It would seem that "everything" has already been written about the fates of Šumava smugglers across the border formed by the Iron Curtain and those who tried to escape themselves. But this book will convince you that this is not the case.
The individual stories are interconnected both by thematics and by the intertwining of the fates of their protagonists. And they are portrayed not only dramatically, but also in an exceptionally cultivated literary language, which rightfully belongs to fictionalized non-fiction literature, but is relatively rare. There are also deeper connections and philosophical reflections on human destiny and history.
Each fictionalized story is supported and documented by facts and supplemented by factual commentary, sometimes quite extensive. It has its own logic, because the author managed to obtain and use previously unexplored archival materials, which accidentally escaped shredding. And thanks to them, he presents previously unknown information and sometimes substantially corrects previously held ideas, including about the activities of the "King of Šumava" Kilian Nowotne. This book of stories is therefore in many ways also factually revealing.
The book includes reproductions of key archive documents, period photographs and a color appendix with contemporary photographs of "old places" by the well-known Šumava photographer Vladislav Hošek.

The book of stories is divided into two parts called The Last Journey of the "Krále Šumava" (eight stories) and Against the Current (six stories).
The literary axis of the narrative of the first part (The Last Journey of the "Krále Šumava") is the last journey of Kilian Nowotne, known as the King of Šumava, with his group, which led from Germany to the territory of Czechoslovakia to the border town of Vimperk in May 1950. Each of the four main characters of this journey, including their assistants, a separate chapter is devoted.

The stories in the second part of the book (Against the Stream) have a broader framework and the roots of some of them go back to the time of occupation. However, they mainly relate to the period after 1948 and the period of the 1950s, when "the decent ones relaxed their vigilance and due to the loss of vigilance, over time, people who, in their desire for power, were capable of any dishonorable deeds, reached decisive positions." In this part too, the dramatic destinies of "everyday" people who did not let themselves be broken and each faced their own evils unfold.

"The character of Kilian, a native of the Šumava plains, caught my attention already when I was present as a spectator at the screening of the film "Král Šumava" in the cinema hall in Sušice, where the film had its national premiere on 12/25/1959. At that time, the district town received that honor because the director Karel Kachyňa chose places from the border parts of this district for some scenes in nature.
At the time, I was living with my parents in Sušice and heard completely different versions of the story from different parties than the one projected on the screen. I felt that the real story would be shrouded in mystery, and so it was until a few years ago, before I had the opportunity to search through archival documents. Thanks to an employee of the Archive of the Security Forces, a box was found in connection with the case, which, by a coincidence of strange coincidences, escaped shredding and became the model for my work."
Vilém Hrach