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Published: April 2nd 2010
"The lost reign over your affairs will return to you people, it will return." ~Line from the 1968 protest song 'Prayer for Marta' by Marta Kubišová .
Over the last few weeks we have watched on TV as neighbouring countries celebrated 20 years since communism fell - the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the revolutions in Poland and Hungary. Today it was the Czech Republics turn - 20 years since the Velvet Revolution that ended the communist regime here. We were determined to go into the old town where people were re-enacting the mostly peaceful ('velvet') protest march of 1989, just so we could say we were there. We certainly didn't expect it to impact us in the way it did - probably the most moving cultural experience we have had during our time in Prague.
In the lead up there were leaflets and signs everywhere, so we knew something would be happening, but since it was in Czech we didn't know what. We thought it was a fairly safe bet to head towards Narodni Divadlo (the National Theatre) where we ran into a bunch of our friends. Apparently we had just missed the stall that was selling
beer for communist prices - 3Kc, which is about 18 cents! For a while there were just choir performances, but then police blocked off the street and before long the 10,000 person crowd came marching along the same route as 1989. As they marched there were so many moments re-enacted from 20 years ago. People jingled keys - a message that symbolised the unlocking of doors, policemen shouted 'disperse' from an upper story window, and once again Marta Kubišová's song 'Prayer for Marta' rang out through the streets. Even though we did not understand the words, hearing this song and seeing the impact it had on the Czechs, was one of the most moving parts of the day. Later I learnt that this song was banned when the Soviets invaded during the Prague Spring of '68, but after the revolution in '89 Marta Kubišová sang it to the crowds in victory.
It was hard not to think of the fear and courage that must have greeted so many that day 20 years ago, after such a horrible 40 years - absolutely an experience that has connected us much more with the history of this country. Finally at the end
point of the march Vaclav Havel (the hero of the revolution and first president) appeared and spoke to the crowd. And from that point on the night disintegrated into one big party...
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