I had the last of my eyesight, but I could see the soldiers with the guns
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Jan Příborský, a native of Šternberk, was born on 3 February 1947. His father Jan, an organist and basket maker, was blind from the age of eight. His son, who bore the same name, was born partially sighted. Although he could still see in his childhood and early youth, after an accident at the age of fourteen he gradually lost his sight, resulting in total blindness. Like his parents, the witness experienced all the hardships that the past regime imposed on disabled pensioners. Although the family, as relatives of an invalid, were allowed to keep the tobacco shop and were allowed to remain private tradesmen, it was nothing that ensured their well-being. The political criteria also applied to the sick, and because of the “bourgeois” origin of the witness’s father, he was granted only a very small invalid pension, which was also insufficient to support the whole family. In spite of these difficulties, Jan Příborský successfully integrated himself into society and the labour market and helped to spread awareness of the needs of the visually impaired in our country. After the establishment of Tyfloservice in 1991, he set up the Olomouc branch. In addition, in 2000 he was the founder of the Olomouc TyfloCentre and served as its director. In 2023 he was still the chairman of the regional branch of the United Organization of the Blind and Partially Sighted (SONS) Olomouc.