War by Means of Peace”: Lucy E. Textor, the Czechoslovak Land Reform and the Propaganda of the Interwar Castle

Abstract

The article examines the propaganda strategies of the “Castle” group in interwar Czechoslovakia through the example of the promotion of American professor Lucy E. Textor. In 1923,
she wrote the book Land Reform in Czechoslovakia, the first detailed analysis of the issue
in English. Textor’s publication reflects the propaganda efforts of the “Castle,” which includes the activities of the President of the Republic, the Office of the President of the Republic and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. One of its goals was to shape the image of
Czechoslovakia abroad.
To investigate the land reform, Textor visited Czechoslovakia, where she was warmly
received by President Tomáš G. Masaryk and his entourage. Her publication was used to
present Czechoslovakia’s democratic ideals and to refute objections to the land reform.
Although the book was not intended for a wider audience outside intellectual circles interested in Central Europe, it influenced the international discourse on the topics of Czechoslovakia and its land reform.
Overall, Textor was important to the “Castle” group, which sought to promote Czechoslovakia’s achievements in the West. Until today, her book continues to influence how the
Czechoslovak land reform is viewed. The story behind this English publication, intended to
be written with a detachment from the events it describes, actually involves political games
and propaganda by the “Castle” group.