Czech, Taiwanese writers explore democracy, history at Frankfurt Book Fair

Frankfurt, Oct. 9 (CNA) Czech author Radka Denemarková and Taiwanese writer Yang Shuang-zi (楊双子) discussed at the Frankfurt Book Fair on Wednesday how their countries' histories have shaped their societies.

The discussion, titled "Telling Her Story: Women, Trains and the Weight of History," was held at the Czech pavilion. The Czech Republic is the guest of honor at this year's fair, which opened Wednesday and runs through Sunday.

The two authors drew on their novels, "Čokoládová krev" (Chocolate Blood) by Denemarková and Yang's "Taiwan Travelogue" (臺灣漫遊錄), to discuss women, railways and how history is remembered.

Yang said she set her novel in Taiwan under Japanese colonial rule as a way of speaking to contemporary society and helping readers learn about Taiwan.

Denemarková, a prominent Czech writer whose work spans novels, plays and literary criticism, has long written about totalitarianism, historical memory and individual freedom.

After visiting China several times, she drew on what she saw of human rights, surveillance and life under authoritarian rule in her novel "Hodiny z olova" (Hours of Lead), published in 2018.

The 58-year-old author has been barred from entering China since 2017.

From "Swallow of Prague" to "Swallow of Tainan"

After the discussion, Denemarková told CNA that her ties to Taiwan came about unexpectedly after she left China.

She first visited Taiwan in January 2020 and stayed for five months, during which she witnessed the presidential election and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.

"Crises can reveal a society's true face more quickly, as well as show how solidarity among people works," she said. "I saw how brave this small island of Taiwan is and what role it plays in geopolitics."

Denemarková's interest is not limited to contemporary Taiwan. She said she was particularly interested in the island's history of colonial rule and the White Terror, seeing parallels with the history of Central Europe, where she is from.

Taiwan lifted martial law in 1987, while Czechoslovakia began its transition to democracy in 1989. Although the two societies faced different circumstances, their experiences prompted her to reflect on the same question: "What does democracy actually mean?"

Those reflections have informed a novel she is working on, which will follow two families, one in Taiwan and the other in Central Europe, along parallel storylines, Denemarková told CNA.

Provisionally titled "Nanning Street," the book takes its name from the street in Tainan, southern Taiwan, where she stayed during a literary residency in 2020, the writer said, adding that she particularly appreciated the way people in Taiwan interact with and support one another.

Known in Europe as the "Swallow of Prague," Denemarková smiled as she spoke about Tainan, saying she had now become a "Swallow of Tainan" as well.

New perspectives on Taiwan from Central Europe

While Denemarková has looked at Central Europe through her experiences in Taiwan, Yang has gained new perspectives on Taiwan by exploring Central Europe's history.

Yang's novel "Taiwan Travelogue," which was translated into English by Lin King (金翎), won the 2026 International Booker Prize in May, becoming the first Taiwanese work to win the award.

During Wednesday's discussion, Yang recalled her visits to the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 2024, saying the two countries' historical development and struggles for freedom offered many lessons that Taiwan could draw on.

"Traveling far away can actually help us see ourselves when we look back," Yang said.

Travel can lead people to reconsider their own country and life, and to think about whom they want to be in conversation with, she said.

"Although different societies have their own historical experiences, understanding one another can help them find the strength to move forward and grow together," she said.

Taiwan at the Frankfurt Book Fair

Some 258 titles from 58 publishers are on display at the Taiwan pavilion during the five-day fair. Apart from Yang, the pavilion is also hosting other Taiwanese authors, including Liu Ka-shiang (劉克襄), a poet, essayist, novelist and naturalist; and Chou Chien-hsin (周見信), author of the popular graphic novel "Son of Formosa" (來自清水的孩子).

Speaking at the pavilion's opening ceremony Wednesday, Lo Mei-shun (羅美舜), head of Taiwan's representative office in Frankfurt, said visitors to the pavilion would discover what best defines Taiwan: its people.

Lo described every book at the Taiwan pavilion as "a sincere invitation" from Taiwanese authors to experience Taiwan's stories and warmth.