Travelling exhibition recalls self-immolation of Jan Zajíc

A travelling exhibition on the life and legacy of Jan Zajíc, who set himself on fire to protest against growing public apathy to the Soviet led-invasion in 1968, opened in his home town of Vítkov on Friday.

Zajíc set himself on fire in a passage off Wenceslas Square on February 25th 1969, close to the place where student Jan Palach made the ultimate sacrifice in an effort to rouse the nation a month earlier.

Zajíc, who felt that further protest actions were needed, set himself on fire on the 21st anniversary of the communist putsch in 1948.

The exhibition of texts and photographs reflecting his life and legacy will travel around the country in the coming months.