1969- 1989 „Our socialist world, which is headed by the Soviet Union with its stunning example of building a communist society, creative use of all the discoveries of science and technology and its tireless peace initiative, has enough strength to defend the results of its work!“ Actress Jiřina Švorcová during a speech at the National Theatre in Prague, January 1977 Reproduction frame used by Jaromír Němec and Pavel Záleský to print thousands of pages of samizdat texts. Lessons Learned from Crisis Evolution - A notorious document, approved by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia in December 1970 One of the first defamation articles about Charter 77 in the Rudé právo newspaper from January 1977 Samizdatové časopisy a literatura Uniform of a member of the People’s Militia A small bronze study for the sculpture Communists by Miloš Axman Collection vouchers – known as bony A memorial to the labourer’s movement on Hybeš Mountain in Brno A parade of units of the People’s Militia in Brno on 22 February 1973 Customs and foreign exchange declaration Example of living room furnishings from the 1970s First of May procession in Brno Medals and commemorative insignia of the People’s Militia Period newspaper Samizdat magazine Statue of V. I. Lenin in front of the building of the Military Academy of A. Zápotocký in Brno The working version of the Declaration of Charter 77 of December 1976 Velorex - the only homologated vehicle with a canvas body in the world. Bust of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin The occupation of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact armies on 21 August 1968 marked the end of efforts for a fundamental reform of the communist regime, for a reconciliation of the idea of socialism with ideas of democracy and human freedom. The dismissal of Alexander Dubček from the post of the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and the beginning of Gustáv Husák’s leadership in the Party in April 1969 marked the beginning of a new era which is referred to as “normalization”. Historians dispute whether this term, brought to life by Husák and his colleagues during their era, sufficiently describes the development which the Czechoslovak society underwent from April 1969. However, the fact is that this term is still commonly used, and no one managed to find a more precise term and the negative connotations that are associated with it have receded into the background. According to the beliefs of Gustáv Husák and the new leadership of the Communist Party, it would have never been possible to “normalise” the Czechoslovak society, had it not been for the August occupation and operations of the Soviet troops in the Czechoslovak territory. However, it is surprising how relatively quickly they managed to break the public’s resistance to the new conditions. The personal and political failures of the leaders of the reform efforts of 1968 - Alexander Dubček, Ludvík Svoboda, Oldřich Černík and Josef Smrkovský - undoubtedly contributed to it. Husák’s leadership first began with purges in the ranks of the Communist Party itself, followed by other organisations, such as trade unions, other political parties of the National Front, creative and artistic associations etc. Finally, the wave of dismissals and layoffs from jobs, leadership positions and specialist positions took over the whole society, regardless of moral damages and economic losses caused by this vengeful rampage. Attempts to form organised resistance were only sporadic and predestined for failure. People realised that in the international political situation at the time they were not able to reverse the situation on their own. A large part of Czechs and Slovaks responded to the new situation with going to exile: The state security reported that 136,876 people left Czechoslovakia from August 1968 to 1987. However, attempts to go into exile did not end in 1987 - in fact, they continued until the fall of the communist regime in 1989. The number of refugees from Czechoslovakia is thus obviously greater than the quoted police report. For such a small society, as was Czechoslovakia, it was a major loss. Only few of those, who remained in their homeland after the occupation in 1968, really supported the ruling regime. Most residents withdrew to privacy - they endured their job duties and then focused on their own interest, the habit of going to weekend cottages and summer houses experienced an extraordinary boom. Interest in public affairs and willingness to engage in them were minimal. People were seized by indifference and the society was pervaded by marasmus and loss of ideals. If the majority of Czechoslovak society believed in the idea of socialism before 1968 - the year of 1968 itself was, after all, an attempt to improve it - then the two decades of normalization made this illusion in Czechs and Slovaks disappear. Even the infrequent opposition activities, the frequency of which grew particularly from the mid-1970s, did not gain support of the population. It was about living day to day, without any ideals or noble goals. During the normalization, Moravia lived like the rest of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, except that the situation was worse there because its residents also felt some frustration from the failed attempts to restore the provincial arrangement and local government in 1968. Initiatives seeking a change in the situation and the establishment of democracy were forming in Moravia in the 1970s and 1980s as well, whether it be Charter 77, the Committee for the Defence of the Unjustly Persecuted or the printing of illegal samizdat publications. In 1989, Moravia spontaneously joined the efforts to overthrow the communist regime and return to the society of European countries. Arm band of the People’s Militia Normalization in Moravia The unveiling of the sculptural group titled Communists, by Miloš Axman, in Brno on 12 December 1973 Ideological propaganda brochure from the normalization period