Prague celebrates 20 years since the fall of communism

I remember being asked for documents and I had left them in the pension room. This was in 2000 the policeman asked if I had to carry papers in the U.K. I told them (2) that you did not need to carry papers in the U.K. and the government had no authority to make you do so. What was a routine check; turned into a free exchange of information. I appologised for not having my papers and would get them at the pension as soon as I had bought my cigarettes. I was surprised the policemen did not know that carrying papers in the U.K. was not illegal. I realised that I had to respect all the changes taking place; that the period of transition was not easy. Many times I saw how much people had had to compromise; change; accept new ways; it was huge task that the population engaged in. In listening to peoples first hand account of the period of 'occupation' as it was described to me; silence on my part was best.
Having respect for things I knew nothing about; empathy for how very real things had been pre 1989. Over a number of years most people said to me that the changes had been for the better. There was some disapointment at levels of expectation; what prevailed was the endurance of ordinary people to accept and adapt. To this day I still think of the courage it took to face this task; it has always been something I admired. The celebrations many will have felt is more inward; that at last the country can define its own way. I also admired the quality of 'quiet celebration' a dignity in shared experience that was personal to those involved. Not making a fuss about life; just that simple shared knowledge that freedom comes from within; and it has to be worked for no matter who you are. It enriched my life, and I am grateful to the C.R. for being a good host.

"Well may you celebrate, but it would appear no one else could care less." Sadly, maybe there is some truth to that, but the people who have had the good fortune to visit the Czech Republic (and the Slovak Republic) most certainly do care."

Thank you Ann Marie.
The celebrations are for Czechs and their friends.
There is a lot of negativity about Czech Republic(especially in this blog)but while Czechs do not necessarily celebrate that much in public,large majority are happy over the 1989 revolution.
Some silly people say that if there is not huge number of dead and/or maimed then it is not a revolution.
However,we did get rid of oppressive government and those conditions will never return.

"Well may you celebrate, but it would appear no one else could care less." Sadly, maybe there is some truth to that, but the people who have had the good fortune to visit the Czech Republic (and the Slovak Republic) most certainly do care. My ancestors are from the region, and I've visited Prague 12 times, since the late 1990's, and Slovakia once. Needless to say, I have formed a great attachment to these countries, and am very appreciative that they are open and free to accept visitors. Prague is most certainly my home away from home, and I have watched it change immensely, since the 90's. Maybe the Czech Rep is a microscopic blip, in many regards, but to those of us who are fortunate enough to be able to dwell in its beauty, culture, history, etc, it is a very special place. Politics will always loom over this region, but on my mind, I am still thinking of my visit last summer, and how I sat on the deck of my hotel room overlooking Wenceslas Square, well aware of what had taken place 20 years ago. Na Zdravi!

PRAGUE, 1989
It was a big success.
Why?
Because it was a beer revolution.
Yes.
There is that kind -
velvet beer.
Tasting of malt, hops,
a touch bitter, a hint of lime honey,
almond?
Velvet would've worn,
gone into holes, rotted through,
but the smell of beer?
It lives!
It tingles in the nose!
Every day
the revolution gushes out of barrels,
taps, bottles!

?Igor Pomerantsev translated
by Frank Williams
www.zeitzug.com

PRAGUE, 1989
It was a big success.
Why?
Because it was a beer revolution.
Yes.
There is that kind -
velvet beer.
Tasting of malt, hops,
a touch bitter, a hint of lime honey,
almond?
Velvet would've worn,
gone into holes, rotted through,
but the smell of beer?
It lives!
It tingles in the nose!
Every day
the revolution gushes out of barrels,
taps, bottles!

?Igor Pomerantsev translated
by Frank Williams

www.zeitzug.com

The fall of the wall ony symbolised the geographical movement of ideology. The changing of the guard took another 20 years; its only todays generation that are truly free. The history of internal security and political battles will take another 20 years to spill out. The dangers of the free press; may who gave thier life for freedom, and continue to do so; weill never be silenced. To those who; across the post political 'war' are not here; you are not forgotten.
In time; the truth will prevail; you can fool some of the people some of the time; but never all of the time.

"Too bad that you can't read Czech".

Jiri, I can read Czech. In fact I've just been looking at Hospodarske Noviny online. My problem is one of insufficient vocabulary and I need a dictionary beside me at all times. That, together with the fact that these days I only get to speak Czech with my mother, puts me off going to the trouble, effort, and it would be a fair bit of effort, of making myself fully literate in Czech. I speak Czech, as that was the language of the home when I was gowing up, just like a Czech, and most importantly, I sound like a Czech.

"As far as Germany being in spotlight .... they are a part of would be ruling clique of nations that likes to pat themselves on their collective backs and likes to make decisions for the rest of"pleb" nations in Europe." How true Jiri. We are white niggers. Klaus, unlike Havel and his big fan Albright and her eight dreadful years of Bush, recognises this.

You have a great country and great people, that deserves that liberty. I remember how much your people suffered under The former Soviet Union diabolical oppresion. I, personally suffer what a communist dictactorships is. Your country represents how a goverment and people, firmly opposed and foght againt communism. Some young people don't know what communisim is, even when it exits, like in Cuba, with hunger, and the lack of every aspect of liberty.

" What the overwhelming majority of people in the Anglosphere in particular don't appreciate is that, to many Germans the story is not over and will not be until the lost lands in the east, ie, in Poland, are once again German, so Germany can be whole again, as it was in 1914, the Kaiserreich. But that's all im zukunft, in the future."

