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Current AffairsThe Plastic People of the Universe - living their philosophy through music
The sound of cult rock group, The Plastic People of the Universe, formed in
Czechoslovakia in 1968, following the Soviet Invasion. The music scene in
fact had flourished in Czechoslovakia during the Prague Spring; when first
secretary of the communist party Dubcek had cleared all prisons of
artists, one could say Czechoslovakia resembled San Francisco in the
sixties. But once the Kremlin had initiated "normalization" to
re-establish behavior befitting a communist country, musicians had to
undergo a number of so called "re-qualifications" which made it
difficult for artists to continue their craft. The Plastics played, which
ticked off the communists. Their persecution by the authorities even
played a role in the eventual fall of communism. More
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.
More
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.
More
One on OneVrata Brabenec - Plastic Person still fighting for justice
My guest on this week's One on One is Vrata Brabenec, one of the members of
the legendary early 1970s underground band the Plastic People of the
Universe. Inspired by the Velvet Underground, the Plastics' moody,
psychedelic sound earned them a legion of fans across Communist
Czechoslovakia, but also the unwanted attention of the police. In 1976 the
authorities arrested four members - including Vrata the saxophonist - and
sentenced them to prison for "organised disturbance of the
peace." The Plastics' case caught the attention of Vaclav Havel, who
launched the "Charter 77" human rights petition to champion
their cause, and Vrata Brabenec and his fellow Plastic People played a
small but crucial role in the fall of Communism. They're still playing,
and I recently met up with Vrata in a pub in Prague. I began by asking him
where the name of the band came from.
More
WitnessPaul Wilson and the strange charisma of Vaclav Havel
The Canadian writer, journalist and translator Paul Wilson knows the Czech
Republic inside out. He was in Prague in the 1970s, when he got to know
many of Czechoslovakia's dissidents and even performed with the legendary
underground band, The Plastic People of the Universe, before he was
expelled from the country for his supposed subversive activities. Paul
Wilson has translated many of Vaclav Havel's writings and has known him
since his days as a dissident. Here he remembers joining Havel - then as
Czechoslovak president - in the early 1990s on a trip to the Slovak town
of Presov, and reflects on the peculiar charisma of the man who went from
being dissident to head of state in the space of just a few months.
More
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.
More
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".
More
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".
More
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.
More
