Cover of The Devil’s Workshop

The Devil’s Workshop

Translated from the Czech by Alex Zucker

First published 2009

About the book

‘The devil had his workshop in Belarus. That’s where the deepest graves are. But no one knows about it.’ A young man grows up in a town with a sinister history. The concentration camp may have been liberated years ago, but its walls still cast their long shadows and some of the inhabitants are quite determined to not to allow anyone to forget. When the camp is marked for demolition, one of the survivors begins a campaign to preserve it, quickly attracting donations from wealthy benefactors, a cult-like following of young travellers, and a steady stream of tourists buying souvenir t-shirts. But before long, the authorities impose a brutal crack-down, leaving only an ‘official’ memorial and three young collaborators whose commitment to the act of remembering will drive them ever closer to the evils they hoped to escape—provided by publisher.

Prizes

  1. 2015 Longlist

About the author

Jáchym Topol, born 1962, Czech Republic.

Subjects

Catalogue record

Author
Topol, Jáchym, 1962–
Statement
The Devil’s Workshop / Jáchym Topol ; translated from the Czech by Alex Zucker.

Book facts

Original language
Czech
ISBN
978-1-84627-417-6
Records
Open Library Wikidata

Catalogue data checked 2 October 2026