Matej's Legacy

Matej's Legacy is a nonfiction chronicle following the author's Czechfamily through 20th-century history.It is a sequel to Matej's Journeyto America that creatively traced the Chmelkas tobiblical times, and then journeyed with them through six millennia frompresent-day Iraq, to the Czech Republic, and finally to America. The author'sgreat-great-grandfather was born as the Rocky Mountain fur trade boomed in 1825,and grew up on a 13-acre farm in Moraviawhere the Chmelkas had been serfs since Charlemagnewas crowned the first Holy Roman Emperor.Gold, homesteads and Texaslonghorns lured thousands of oppressed Europeans to Americain the mid-1800s, riding on steamships and railroads that now madelong-distance travel feasible. Prussiaestablished its European dominance in 1871 when railroads closed by warreopened to civilians, allowing Matej to flee his beloved motherland for a freehomestead in Nebraska. He found a difficult life on the prairie withgrasshoppers, drought, hail and fires destroying crops—spurring his 14-year-oldson to join a Texas cattle drive and then to dodge Indians and gunfightersthroughout the romantic era of the Wild West. Matej died in 1902, leaving hisfamily little wealth, but a legacy, the first 100-years of which is covered inthis book. Henry Ford, the Wright brothers,Thomas Edison and other inventors were creating a New World,and the Czechs finally found independence thanks to World War I, which put anend to feudalism but gave birth to Communism. Technology in transportation,agriculture and communications continued to expand during the Roaring Twenties,and a Democratic America became the hope to millions still victimized by brutaldictators. Good times gave way to the Great Depression and the author was bornon a primitive Nebraska farm as anew war spread around the globe. Germanyand Japan werebrought to their knees, but the world was introduced to nuclear horror and wassoon threatened by Russian, Chinese, Korean and VietnameseCommunists—ungrateful allies vowing to bury American Capitalism.The Middle Eastand Africa were now freed from European colonialism, butinstead of developing natural resources for the benefit of their citizens,rival leaders wallowed in tribal warfare.Israel became the incendiary target for Muslims who controlled much ofthe world's oil, now in great demand as the automobile and airplane gave newmobility to man. As the world's leader, Americabecame its policeman, taking on one evil empire after another. Koreaand Vietnamwere not proud moments, yet Communism fell to economic demands that onlyDemocratic Capitalism could meet. The Czech Republic and the entire RussianBloc were suddenly free, but as the world relaxed, a war of terror began,financed by Arab oil and executed by Muslim extremists. Outmatched intechnology, failing regimes retreated to guerilla warfare, determined tooutlast a culture softened by instant gratification. Lebanon,Palestine, Yugoslavia,Afghanistan andIraq becamemajor hotspots while Africa simmered under tribalwarfare with millions dying from AIDS and starvation. Matej's Legacy integratesthe world events of the past 100 years with the Chmelka family story, includingthe author's journey from farm boy to engineer and executive in the automotiveand aerospace industries. He retired in1997 and began writing a two-volume epic, concluding in 2003 when the United States remained the world's primaryprotector; but sadly, often criticized and hated by cynics and politicalopportunists. American immigrants are generally grateful for the opportunitiesand freedom our great country offers, and many of the world'sdowntrodden continue their desperate journeys to our shores. Others jealouslypreach hatred and death to America,but as descendants of those who sacrificed much to be here, let us never forgetour legacy.