War by Means of Peace”: Lucy E. Textor, the Czechoslovak Land Reform and the Propaganda of the Interwar Castle
War by Means of Peace”: Lucy E. Textor, the Czechoslovak Land Reform and the Propaganda of the Interwar Castle

Summary/Abstract: The article examines the propaganda strategies of the “Castle” group in interwar Czechoslovakia through the example of the promotion of American professor Lucy E. Textor. In 1923, she wrote the book Land Reform in Czechoslovakia, the first detailed analysis of the issue in English. Textor’s publication reflects the propaganda efforts of the “Castle,” which includes the activities of the President of the Republic, the Office of the President of the Re-public and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. One of its goals was to shape the image of Czechoslovakia abroad. To investigate the land reform, Textor visited Czechoslovakia, where she was warmly received by President Tomáš G. Masaryk and his entourage. Her publication was used to present Czechoslovakia’s democratic ideals and to refute objections to the land reform. Although the book was not intended for a wider audience outside intellectual circles interested in Central Europe, it influenced the international discourse on the topics of Czechoslovakia and its land reform. Overall, Textor was important to the “Castle” group, which sought to promote Czechoslovakia’s achievements in the West. Until today, her book continues to influence how the Czechoslovak land reform is viewed. The story behind this English publication, intended to be written with a detachment from the events it describes, actually involves political games and propaganda by the “Castle” group.

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