The underground | Memory of Nations

Jiří Růžička at graduation, 1971

Doc. PhDr. Jiří Růžička Ph.D.

* 1943

The underground, University professor, Life along the Iron Curtain

21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops, 21. 8. 1988 – 17. 11. 1989 – Street demonstrations against the communist regime, 1989 - The fall of the iron curtain, 17. 11. - 29. 12. 1989 - The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia

Petr Růžička, February 2023, Ústí nad Labem

Petr Růžička

* 1956

Boy Scouts, A secret police collaborator, Witness of local events from the Communist era, The underground, A secret police agent

21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops, 21. 8. 1988 – 17. 11. 1989 – Street demonstrations against the communist regime, Palach Week, 16. 1. 1969 – Jan Palach´s self-immolation

Otakar Ryšavý

Otakar Ryšavý

* 1955

Witness of local events from the Communist era, The underground

21. 8. 1988 – 17. 11. 1989 – Street demonstrations against the communist regime, 17. 11. - 29. 12. 1989 - The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, 18. - 21. 8. 1969 – mass demonstrations against Soviet occupation, 21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops

Period portrait of Jan Ságl, mid-1960s

Jan Ságl

* 1942

The Plastic People of the Universe, Emigrant, Witness of local events from the Communist era, Art and censorship, The underground and 2 more categories

21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops, 1976 – The Plastic People of the Universe trial, 1989 - The fall of the iron curtain, 17. 11. - 29. 12. 1989 - The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia

Jan Sajdl

* 1964

Witness of local events from the Communist era, The underground, Examinee of the State Secret Police – enemy person

17. 11. - 29. 12. 1989 - The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia

As a "dandy"

Lubomír Sapoušek

* 1957

Failed attempt if illegal border crossing , Charter 77 signatory, Witness of local events from the Communist era, The underground, Life along the Iron Curtain

5. 1. - 21. 8. 1968 - The Prague Spring, 19. – 21. 11. 1968 – The three-day student strike and other displays of civil r, 21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops, 17. 4. 1969 – A. Dubček’s resignation, start of the “normalisation” period, 18. - 21. 8. 1969 – mass demonstrations against Soviet occupation and 7 more anniversaries

Jan Schejbal at a Moravian folklore festival, 1980

Jan Schejbal

* 1960

Art and censorship, The underground

17. 11. - 29. 12. 1989 - The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, 1990 - 1991 - Odsun sovětských vojsk z Československa

Tomas Schilla during filming, 2025

Mgr. Tomáš Schilla

* 1958

The Plastic People of the Universe, Dissident, Witness of local events from the Communist era, Art and censorship, The underground and 3 more categories

17. 11. 1989 - Demonstration at Národní třída, 1968 - 1970 - Second renewal of Junák, 21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops, Palach Week, 21. 8. 1988 – 17. 11. 1989 – Street demonstrations against the communist regime and 2 more anniversaries

Radek Schovánek in 2024

Radek Schovánek

* 1964

Radio Free Europe, Witness of local events from the Communist era, The underground, Literature in exile

17. 11. - 29. 12. 1989 - The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia

Vladimír Schulz shortly after his emigration in 1983

Ing. Vladimír Schulz

* 1953

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

5. 1. - 21. 8. 1968 - The Prague Spring, 21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops, 1989 - The fall of the iron curtain, 17. 11. - 29. 12. 1989 - The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, 1945 - 1947 Expulsion of Germans from former German East territories and 6 more anniversaries

Statistics: 20767 Witnesses the Database; 11669 Witness Stories; 21367 Registered Researchers; 173540 Photos; 68994 Clips