen evokes a medley of emotions as the stories of childhood innocence and capers, the abuses by Nazi and communism rule, and the struggle to put down new roots in America are told with raw honesty.
This is an important story as it invites the reader into the realities of what it is like when oppressive rule snatches away life, and what it is like to rebuild with courage. It’s also rich with lessons of how to live abundantly, even when everything around you is crumbling. It exemplifies how strength often lies less in looking back, but more in facing the future with humbleness and gratitude. This book is evidence that what matters most is love and family, even in the face of the cruelest oppression.
“Overall, the narrative, a tribute to Prelas’ mother, is a reflective one with a persistent sense of melancholy that carries through to its accounts of the present day. Although it’s filled with historical details, it’s primarily a family saga.” —?Kirkus Reviews
In the Time of Madmen, by Mark A. Prelas (Amsterdam Publishers), 212 pp, is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and in bookshops worldwide.