Czechoslovak Political Prisoners - über das Projekt Political ...

ut they were called “state prisoners.” One would commit him self to work over 100 %. If you
didn’t sign it the commando would beat you up.
Did you know who was in that commando?
Well the boss of the commando was called Jeníček 11 and the whole group was 12 people if
I remember it well. There was also Baxa, Jirka Kužela and Grygar. The last thing they did was
beat Honza Mátl and Šošenko. I don’t remember who ran up to the building and told us, but
we simply said we would not respect that. So we ran to the gatehouse and from there they
started jumping out from the windows because they were worried. They were always calling
people to the gatehouse to be beaten up. This time the commando got a great whipping. Then
the took all of them to the infirmary and Jeníček was transported to camp “L.” 12
When I say prison university, can you tell me anything about it?
Well yes, there were two things. At first the guards were giving us trainings. There was a guy
we called, “Filth.” He was a cultural educator 13 , he would wake us up at 11 p.m. and we had
to get to the culture house. All shifts had to get there and then he would give us training for
an hour. He would always say, “Filth, is it right?” and those who were sitting in the first row
would have to nod their heads. “Is that right, Filth?” That’s why we called we him “Filth.” Then
he had a lecture called “Stalin Sent a Word.” That meant he kept telling us all hour what was
Stalin’s message. Also there was another guy, another cultural educator called “The One Who
Told Seven Lies,” and this one was always saying, “What I’m telling you here are facts that really
happened.” At this moment no one could laugh. Or he would be explaining to us the difference
between socialism and capitalism. He told us to look how long it took the Soviet Union to dig
a channel from the Volga to the Don. That was a result of a socialist camp. He told us to look at
how long it took the capitalists to dig the British Channel. You couldn’t laugh about that.
Then someone suggested that we could get together in the buildings. When you asked the
guards carefully the guards would say yes. There was always someone who would be giving
a lecture on something for example there was Baťovci 14 who told us about Baťa, his system,
and so on. Then there were professors who would gather people into a group and tell people
about philosophy or chemistry. It depended on what you wanted to hear. So this was called the
University of Jáchymov. Actually it was a good school for us you know. First thing was one met
a lot of good people over there and then whoever wanted could learn wonderful things.
Do you have any health problems from prison?
I can not see I would have health consequences, but for example my fingers are cracking.
I have tiny little cracks. I have that from sorting the uranium. I worked all four years at a place
where uranium was sorted by hand. We didn’t get any gloves. For a long time I had azoneurosis
(he did not get enough blood into his fingertips). Until today, when the weather turns colder
my fingers turn white. That was from working with a machine, but all in all I don’t have any
other problems.
11 Břetislav Jeníček was a leader among prisoners (the highest position in the prisoner´s autonomy). He was sentenced to
life for cooperation with the Gestapo. In camp Nikolaj he made political prisoners´ lives tough, since he organized various
beating commandos.
12 Camp called “L,” sometimes called also a camp for liquidation. There was “a tower of death” where the prisoners were
coming into direct contact with radioactive uranium.
13 Cultural educator – person who organized various political and ideological lectures.
14 Baťovci was name for a group of people who attended Baťa´s school. This school was established in Zlín by Tomáš Baťa
who was one of the best businessman during the First Czechoslovakian Republic (1918 – 1938). He is an important icon in
the history of management and business.
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