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WitnessKaterina Vondrova - a night to remember on both sides of the globe
Translator and interpreter Katerina Vondrova left communist Czechoslovakia
with her parents in 1981 when she was just ten years old. The family moved
to Sydney, Australia and Katerina went to primary and secondary school
there, without knowing whether she would ever be allowed to visit her
native country again. She was in her final year of high school, preparing
for a university course in Australia, when something happened on the other
side of the globe that altered her plans and determined her future life.
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Talking PointWriter Padraic Kenney discusses his book "A Carnival of Revolution" and the events of 1989 in Central Europe
Almost fourteen years ago, the communist regimes of Central and Eastern
Europe came crumbling down, starting a new era in the history of Europe.
In Czechoslovakia, the events of November and December of 1989 came to be
known as the "Velvet Revolution". Although they bear much in
common, the revolutions in other countries of the region were not so
peaceful and rapid. Professor Padraic Kenney from the Department of
History at the University of Colorado is the author of a recently
published book called "A Carnival of Revolution", which deals
precisely with those events that ultimately changed the map of Europe. Dr
Kenney came to the Czech Republic recently to discuss his book and the
events of 1989 at Prague's Charles University. Our former colleague Dean Vuletic spoke to Mr
Kenney and began by asking him about the genesis of his book.
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Current AffairsCzech Radio History Part VI - November 17th, 1989
In this week's edition of our special on the history of Czech Radio,
marking the station's 80th anniversary, Jan Velinger looks at the role of
the station during the fall of Communism in 1989.
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WitnessMichal Lobkowicz - soldier of the revolution
During the Velvet Revolution, Michal Lobkowicz found himself wanting to
take part in the events that would change the course of his country's
history. But while many were content with just being a part of the
revolution, Michal Lobkowicz continued to pursue a career in politics, and
in 1990 he was elected to the Czech parliament as a member of the Civic
Democratic Party. In 1998, at the age of 34, he became defence minister in
the interim government of Josef Tosovsky, and during his ministerial term
he quit the Christian Democrats for the newly formed Freedom Union. Last
year he left politics to start afresh, and he is now pursuing a career in
business. Here he recalls the "fresh start" that his country
made in 1989, and the role he played in the Velvet Revolution.
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Current Affairs Neon Heart over Prague Castle
There's a new art installation that has caught every body's attention in
Prague - a giant red neon heart by renowned Czech artist Jiri David.
Installed over Prague Castle, it's visible on the skyline from just about
everywhere. The work is the second in a series of what Jiri David calls
"contextual" art objects to decorate well-know sites in the
city: last year a large neon crown of thorns decorated Prague's Rudolfinum
Palace. In general, both installations have evoked positive reactions. The
country's president, Vaclav Havel, was certainly pleased when he
officially turned the installation on last Sunday, calling the heart a
symbol of "love, understanding, and decency".
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Letter from Prague How I missed the start of the Velvet Revolution
Until 1989, the 17th of November was only remembered as International
Students' Day in Czechoslovakia, commemorating the student resistance in
the streets of Prague against the Nazi occupation in 1939. Thirteen years
ago, the date took on a whole new meaning, although students had a lot to
do with it too. On that day a peaceful gathering of university students
was brutally cracked down by the police, an event which set the ball
rolling and turned into what was dubbed the "Vevet Revolution".
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Central Europe TodayComing to terms with the Communist Past
Hello and thanks for tuning in to this final edition of Central Europe
Today. Some 13 years ago, at the end of 1989, the Communist regimes of
central and eastern Europe collapsed, bringing an end to four long decades
of oppressive, totalitarian rule and yet, the Czech Republic, Poland,
Hungary, and Slovakia that have been independent democracies for over a
decade are still referred to as post-Communist countries and their
Communist background still remains very much alive today.
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WitnessVaclav Bartuska on why he should have been shot
In 1989 Vaclav Bartuska was a student. The Berlin Wall fell on the 9th November, and in the days that followed voices for change became ever louder in communist Czechoslovakia. As someone who already had a reputation as a dissident, Vaclav's fellow students appointed him as a student leader. The events that followed were dramatic...
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