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From the ArchivesAugust 21 1968 on the airwaves
In the course of 1968 the Soviet Union made it increasingly clear that it
disapproved strongly of the Prague Spring reforms. Yet, despite mounting
tensions with Moscow, the Soviet led invasion on the night from August
20-21 1968, came as a huge shock. Today we are going to hear some of the
broadcasts from that fateful day. We start with Radio Moscow, with an
official Soviet version of events.
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From the ArchivesA. J. P. Taylor: faith in socialist Czechoslovakia
A. J. P. Taylor (1906-1990) was one of the best-known and most influential
British historians of the 20th century. He is remembered in particular for
his provocative left-wing political views and his conviction that German
history made the country uniquely inclined towards aggression and
expansionism. This made him an ardent opponent of attempts to rebuild
Germany’s economy after the war, and a strong supporter of
Czechoslovakia’s growing alliance with the Soviet Union. In July 1946,
just after elections which saw the Communists emerge as the strongest
single party, Taylor visited Czechoslovakia.
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MailboxMailbox
In Mailbox this week: Insight Central Europe comes to an end; listeners’
response to the 40th anniversary of the 1968 Soviet-led invasion and Radio
Prague’s broadcasts marking the anniversary. Listeners quoted: Roger
Tidy, Andrew J Popper, Steven R. Lare, Stephen Hrebenach.
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From the ArchivesA bizarre speech by an ailing president
The wartime president of occupied Bohemia and Moravia, Emil Hácha, is one
of the saddest figures of Czech twentieth century history. An elderly
academic, he only agreed reluctantly to become head of state after Edvard
Beneš resigned over the Munich Agreement in 1938. He made the tragic
mistake of remaining in office when Hitler marched into the country six
months later. Hácha’s hopes of preserving at least some of his
country’s independence were gradually worn down, and as his health
failed, he eventually became nothing but a puppet of the Gestapo. More
From the ArchivesRadio under the Swastika
In last week’s From the Archives, we heard how German troops marched into
Prague on March 15 1939. The next day, Edvard Benes, who had resigned as
Czechoslovakia’s president in the wake of the Munich Agreement, and was
in exile in London, told Britain’s Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
that from now on, he would be leading the resistance against the German
occupation. Five months later, war broke out and at the end of 1939 the BBC
began its broadcasts in Czech.
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From the ArchivesOccupation and betrayal
Sixty-nine years ago this week, on March 14 1939, the Czechoslovak
President Emil Hácha spoke to the nation. He had just returned from
Berlin, where Hitler had given him a simple ultimatum: face either
occupation or destruction. Hácha chose occupation:
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From the ArchivesCzechoslovakia’s Second Republic: a vain attempt to put the piecestogether
The six months leading up to the German occupation of Bohemia and Moravia
in March 1939 were a strange period. After Germany, Poland and Hungary had
annexed over a quarter of the country’s territory as a result of the
Munich Agreement in September 1938, it was hard to see how the rump
Czechoslovakia – the so-called “Second Republic” - could keep going.
But Radio Prague’s shortwave broadcasts continued, and not surprisingly
they focused on sustaining the much shaken international confidence in the
country. Here is the famous Czech professor and scholar of English
literature, Otakar Vočadlo, talking in November 1938. More
Current AffairsAugust 21, 1968: the hopes of a generation crushed
On August 21 1968, people woke up to discover that the dream of freedom
they were living in the late 1960s had turned into a nightmare. Thirty-nine
years ago, the streets of Prague and other cities and towns in
Czechoslovakia were full of the tanks and soldiers of five armies led by
the Soviet Union. Today, we look back at the anniversary of what for Czechs
and Slovaks was one of the formative moments of the 20th century.
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SpecialOccupation, Esperanto and Mushrooms: 70 years of Radio Prague throughthearchives
If we delve into the Czech Radio archives, we find recordings in English
going right back to Radio Prague's beginnings 70 years ago. Some of the
extracts we are going to feature in this programme have not been aired for
well over half a century. They capture some of the most interesting and
dramatic moments in our history. More
Current AffairsThe complex legacy of the president many would prefer to forget
A handful of people gathered on Monday at Prague's Vinohrady Cemetery to
mark the 60th anniversary of the death of Czechoslovakia's third
President, Emil Hacha. It was an event that wasn't marked with pomp and
ceremony: Emil Hacha remained in office throughout the German wartime
occupation, and he is remembered by many as a symbol of wartime
collaboration. David Vaughan reports. More
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