Czechoslovak Political Prisoners - über das Projekt Political ...

ple working in the camp as guards watched it. Four death penalties were sentenced and Alois
Macek got off with only “20 years” of imprisonment. When telling me this sad story where four
young lives were lost, Mr. Macek also told me, “Since then I have always had on my mind, “If
I had reported the planned escape the whole Confederation of political prisoners would never
have talked to me, I would be the worst bastard, in camp others would be kicking me and my
life would not be worth it, but four people would be alive.” It was the highest principle I simply
couldn’t break.” As Mr. Macek says it was the “highest principle” he could not break. This
was a principle set deep in the prisoner’s code of ethics, as well as the rule that nobody would
snitch. On the other hand this example shows us, in what kind of marginal situations prisoners
were often put in and how their decision can lay heavily and haunt them up until today.
Many other successful and unsuccessful escapes were attempted. All of them have one thing
in common though – the desire for freedom. Freedom was withheld by the communist regime
for some years, although these people fought for democracy, human rights, and freedom of
speech.
Even long-term imprisonment cannot break the human spirit
People who were sentenced by communist justice, often to very high imprisonments, suddenly
stood at the edge of society. They did not only have to spend their best years behind bars, but
this pursuit was extended for the rest of their lives after release. They had difficulties to find
jobs, which they would deserve according to their education 34 . Despite this fact it is admirable
that some of them were able to reconcile with this situation and they do not recall it with bitterness
how we would expect. Jakub Antonín Zemek describes this, “It was hard but beautiful
times. One could meet a lot of good, hard, high-principled and upright people.” Other people
remember these times in a similar way, for example Tomáš Sedláček says, “My time in prison
offered me a chance to get to know myself. What I am like and what I can bare. I really found
my possibilities and where is my potential bottom. I was lucky that I went to prison in very good
physical and psychological condition. As I already mentioned I was always waking up with the
motto, “Hold on!” and this really kept me above water. Also, I met a lot of people who remained
my friends for the rest of my life. How I was able to go through my life with my conscience clear
and my backbone straight is the thing for the others to judge. I hope I managed it quite well.”
Others appreciated the experience they had a chance to develop in prison. They mentioned
they were influenced by great chance meetings with other people and the prison university,
which deeply touched their lives. The question that is easy to ask is will they ever forgive their
incarcerators? Hana Truncová replied, “To tell you from my own opinion, I have never forgiven
them because they stole a huge piece of my life and I had my own plans that can never be
given back. I only wanted to live in freedom, travel, and do everything that would make me
happy. All of that was very limited.” We can not wonder about this, but on the other hand
when these people are telling you about their imprisonment, you can feel this period of life
34 The majority of people were released in 1960 via a Presidential pardon. The pardon did not take away the sentence,
but only the punishment. So these people were still criminals, many of them were released on probation and they were
worried that if they commit any minor offence they would be arrested again. When they were released they had to sign a
document that they would never speak about their experience. The fact that some of them were afraid to commit minor
offences for example a ticket for speeding is documented on the words of Josef Stejskal, “I asked for an effacement of
my crime. I already had a driving license and I knew as a driver I could easily get into trouble with the law and as a person
who was in prison I would get a high sentence.”
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