Domovský přístav Praha

The book, compiled using a large number of archival sources, most of them hitherto unpublished, takes a comprehensive look at the establishment and development of maritime navigation in the former Czechoslovakia and the functioning of the independent enterprise Czechoslovak Ocean Shipping in the period of 1948–1989. The topic is discussed in many aspects. As well as an analysis of economic results, the author deals with the issue of cooperation with the People’s Republic of China, the events of 1968 on naval ships, the period of so-called normalisation in the maritime navigation environment, and the activities of the State Security service (StB) in this area. Shipping hierarchy is not neglected, and space is also given to the everyday life of mariners, including the topics of travel, emigration, smuggling of goods and the difficulty of finding a work-life balance
in this profession. The engagingly written text is illustrated by contemporary photographs.