The procession took five and half hours, it stopped by the platform that was at Mustek (the building of the subway at Wenceslas Square wasn’t finished yet and therefore the platform was built in the area of current pedestrian zone) and most frequent proclamations to be heard were “With Svoboda (in English Freedom) for freedom” or “We salute to Sik” to which he replied Long live the Republic! About four thousand young people later gathered by the Karel Hynek Macha monument at Petrin and they showered flowers on the sculpture of the poet, sang songs, recited and until midnight discussed politics.

Gardeners, magicians and Cimrman

The Davis cup was played at Stvanice. Jan Kodes beat Brazilian opponent and the Prime Minister Oldrich Cernik came to congratulate the contestants. Rehabilitation of the Mother’s Day was discussed in newspapers which should become a different kind of celebration than MDŽ (International Day of Women) was. The discussion was started by the National Association of Gardeners who probably already at those days had a “business mind”. On 8 th May the Union of Prague Magicians was founded as one of new civic organisations.

Journalists also wrote about the May Uprising. Research workers, employees of the institute of History ČSAV, tried to show the May Uprising in a different light.

The Prague’s navy steamer with the logo of the shopping centre Bílá labuť (White Swan) and with its customers on the board cruised northwards. Other articles dealt with the topic of low birth rate that was given in connection with the housing crisis – just in Prague there were 50 000 officially registered flats’ applicants. Journalist also discussed suggestions for renaming of streets and squares (e.g. Vaclav Kopecky Square was renamed to Strossmayer Square).

Jiri Sebanek wrote for Lidova demokracie (People’s Democracy) newspaper in an entertaining article about Jara (da) Cimrman, who was an imaginary genius that had came into being in the tavern U pavouka a year ago and whose chest with manuscripts, sketches, inventions and other projects was supposed to be discovered already in February 1966…

Cases and rumours

On Sunday 19 th May 1968 the editor Stanislav Tomas said in his editorial “A word for auditorium” that was published in People’s Democracy newspaper: In our times people are asking questions and we are thankful for the fact that they are not afraid to ask. They want answers for what happened in the past and why it happened. They are interested in every detail… In his article he ponders future development of the Czechoslovakian People’s Party.

On the same page another article remembered the so called “Cihost Miracle” and the fate of the priest Toufar. The “Miracle” had happened at the turn of 1950 and in 1968 was brought to the light once again. Toufar’s investigator Ladislav Macha, infamous for his cruel methods, was taken into custody because of being suspected of committing murder and abuse of power. The court in Pribram didn’t prove his guilt.

There were rumours regarding the former President Antonin Novotny about his alleged disappearance. Well informed sources indicated that the rumour is false. However, we didn’t settle for that and went to the Prague’s flat of Antonin Novotny, wrote curious journalists who were a novelty in those days. They rang the bell at the villa in Malvazinky and asked the neighbour Karel Mareš who was the last one to see Novotny. He confirmed that Novotny merely went to his cottage at Orlik and said that he just laughs about rumours…

Prisons’ excursion

Pavel Minovsky and photographer Josef Zacek were finding out what did the prison Ruzyne looked like. Right there he wrote a very personal reportage that begun with words: Until recently I imagined Ruzyn only as a huge airport (there is also an airport at Ruzyn)…Nevertheless, when you say Ruzyn there is also the prison to be imagined. This prison can be seen by people when they are landing…In the last twenty years this prison became as shocking symbol as used to be Spilberk in Brno for our ancestors… The journalist went on to describe his journey to the prison, its cells, kitchen and the hospital department. With the chief of Ruzyn who had been working there since the fifties he discussed prison practices etc…”In the last weeks the doors the of many prisons have been opened to journalists. I believe that 1968 Ruzyn is different from the place it was in the past years,” with these words he closed his reportage.

The Charles University paper that was issued every two weeks brought in the first of May issue a mini interview with Milos Horansky. He talked about the Club of Committed Non-Party Members , why it was founded and what its target was. Another interview was with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Prof. Dr. Jiri Hajek. The paper also published memories of Jan Masaryk which were taken from Mlada fronta (Young Front) newspaper and had been originally published in the March 1948, shortly before the Masaryk’s death. The original article was complemented with a memory of Masaryk’s butler Bohumil Prihoda who in 1968 worked in the storehouse belonging to the Charles University’s Faculty of Physical Education.

On 15the May the National Theatre 100 year anniversary was remembered in various papers. On that occasion new national artists were nominated – Rudolf Deyl, Eduard Kohout, Alfred Radok, Olga Skalova and Prof. František Tröster.

Berta Štenclová