I see your point.Fairly recently,Angela Merkel of Germany was hinting(in Poland during the celebration there earlier this year)that she and many Germans are unhappy with losing part of Germany to Poland after the WWII.It is just a hint now,isn't it?
After WWI and Versailles Treaty in which Germany also lost some areas they considered their own this was used as one of the pretexts for Nazism coming into the power in Germany.
There are those chilling film scenes from the thirties in which millions of ordinary Germans were cheering and "Sieg Hailing" the Hitler during his speeches.I am sure you had seen them.

The former President Havel just recently paraphrased the jargon saying of former Communist government in old Czechoslovakia.it says:"Lide Bdete"(in free translation it means "People,be vigilant."
While he did not address toward Germany,he probably should have.

Too bad that you can't read Czech .The Praguepost while alright is meant to cater for English speaking "expatriated" foreigners living in Czech Republic.
Most of them have no clear understanding of context and nuances of Czech language so they rely on native speakers to interpret real meaning of the articles for them.Often,those interpretations are deliberatelly misrepresented.
I read quite a few like that.expressed on this blog.

Truly more representative state of politics and economy is expressed in Czech media.

As far as Germany being in spotlight the reason is that they were always considered a part of west-even in both WW's.So they are a part of would be ruling clique of nations that likes to pat themselves on their collective backs and likes to make decisions for the rest of"pleb" nations in Europe.

Jiri, I know this particular comment of mine is cynical, as have been many others. Better to be permanently cynical and pleasantly surprised from time to time than not cynical and trusting and always disappointed; it's nice to be pleasantly surprised, don't you think? But, back to my comment, I have been greatly annoyed about the "Fall of the Wall' in our media, and all the accompanying bullshit. In many ways "The Wall', die Mauer, was what these people deserved; not everyone across the whole of Europe was as ecstatic at its fall as is now portrayed. I can recall some notable Frenchman saying at the time that we liked Germany so much we created two of them. The Fall of the Wall is used as a metaphor for the 'collapse' of communism in Europe, the 'liberation', finally, of the 'enslaved'. Well, I believed at the time that the whole thing was decided in Moscow - they decided the Red Army would not intervene if certain 'developments' occurred subsequent upon the spread of Gorbachev's Perestroika. These 'developments' finally led to the jangling of keys in Vaclavske Namesti and the hanging up of their guns by the commo elite in Prague. The 'revolution' could only occur if the goons were confined to barracks, hence the name Sametova Revoluce as this 'revolution' was not a revolution in the true sense of the word, not a true revolution in the way that 1848 in Prague was for instance.

I left Czechoslovakia after my only visit there in 1971 with the abiding sense that things there would never change, communism was their lot for good and the Russians would never leave, and if they did leave it would be on a purely voluntary basis and they would do as the Mongols did after Genghis Khan died, just packed up and left which is what the Russians basically did, just packed up and left. I look back at that and think how prescient I was for a youngster.

The re-uniting of the two Germanys which did not actually occur until 1990, is of course a much bigger story than a few jangling keys in Prague. What the overwhelming majority of people in the Anglosphere in particular don't appreciate is that, to many Germans the story is not over and will not be until the lost lands in the east, ie, in Poland, are once again German, so Germany can be whole again, as it was in 1914, the Kaiserreich. But that's all im zukunft, in the future.

"Well may you celebrate, but it would appear no one else could care less. All eyes are on Berlin. Czechs don't count. Again. Sorry to tell you this."

Karel,it does not matter if you are in spotlight as a "chosen" people or not.

According to bible,Jews were "chosen" people of the God.While that maybe feel good,where did it got them?

Not too many other nations had so much grievances happening to them as Jews did.
Even now,there are many people spinning conspiracy theories about them and the racists among us are rising again.
What is a little hurt ego compared to that?

Darn - I just came back from Prague two weeks ago - if I had known of this celebration I would have changed the dates of my annual trip! Cheap pivo? It's not fair! lol

From an American of Czech descent to all back in the "old country" - Congratulations and Party Hearty! The country deserves it - and without the quiet bravery of those Prague students two decades ago things might have been a lot different. I'm most impressed with the current generation of students - I wish the students of my country had one quarter the knowledge and curiosity about foreign countries that Czech students have about the United States - a point made clear every year when I come to present american law seminars. The future of the country is in good hands. I'm sure Masaryk must be smiling down from heaven!

Lived in Prague in Dejvice and Kyje...love the down to earth attitude of the people (and the freshness and quality of the beer of course). Amazing that this story talks about bananas as "luxuries". In India, where we sometimes have "too much" freedom, it's always been considered the poor man's fruit. Perception is reality.

Enjoy this moment, Czechs. And remember never to forget.

Na zdravi, y'awl!!

May you have joyful celebrations of your freedom!!
Congratulations on your wonderful country and beautiful city of Prague. I try to visit it regularly and will be there on 30 December 2009 for my 4th visit.
Love
Alet

I and three cousins were in Prague in 1995. We were there for four days and very mucjh enjoyed our selves. Congratulations on your 20 years of freedom. I wish I could return to Prague again. It is a wonderful city.
Joseph Krenik
St. Paul Park, MN
USA

Czechs or at least people living here care about it Karel , no?

Wouldnt be reading the Prague Post if I wanted to know what was going on in Berlin. I think they grabbed the headlines with the wall but only a cursory nod to the personalities like Walesa.

Good to see students looking to work in civic life. The post Havel generation have so much to offer and deserve credit for aspiring to civic service.

Just about everything I've heard or read over the past few days here in Australia about the fall of communism in November, 1989 has had to do with the Fall of the Wall in Berlin; it's been a veritable barrage about the hapless East Berliners and their reunion with their western kin folk. All very heart rending. Not a sausage about the Czechs and Wenceslas Square and Havel and the jangling of all those keys. Well may you celebrate, but it would appear no one else could care less. All eyes are on Berlin. Czechs don't count. Again. Sorry to tell you this.