Marian Jahoda

* 1953

  • "There were a lot of people in the square. We didn't expect there to be so many. It was known at noon. It was actually funny. People wandered the square, all staring at the astronomical clock, waiting for the noon. The noon was approaching, so it all began to gather nicely at the sculpture of the Holy Trinity. People pulled out their ID card, packed it in a plastic bag, put it in their pockets, because we already knew water cannons and other things in Prague. So we said, ' Just in case, let's not lose our citizenship.' The astronomical clock began to strike twelve. I think the cops would disperse that. In the courtyard of the town hall, they were ready with cars and there were really many of them. But a good thing happened there. Twelve passed, the people were already in a crowd, they could intervene, but at that moment several people with cameras from foreign magazines, from Free Europe, from foreign television ran in and started filming the square and all of us. So they withdrew immediately and did not intervene, because it would be in the news right away, who knows where. They had a good idea that the cameramen would run in there and start filming the square. The people standing there would immediately start capturing also the police intervention. Thanks to that, nothing happened. It really was a prayer, without any speech, without any political content. We mentioned the reason, that it commemorates Mr Augustin Navratil, the nature of his allegations, that he is kept in a psychiatric hospital. We said why we gathered there, the prayer, and left. The comrades must have gritted their teeth."

  • "Josef Zvěřina had it wonderfully organized in that he had his so-called assistants. One of his assistants started going to Olomouc, who always taught us a certain chapter, for example about the Holy Spirit, mariology, or God the Creator. He lectured a certain part, of course we discussed with him. Then Josef Zvěřina arrived, he did not say exams, but consultations. We discussed with him what arose from the questions. He gave it such a stamp and the meetings with him were amazing. First, he proved to us that theology is nothing dry and only for some doctors of theology or for priests. And secondly, when it had been several times, he knew us and somehow settled down, so he also celebrated the Eucharist in those flats with us. He allowed himself to be cardinal, and it was officially approved that he could celebrate the Eucharist in private. It also put us together beautifully. It was always somewhere else, because we thought it couldn't be in one place permanently. It was more serious here than going to pray together. We had always set up a date on which the assistant Jirek were supposed to arrive. We knew his name was Jiri, otherwise we didn't know where he was from. Josef Zvěřina coined the motto, who does not have to know, must not know, which we completely respected. There was always a date when someone had a birthday or something. We met somewhere in the apartment and it was like the man's birthday. It wouldn't work anyway, but at least we did it that way. There were many places and one of them was also at home, where it was possible sometimes that Josef Zvěřina or his assistant had a theological course with us. "

  • "I sat at the gatehouse for three-quarters of an hour, and then the one who picked us up on the train came for me. They had it nice. He led me to the third floor. First floor, the bars behind me. Second floor, bars again. Then a classic, one a good cop, the other the bad one. One: 'Be sensible. So let's talk. ”The second, Stajgr, again some threats. They were no longer interested in any books and our trip to Prague. They were interested in the people here, and Štajgr began with the first question: “When was the last time you saw Pavel Kupka?” Pavel was no longer in Olomouc, he was without consent. I say, 'It's been a long time.' 'How long?' I say, 'A long time.' He looked at me with that cold look. 'It can take a long time for you to leave us, too.' It wasn't just words, because when they caught Michal Mrtvy at his place and then drove him to the interrogation, they told him:"Take your coat, Mr. Mrtvy, when you'll return at night, it will be cold." And he returned after 6 months. It wasn't just threatening words. You know, there's a difference between a religious person and an active religious person.I think you understand me. ‘And now some of the materials, do you have any at home? I said, 'I don't have it.' He says, 'Come on, let's go see.' So they put me in the car, they made a search of my house, not drastic, but the confiscated some of my materials and then we returned. In comparison with the experiences of others, this was just an episode. But I didn't feel safe. I didn't know what would happen. Then the protocol. "Read it". You could not have concentrated on that. I was reading the text, enclosed by members of StB. They were staring at me, and now I didn't know what would happen, if they hit me or not. I couldn't focus much on the text. "

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    Olomouc, 06.04.2019

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    duration: 03:49:27
    media recorded in project Stories of the region - Central Moravia
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God, you accept us with our hearts, as they are

Marian Jahoda on electric guitar accompanying the St. Cyril and Metodius church choir, Olomouc-Hejcin, 1971
Marian Jahoda on electric guitar accompanying the St. Cyril and Metodius church choir, Olomouc-Hejcin, 1971
photo: archiv pamětníka

Marian Jahoda was born on November 28, 1953 in Olomouc. His mother passed on to him the Catholic faith, which became decisive for his life. In 1967, he received the sacrament of Confirmation and became involved in the Christian youth community. From 1968 he went to the renewed scouts, but soon experienced the invasion of Warsaw Pact troops in Olomouc, and two years later the scouts were banned again. Taken by modern music, he accompanied the church choir in Olomouc-Hejčín during the so-called beat masses, with which he would play in parishes in Moravia and Silesia. He trained as a metal modeler and worked in Moravian Ironworks. Influenced by religious and artistically active people in the early 1980s, he revived his Catholic faith. He regularly met with friends in apartments for prayers in the spirit of the Taizé community and charismatic renewal. In his apartment, he hosted a meetings to read biblical texts every Sunday. He attended secret theological seminars of Josef Zvěřina. He was monitored and interrogated by the State Security for his activities. He participated in activities in support of unjustly prosecuted people. From 1982 he worked as a paramedic in the operating room at the II. surgical clinic in Olomouc-Řepčín. He enthusiastically took part in the demonstration in November 1989, welcoming the fall of the totalitarian government of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia and the arrival of freedom. Since 1992, he has been trying to restore Charity Olomouc and other charities in the Olomouc archdiocese. Since 2001 he has worked at the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies under Palacký University in Olomouc, and in 2007 he participated in the establishment and operation of the Department of Development Studies.