Karel Kryl – A great singer-songwriter who put poetry into protest
Karel Kryl was one of the most significant Czech anti-communist protest singers. His sparse and poetic songs such as Bratříčku zavírej vrátka (Close the Gate, Little Brother), written in direct response to the Soviet invasion, reflected the frustrations of many Czechoslovaks in the 1970s and ‘80s. This year sees two important anniversaries relating to the singer-songwriter: Monday is the 20th anniversary of his death, while the 70th anniversary of his birth falls in April.
