Institute activities related to the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia

The Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes presents a series of events this month to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Communist totalitarian regime in Czechoslovakia. Event highlights include:

  • 10/29-11/23 – Outdoor exhibition “We Did Not Give Up, or Stories of the 20th Century,” in cooperation with the Post Bellum civic association
  • 11/3 – Czech-Polish Solidarity Concert, Archa Theatre, Polish Institute in Prague
  • 11/4

    • Debate with 1989 student leaders, in cooperation with Czech Television (20:00 – ČT 24)
    • Opening of the exhibition “On The Cold War Front” (American Center, Tržiště 13, Prague 1 – Malá Strana, from 17:30)
  • 11/9 – Press conference presenting significant new additions to the Institute’s Web site. The press conference will be held at the seat of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, Siwiecova 2, Prague 3. For accreditation, contact: press@ustrcr.cz.
  • 11/11-12 – Seminar “Security Services and the Fall of the Regime” on the November events of the year 1989 and the role of the security services therein. The seminar features four discussion panels on the following themes: Independent initiatives, influence of events in Poland and the German Democratic Republic (GDR); Information flows and State Security Service (Státní bezpečnost – StB) record systems in the year 1989; Ministry of the Interior StB Leadership in the Year 1989; and Intelligence Service Structures.
    The seminar takes place at the seat of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, Siwiecova 2, Prague 3. The seminar is open to journalists; for accreditation, contact: press@ustrcr.cz.
  • 11/14 – Gala evening and concert at Prague’s Rudolfinum celebrating the fall of the Iron Curtain, accompanying the outdoor exhibition “We Did Not Give Up, or Stories of the 20th Century.”
  • 11/16 – Commemorative awarding of the Václav Benda medal, honoring individuals who have played a significant role in the fight for the restoration of freedom and democracy of the Czechoslovak Republic during the eras of non-freedom (1938-1945) and Communist totalitarian power (1948-1989) – at the seat of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes.
  • 11/17

    • Reconstruction of the student march on the same day in 1989, in cooperation with the civic association Opona
    • Orchestrated afternoon on the theme of 20 years after, in cooperation with Czech Television (ČT 1, 2, ČT 24)
    • Opening of the exhibition “History of the 20th Century on Náměstí republiky” and book-signing with Václav Klaus. The exhibition will be on view in Prague’s Náměstí republiky (Republic Square) through November 30 (in cooperation with Prague 1 City District).
  • 11/19 – Book launch of Civic Forum, Day One, charting the founding of the Civic Forum. The book, which contains transcripts of negotiations, documents and photographs from the ground-breaking events, is being released in cooperation with Prague 1 City District (location to be confirmed).
  • 11/20 – History and Civic Education Seminar for teachers of history and social science foundations, organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic. At the conclusion of the seminar, the new Web portal of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes “1989 – Path Towards November,” which is intended primarily as a methodological aid in the education of modern Czech history, will be presented.