Memory of nation
Personal project
joint project with Olga Alia Krulišová
Communist coup in February 1948, which was the culmination of the Soviet power representatives´efforts to annex Czechoslovakia to the eastern bloc, established a new political regime. Government in accordance with the prevailing ideology unleashed the systematic spread of terror aimed against the representatives of traders, landowners, intelligentsia, clergy, but also soldiers who fought on the Western Front during the Second World War . The aim was to destroy the very beginning of any hint of resistance, induce fear in the population and thus prevent any rebellion. The fifties are one of the darkest periods of Czechoslovakia. The will of the citizens who had no intention of submitting to oppressive practices of the State, was broken by show trials , arrests, imprisonment, and torture. Thousands of Czechoslovak inhabitants became victims of judicial murders, they were interned in labor camps, imprisoned or socially discriminated. Impermeable national borders imprisoned Czechoslovak citizens in their own country. Many people were arrested or shot while trying to cross them illegaly.
These photographs show particular events of the Czechoslovak history
The project began with the cooperation on the Memory of Nation exhibition with museum in Usti nad Labem. The exhibition aims to inform the public about the history of our country. Remind people living in the present of the past and not allow the future generations to forget it .
Nymburk
In 1949 twenty inhabitants of Nymburk were dragged to Prague for a cross examination. It took place in a notorious Pankrác prison. Due to Kraus family’s contacts with agent Josef Plzák, a provocateur was involved in the manipulative game. On the basis of his testimony, a year later nine people were on trial at a trumped-up process. The public process took place in Nymburk at local sports hall of Sokol, the physical training union. They were all sentenced to life imprisonment or many years of heavy jail for espionage or heavy treason. Josef Plzák was executed. Oskar Leo, the son of the Kraus family, attempted to cross the state boundary but he was arrested and met his parents no sooner than in prison.
Kvilda
Šumava, an extensive mountain range at the western border of the Czech Republic. The photographs commemorate stories of Czech and German transferrers who were risking their lives attempting to transfer the citizens of Czechoslovakia to the other side of the militarily patrolled borderline shortly after the communist putsch.There is a stone monument near the village of Kvilda where was the path which transferrers have been using.
Litomyšl
In October 1950 a restful provincial town was shaken by a show trial in which twenty four accused people were sentenced to two hundred and twenty four years in prison altogether.
The only offence of the leader of an alleged terrorist organization ATA, which was believed to have formed at a local gymnasium, was help in need. In the era of systematically spread fear, the rector of the piaristic college František Ambrož Stříteský hid and later on destroyed an old gun from the war in the local church. The gun was handed over to him by his frightened student.
Most of the convicts were juveniles, whose hopeful future ended after their judgement was delivered. In spite of relatively light punishments they had the reputation of terrorists and reactionaries for the rest of their lives, which blocked their access to further education or professions.
exibition: 2.4. - 4.7. 2013
Museum in Ústí nad Labem
Storie of Places:
Topography of the Nation´s Current Memory
backstage:
