Protest singer Karel Kryl’s iconic songs reflect the spirit of 1968
On August 21, Czechs marked the 56th anniversary of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia. The oppressive atmosphere and frustrations of the time are reflected in the music of Karel Kryl, the country’s leading protest singer.
Karel Kryl, singer, songwriter and poet, was a leading Czech protest singer, whose music reflected the frustrations of Czechs following the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia in August of 1968. His song 'Bratricku Zavirej Vratka', 'Close the Gate, Brother', was written in response to the invasion and became something of an anthem for the occupied nation.
This and many other songs that followed became underground cult hits, going from hand to hand, recorded on the old cassette recorders and played in the privacy of people’s homes.
In 1969 Kryl emigrated to Germany where he continued to sing and compose and worked for Radio Free Europe. He died in 1994.
To this day his songs are sung in pubs and around campfires, even by the younger generation of Czechs who grew up after his death. Among the best known are Close the Gate, Brother, Morituri te salutant, Salome, The King and the Clown and Angel.
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