Simona Hradílková

“Ever since August ’88 when they gathered records about me visiting that demonstration and being active, as soon as some anniversary was approaching, I would spend it in pre-trial detention. I was born on 27 October so I spent both my 18th and 19th birthday in detention since they arrested us the day before. They drove us out of Brno because all the cells in Brno were full – so they’d drive me to Jihlava or Znojmo, for instance. In Jihlava in particular it was really unpleasant because the holiday was on Friday. They arrested me on the 27th but were only allowed to detain me for 48 hours. So, after 48 hours – which meant Saturday – they drove me to the station as if it was it. But then they realized that I was still able to get to some event so they only allowed me to walk up the stairs and then they detained me again, for another 48 hours. On Sunday evening, around or before midnight, they released me from the detention. I had neither the money, nor the means to get back to Brno. There were no cell phones, of course. I then probably convinced some bus driver to take me. It was really unpleasant, obviously.”

“There were plenty of activities. We attended court hearing; that was an important thing. Those were court hearings of our friends who were being detained so we traveled and tried to support them. I remember what a shock it was for us back then – or me, anyway – when Pavel Wonka died. One had the feeling that the times were changing but suddenly Pavel Wonka’s death, what a shock… It was clear the war hadn’t been won yet and that such things could still happen. I remember hitchhiking across the whole country to his funeral, and how hard it was for everyone.”