by Jaan Kroos
I just love historic novels. Jaan Kroos is considered as the re-inventor of that genre. That and teh fact that I hadn’t ever read a book from an Estonian writer caused me to pick it from my library of untouched books. Some say he deserved the Nobel prize. Welcome in the club of Philip Roth and Borges.
Estonia is part of the old promised land of the Prussian crusaders. Until recently it wasn’t really a country. A long time it was controlled by a german aristocracy (“heirs” of the old crusaders), the Russian Czar and later by Stalin. The Czar’s Madman is the Baltic aristocrat Timoteus von Bock – a former officer in the Russian army and close friend of the Czar. After the war against Napoleon the Czar asks Timoteus to tell him always the truth unlike other subordinates. Timo goes back to his land and starts to get interested in progressive ideas. He marries a woman from the lower class, that makes him to fight fro the right’s of the “unfree” countrymen. Since he promised the Czar to tell him always the truth, he sends him a memorandum accusing his Highness of being unjust and arbitrary with the oppressed. Obviously, such a man has to be sick. No healthy man say such a truth to an absolute ruler. He got imprisoned and is later set free under guardianship since he is out of his mind and needs some guidance. If Timo is mad or just idealistic remains open. But it is clearly a tale about tyranny and how people cope with it – adapting, supporting, ignoring or fighting. The characters of the novel are based on some real persons.
Estonia is part of the old promised land of the Prussian crusaders. Until recently it wasn’t really a country. A long time it was controlled by a german aristocracy (“heirs” of the old crusaders), the Russian Czar and later by Stalin. The Czar’s Madman is the Baltic aristocrat Timoteus von Bock – a former officer in the Russian army and close friend of the Czar. After the war against Napoleon the Czar asks Timoteus to tell him always the truth unlike other subordinates. Timo goes back to his land and starts to get interested in progressive ideas. He marries a woman from the lower class, that makes him to fight fro the right’s of the “unfree” countrymen. Since he promised the Czar to tell him always the truth, he sends him a memorandum accusing his Highness of being unjust and arbitrary with the oppressed. Obviously, such a man has to be sick. No healthy man say such a truth to an absolute ruler. He got imprisoned and is later set free under guardianship since he is out of his mind and needs some guidance. If Timo is mad or just idealistic remains open. But it is clearly a tale about tyranny and how people cope with it – adapting, supporting, ignoring or fighting. The characters of the novel are based on some real persons.
Facts:
English title: The Czar’s Madman
Original title: Keisri hull
Published: 1978
