Tuesday, 10 March 2015, IWM library, Vienna. This event is a cooperation with the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Austria

Distinguished Rector Ms. Shalini Randeria,

Dear Guests,

Ladies and Gentleman,
 

At the outset, please allow me, on behalf of the Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Austria, H. E. Jan Sechter, to thank you for the invitation and organization of this event. H. E. unfortunately could not be with us this evening due to another important responsibility. He was looking forward to this event as he is very interested in this part of modern history. He is sending you a lot of greetings and wishes you an evening full of exciting discussions.

In 2014 we commemorated already 25 years since the fall of Iron Curtain.  A series of revolutions in Central and Eastern Europe have changed the political system of these countries and also lives of their citizens. It was a long way to reach this point and we should not forget those, who helped us on this way.

In the Czech Republic, we remember the situation after the invasion of Czechoslovakia by armies of Warsaw pact in august 1968. This invasion meant the end of effort to change the communist system to a more democratic one. In that time many Czechoslovak people, more than 160 thousand, left their homeland towards Austria. Austria was the country, which gave them a helping hand.

In this context I would like to point out the role of former Austrian president, judge and Austrian ambassador in Prague in that time, H.E.  Rudolf Kirchschläger.  Rudolf Kirchschläger was aware of the difficult situation of Czechoslovak people and he made the decision to issue visa for everybody, who needs to leave Czechoslovakia. In that time Austrian embassy in Prague issued daily between 3000 and 5000 visas. Rudolf Kirchschläger was convinced that it was necessary to help. According to his opinion the term neutrality does not mean neutrality of values, indifference.

These almost twelve thousands of Czechoslovak people, who decided to stay in Austria after August 1968, created a basis of important supporters of the dissident community in the Czechoslovakia.

Later in the 80´s, when the signatories of Charter 77 - informal civic initiative criticizing political and state power for violation of human rights, were persecuted by the communist’s regime and many of them were hound out from Czechoslovakia, it was again Austria that helped them. The Austrian president Bruno Kreisky offered signatories of Charter 77 asylum in Austria. Hundreds of them made use of this offer. For example writer Pavel Kohout, when he was stripped of his Czechoslovak citizenship by the Czechoslovak communist’s regime.

One of the founders of the Initiative Charter 77 was also Jan Patočka, philosopher, and a brave person, who died after a series of police interrogations in 1977. Many of his ideas could be also today an inspiration for us. Therefore we acknowledge IWM fellowship commemorating Jan Patočka and his work.

It should be also mentioned that the Institute IWM promoted intellectual exchange between East and West since its foundation in 1982. I would like to raise the role of the founding rector, Krzysztof Michalski.  We appreciate his activity and remember him.

Before I finish my speech I would like to mention, that the Czech Embassy in Austria is paying a lot of attention to the history between 1968 and 1989. In the past months we have organized presentations of several books dealing with this period. 

I would like to touch on for example the book of Erhard Stackl: “1989 The Fall of Dictatorships”, which is dealing with the revolutions in East and Central Europe.

The book of Robert Ospald:  "380.000 Volts of Hope for Freedom” – author´s personal story about his escape from communists Czechoslovakia on the homemade special seat hanging on the high voltage wires along the border.

And the last presentation of the book: “1989 Opening of Borders. Internal - and External Perspectives for Austria” - A Collection of twenty articles analyzing consequences of the revolutionary year 1989 for Austria.

We also plan to organize an evening devoted to the personality of writer, former minister, Czech ambassador in Austria and Director Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, Jiří Gruša in the second half of this year.

 If you are interested in events organized by the Czech Embassy feel free to have a look at the websites of the Embassy or you can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Thank you for your attention and I wish you an interesting evening and a lot of lively discussions!