Interview with contemporary witness - 2st part

Let's begin with a period of Normalization:

8. What does the term Normalization mean to you? What can we imagine under it?

Normalization is the period during the 1970s to 1980s, which occurred after the occupation of the Republic by the so-called "friendly armies" and the arrival of Gustáv Husák as the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party. There have been screenings, expulsion, persecution, surveillance by the State Security Service and also strict censorship.

9. What was it like to live during the 1970s and 1980s?

For 70 to 80 years, It was like living in fear. If one was not a member of the Communist Party, he did not have basic human rights. He did not have the opportunity to assert himself at work, even the children were not allowed to go to school. Many important people and educators had to work in blue-collar professions (in boiler rooms, as window washers, etc.) or were imprisoned.

10. How did the people around you live at this time? (circle of family, friends)

The closest friends and family thought the same because in private life we only met people who did not approve of the socialist system. However, the work environment was diverse. Strangers and officials praised everything.

11. What was your opinion on the regime then?

The socialist regime at that time was absolutely unacceptable to me and my family. We lived in the hope of ending one day. But it took an extremely long time.

12. How did you usually spend the day? (work, study, daily duties...)

Because I had 2 children and I had to go to work (maternity leave for the first child was 4 months, for the second 6. Time was scarce. Despite the fact that we had to queue for meat, fruit, toilet paper etc. So every day was a stereotype really.

13. Did you perceive Normalization negatively?

Normalization was one of the worst periods of socialism, except for the 1950s, when even innocent people were executed. They lived in fear, there was no freedom, there was an injustice, fundamental human rights were not respected.

14. What was your opinion on Charter 77?

My opinion on Charter 77 is positive. It consisted of courageous people, who fought for the freedom, procured information, printed materials and books from abroad, which they then secretly distributed. They were exposed to bullying, surveillance.

15. Explain to me the concept of dissident and normalization screening.

The dissident was a man who was not afraid, sacrificing, and working against the regime. Normalization screenings were aimed at removing uncomfortable people and especially those who did not approve of the entry of Soviet troops into our territory.

16. Now I would like to find out about culture and leisure activities at the time. What were your hobbies?

In my free time, I read the books we bought in Slovakia, sometimes there was a theater, an opera or a cinema. Otherwise, mostly Soviet films were screened.

17. What memories do you have of Spartakiáda?

The Spartakiáda was one big theater to show the world how the regime supports sport and young students, schoolers.

18. Did you listen to any popular music?

We only listened to popular music on our radio and television. Foreign only from radio Laxenberg if we caught this station.

19. Did you travel abroad at this time? Did you have any contact with the outside world?

We could only travel abroad to socialist and capitalist countries, including Yugoslavia. For this, the so-called ," Foreign Exchange promise " was needed, which was decided by the party, so we never received it as a "non-members". We first went out after the Revolution.

After the fall of Communism, Czechoslovakia also fell apart:

20. What was the reason for the disintegration of Czechoslovakia?

Czechoslovakia disintegrated because mainly Slovaks wanted it. Throughout history, Slovakia has always been in the hands of someone, so it was no surprise that they wanted to have their own independent and free state.

21. How and to what extent did you perceive the Division of Czechoslovakia?

As a Slovakia living in the Czech Republic and having a Czechoslovak family, I was very sad about the Division of Czechoslovakia at that time.

22. In your opinion, was the division of states the right step?

From today's perspective, I consider the Division as the right step. The development of Slovakia goes in the right direction, relations with the Czech Republic are better than in a common state.