A total of 248 people executed, 4,495 prisoners killed, 280 individuals who died trying to cross the border, 171,000 people who managed to escape, not because they wanted to, but because they had to. Also 9 students who were extrajudicially executed in the Ruzyňské barracks, and 1,200 students who were transported to a concentration camp. All of them came today to pay their respects to the Liberec mirror in the National Memory Park and Dr. E. Beneš for the Liberec region, governor Martin Půta, statutory deputy Edvard Kožušník, deputies Jiří Ulvr and Vladimír Richter and councilors Anna Provazníková and Jitka Skalická. Some regional representatives were also present.
“I am very happy that this morning dozens of people remembered the resistance of Czech students against the regime in 1939 and 1989, as well as all those who in the past were not afraid to express their position against injustice and oppression, at the Memorial to the Victims of Communism in the Liberec Memorial Park. I have a whole series of personal experiences associated with November 17, 1989. That’s why I was happy to participate in the memorial gatherings in Liberec today,” said Governor Martin Půta.
He also went to his native Hrádek nad Nisou to commemorate the Day of the Fight for Freedom and Democracy and the International Student Day in the afternoon. There, in the darkened spaces at the Memorial to the Victims of War, he lit a candle with a number of other distinguished personalities. The Czech national anthem was also performed by the Church Choir of St. Bartholomew.
We will never forget!
How did Ms. Kateřina Špičková’s experiences during the 1989 student protests inform her views on activism and social change in contemporary society?
Our first guest is Mr. Jan Šimák, a historian and professor at the local university. Welcome Mr. Šimák.
Mr. Šimák, can you tell us about the historical context of the executions and deaths mentioned in the article? What led to this tragic event?
Our second guest is Ms. Kateřina Špičková, a survivor of the 1989 student protests and the subsequent events. Ms. Špičková, we would like to hear your personal account of the 1989 protests and how they impacted your life.
As a follow-up to Ms. Špičková’s account, could you please share your thoughts on the importance of remembrance events like the one mentioned in the article? How do you think they contribute to preserving history and ensuring such atrocities never happen again?
Mr. Šimák, there seems to be a dichotomy between the number of people who managed to escape and the number of people who were executed or died. Can you elaborate on this? What factors contributed to these outcomes?
Ms. Špičková, as someone who was directly involved in the events of 1989, what message do you hope visitors to the National Memory Park take away from these commemorations?
Mr. Půta mentioned personal experiences associated with November 17, 1989. Could you share some of these experiences with us? What role did this event play in shaping your perspective on democracy and freedom?
what do you see as the lasting impact of the 1989 protests and resistance movements on Czech society today? Are there any lessons that can be learned or parallels that can be drawn to current events?
