Illegal border crossing | Memory of Nations

Viktor Bejbl during filming

Viktor Bejbl

* 1946

Emigrant, A 1948 – 1989 emigrant/refugee, Illegal border crossing, Journalist, Witness of local events from the Communist era and 1 more categories

21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops, 17. 11. - 29. 12. 1989 - The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia

Anna Bekárková, née Košt'álová, in 1959

Anna Bekárková

* 1941

Illegal border crossing, Déclassé, Relatives of important personalities, Relative of a political prisoner, Witnesses of local events connected to WWII and 2 more categories

27. 5. 1942 - Assassination of R. Heydrich, 8. 5. 1945 - End of WWII, 25. 2. 1948 - Communist coup d‘état in ČSR, 17. 11. - 29. 12. 1989 - The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia

František Benes

František Beneš

* 1928

Emigrant, A 1948 – 1989 emigrant/refugee, Illegal border crossing, Anti-communist rebel

15. 3. 1939 - The Nazi occupation of ČSR, 1944 - 1945 - The liberation of Czechoslovakia, 23. 2. 1949 – Beginning the forced agricultural collectivisation, 25. 2. 1948 - Communist coup d‘état in ČSR

Manfred Beneš, probably in the 60s

Manfred Beneš

* 1938

Czech Minority in Klodzko County (Poland), Illegal border crossing, The national, ethnic or religious minorities in Poland, Re-emigration of Czechs after 1945, Witnesses of local events connected to WWII and 1 more categories

1944 - 1947 - Population Transfers from the Ukrainian - Polish Borderlands, 1945 - 1946 Resettlement of Poles in the "Regained lands" , 8. 5. 1945 - End of WWII, 21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops, 17. 11. - 29. 12. 1989 - The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia

Věra Benešová

Věra Benešová

* 1926

Illegal border crossing, Boy Scouts

1. 9. 1939 - The outbreak of the WW2, 1944 - 1945 - The liberation of Czechoslovakia, 1945 - 1948 - First renewal of Junák, 18. 4. - 10. 5. 1945 - osvobození západní části ČSR americkou armádou, 8. 5. 1945 - End of WWII and 3 more anniversaries

Zdeněk Beran in the army, 1951-1952

Zdeněk Beran

* 1932 †︎ 2025

Underage political prisoners, PTP (Auxiliary Technical Battalions), Boy Scouts, Witnesses of local events connected to WWII, Witness of local events from the Communist era and 2 more categories

1968 - 1970 - Second renewal of Junák, 21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops, 8. 5. 1945 - End of WWII, 1945 - 1948 - First renewal of Junák, 17. 11. - 29. 12. 1989 - The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia and 2 more anniversaries

Viktor Beránek, current photo

Viktor Beránek

* 1951

Illegal border crossing, Witness of local events from the Communist era, Students who were for political reasons expelled from school

21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops, 21. – 28.3.1969 – Disorders related to the celebration of Czech hockey team’s, 18. - 21. 8. 1969 – mass demonstrations against Soviet occupation, 1989 - The fall of the iron curtain

Bratislava airport before the departure to Prague - Beograd - Sydney, May 1980

Albín Berky

* 1953

Emigrant, A 1948 – 1989 emigrant/refugee, Illegal border crossing, Witness of local events from the Communist era, Art and censorship and 2 more categories

21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops, 18. - 21. 8. 1969 – mass demonstrations against Soviet occupation, 5. 1. - 21. 8. 1968 - The Prague Spring

Sieglinde Birke in 2025

Sieglinde Birke

* 1934

Germany, Illegal border crossing, Victim of forced relocation, Sudeten Germans, Witnesses of local events connected to WWII

8. 5. 1945 - End of WWII, 30. 5. 1945 – 29. 10. 1946 - Expulsion of Germans from Czechoslovakia

Světla Blanková after arrival in Prague

Bachelor Světla Blanková

* 1939

Illegal border crossing, People helping Jews during WWII, The national, ethnic or religious minorities in Poland, Repatriated, Relative of a political prisoner and 4 more categories

21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops, 1943 - Conflict between Poles and Ukrainians in Eastern Galicia and Volhynia, 1941-1944 - Nazi occupation of Ukraine, 21. – 28.3.1969 – Disorders related to the celebration of Czech hockey team’s, 1989 - The fall of the iron curtain and 5 more anniversaries

Statistics: 21650 Witnesses the Database; 12213 Witness Stories; 22295 Registered Researchers; 182532 Photos; 71804 Clips