Apart from psychological terror, beatings were a daily occurrence in the army
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Petr Knespl was born on 12 October 1960 in Městec Králové into a family affected by collectivisation. His parents had their family farm confiscated in the settlement of Černá Hora near Dymokury, his father was imprisoned for three years and had to work hard in the mines. In August 1968, the family was overwhelmed by the fear of war, and for many years the occupiers had set up an observation post near the witness´s home. Until the ban in 1970, Petr went to the Scout group in Dymokury, then he refused to join Pioneer organization and later the Socialist Youth Union (SSM). Because of his family circumstances, he was not allowed to study, and he trained as a machine fitter in Ústí nad Orlicí. His uncle emigrated to West Germany in the early 1980s, so Petr spent his compulsory military service in a labour unit. After the military service he joined the cooperative farm in Dymokury as a locksmith. During the Velvet Revolution he distributed anti-communist leaflets in the countryside and participated in several demonstrations. In 1993, he received most of the nationalised property in restitution and set up private business as a farmer and owner of a locksmith shop.