Our incredible guide Dagmar gave a personalized lecture on living under Communism.
Structured education, fear of reprisal for speaking out. The favored rich got richer, the rest got poorer.
She participated in Protests in Wenceslaus Square. She told us how the secret service always wore brown shoes. They were ignorant that the protestors, who were aware of this, reacted accordingly to avoid arrest. It wasn’t until November of 1989 that the Velvet revolution changed the tide. It is a concern for Dagmar and others that the current president still wears brown shoes.
As she and I walked through the square, she turned to me; “Miki, you might become a communist country. We survived, look how well we are doing. The US will too.”
Dana, a fellow blogger, describes it best. Life under Communism certainly did not showcase this now beautiful city. Communism didn’t motivate people, so the city began to decay.
The Encyclopedia Brittanica states: “Those who did not comply with socialism were not only interrogated, intimidated, and put under surveillance. Judges were corrupt with defendants branded guilty, even before trial.” Over 1000 people were executed.
The end came with the Velvet Revolution, as the people peacefully rose up against Communist rule.
My trip to the Museum of Communism was on my agenda. Chilling.
Uncharacteristic, I took no photos. Too emotional. My parents lived through WWII. My father, in the Navy. It was good to know the younger generation was at the museum, learning what it was like for Czechoslovakians back then.
Self Employed Again 