Arnold Suppan has decided to face a difficult challenge. He sets out to present a thousand-year history of Czech-Austrian relations on less than 300 pages. His findings are based on research of Czech, Austrian, and foreign historians, but above all on his own long-term knowledge of the subject. As a professor at the University of Vienna, former Vice President of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, and a longtime member of the Czech-Austrian Historical Commission, Suppan's research focuses on the history of former territories of the Habsburg monarchy in Central Europe, especially in the twentieth century.

This synthesis is a unique achievement: it has no parallel in the historiography of the mutual Czech-Austrian relations. Many extensive books about the history of the Central Europe have been written, but the relationship between Czechs and Austrians was never the central interest. The existing publications, which have often been produced in cooperation between Czech and Austrian historians, have always been devoted to the individual aspects of mutual relations, not to the relationship as a whole (i.e., Česko. Rakousko. Rozděleni—odloučeni—spojeni: Sborník a katalog Dolnorakouské zemské výstavy 2009 [Czech Republic, Austria. Divided—Separated—Connected: Catalog of the Lower Austrian Exhibition 2009] [Jihlava, 2009]). The Joint Austrian-Czech History Book, which is being finalized by a group of authors working in the Permanent Conference of the Czech and Austrian Historians and scheduled for publication by the Austrian Academy of Sciences, should offer a similar wide-ranging and detailed view as Suppan's synthesis. Unlike Suppan's synthesis, however, the intended focus is on select cross-curricular themes rather than detailed chronological development.

Suppan begins his book with a quote by the former Czech(oslovak) president Václav Havel, who, in his speech at the University of Vienna on 15 March 1993, lamented the fact that the citizens of Austria and the Czech Republic, despite the “intrinsic affinity” of their views, their traditions, and their destiny, “had long lived rather alongside each other than really with each other” (6). In the following chapters, Suppan observes the relationship of both peoples over the centuries and shows its development from different tribes living next to each other, over the 400-year-long joint history in the Habsburg monarchy until the estrangement in the twentieth century and today's conflicting issues. Suppan's opening description of the first centuries of shared history in the Holy Roman Empire also serves as an overview of the history of this area.

On the following pages, he also shows how historical events, such as Battle of White Mountain, played a symbolic role that continues to resonate through the present day. He argues that, from the beginning, the relationship between the two countries has vacillated between cooperation and competition. However, shared political developments and historical processes have, in connection with national movements, transformed in the formation of a conflicting community. In the twentieth century, especially after World War II, this conflict spilled over into a total separation that was physically demarcated by the Iron Curtain. In the last chapter, Suppan discusses the major themes of mutual relations at the turn of the millennium. It is a pity that two critical topics (the Temelín Nuclear Power Station and the Beneš decrees) overshadow this mutual relation and that this narrow focus is replicated in contemporary historiography, meaning that other aspects of the restored neighborly relations are overlooked. Unfortunately, Suppan is not an exception in this case. Despite the chronological arrangement of the text, Suppan pays attention to the topics appearing in the mutual relationship throughout centuries, such as language questions, building national identity, and especially persistent prejudices, mutual distrust, and lack of judiciousness between the neighbors. In the final summary, the author recapitulates the most important findings and parallels of this common history and reflects on how appreciation for this history can shape present and future relations. He argues that the people of both countries should be aware of their shared responsibility for the region's development and seek a common approach to responding to important future issues.

The text is very dense and detailed yet still very readable, as the author enriches it with interesting and personal stories. In addition to political developments, Suppan also presents social, economic, and demographic developments as well as cultural contacts. However, the daily coexistence of Czechs and Austrians could be emphasized more, as well as the specifics of the border region. A more structured organization and subdivisions would help readers and provide greater clarity. Despite the abundance of the titles in footnotes and in the final bibliography, it is difficult for the reader to identify relevant expanding literature on individual themes. An annotated bibliography would be very helpful in this case. There are a few instances when the author incorporates value judgments—for instance in his discussion of the period after World War I when he criticizes the duality of Czechoslovak argumentation (the right to self-determination, but in the territory of the historical countries) and when he states that acts of the Czechoslovak state and the Czechoslovaks were a cruel revenge to German-speaking fellow citizens after the Second World War—but these are relatively rare. Overall, the text presents a balanced assessment that takes into account the perspectives of both the Czechs and Austrians.

Even for historians with knowledge of the history of Austrian-Czech relations, this book brings some unexpected insights and interesting perspectives. Suppan finds parallels between the nations in the modernization and centralization processes but also in the times of suppression and in the alignment with national history. This comparative approach is effectively demonstrated, for instance, in his connection of the Victim Myth in Austria and the Myth of Münich in Czechoslovakia. In conclusion, this book fulfills what can be expected: a synthesis full of information, sometimes too condensed and unstructured, but offering a comprehensive overview on the relations between the close bounded nations of Austria and the Czech Republic.