"For example, when I worked in Burkina Faso, I remember exactly, they took 20% of my salary. Then when I came [back], they did a total accounting - how much money I gave to Polytechna - and it was over a hundred thousand dollars. About a hundred and twenty thousand dollars that I turned over to Polytechna that they wrote down."
"It was about two or three times, always at Sunday lunchtime. I remember my wife was always unhappy about it, because when we were cooking lunch, they would ring the bell and two men in leather coats would come in and sit down, and they would ask me a lot of questions. And it was all about who I had socialised with in France and things like that. Apparently they wanted news about... And there were people who were reporting things about us and things like that. I would meet Monsignor Parolek there, and I talked to Dr. Tigrid, and it's probably possible that they suspected that, but mainly because I had quite a good name at the Mining College in Paris, where they wanted me to stay and work there. I came back because my mother had gone blind and my brother called me to ask if I wanted to see her."
"We went there with such a bunch of students. We said, 'We can't study that, the law in what is here.' So we left. Then they promised us that if we did a three-month job at the youth construction site near Ostrava, where they were building a track, that if we fulfilled that we could go on to university. So we fulfilled that. I won't forget my friends who were there. They were all very educated, I would say the right kind of intelligent people who didn't want the communist coup, especially after Horáková. That's how we played there. I used to play the piano there, we used to dance in the gym, we had a lot of fun. Well, and then I got into the Faculty of Science, because they were just admitting a lot of people. At that time the geophysics department that was starting to form there, so they were looking for people who knew a little bit of math, and I was pretty good at math, so I got in right away."
Vladimír Sattran was born on 9 October 1930 in Prague into a middle-class family with roots in East Bohemia. The family environment was inspiring. From childhood he was devoted to music, but he was also interested in mathematics. In the 1950s, he began to study law, but left after a year, refusing to study a field of study beholden to the regime in an atmosphere of political purges. After a short compulsory intermezzo at a construction site, he studied geology, specializing in the discovery of deposits, at the Faculty of Science of Charles University in Prague. After graduation, he also studied at the Faculty of Mining by distance learning. Because of his professional qualifications and knowledge of French, he was sent on work placements to French-speaking countries. After August 1968 he decided to emigrate to France, but after three years he returned for family reasons. He continued to be posted abroad as a distinguished expert, for example to Iraq, Morocco, Syria and, as part of a UN research programme, to Burkina Faso. In December 1989, he was elected Director of the Geological Institute. After two years he retired, but after the division of Czechoslovakia he was appointed Czech Ambassador to Morocco. He is also active in literature - he translated Paul Claudel’s poetry from French and is the author of seven books. He still maintains contacts with former colleagues in the field and current students.
Great-grandmother Marie Havlíčková (56 years old), née Kopecká, widow of Mr. Havlíčkek. Vysoké Mýto, 1908. Her mother was her great-great-grandmother Františka Liebichová from Letohrad (originally Kyšperk), married name Kopecká
Great-grandmother Marie Havlíčková (56 years old), née Kopecká, widow of Mr. Havlíčkek. Vysoké Mýto, 1908. Her mother was her great-great-grandmother Františka Liebichová from Letohrad (originally Kyšperk), married name Kopecká
Terezie Sattranová, née Benešová, and Bohuš Sattran, brewer in Krč and Braník, Prague 4. After the death of her husband František Sattran, Terezie married his brother Bohuš, also a brewer. Prague, 1925
Terezie Sattranová, née Benešová, and Bohuš Sattran, brewer in Krč and Braník, Prague 4. After the death of her husband František Sattran, Terezie married his brother Bohuš, also a brewer. Prague, 1925
25th wedding anniversary of grandfather JUDr. Antonín Mimra and grandmother Julia, née Havlíčková. Behind them parents, newlyweds Jan Sattran and Julie, nee Mimrová. Prague Bubeneč, 1925
25th wedding anniversary of grandfather JUDr. Antonín Mimra and grandmother Julia, née Havlíčková. Behind them parents, newlyweds Jan Sattran and Julie, nee Mimrová. Prague Bubeneč, 1925
With Professor Pierre Laffitte (right), Rector of the University of Mines in Paris, on the feast of St. Barbara, patron saint of miners. ENSMP's headquarters in Fontainebleau, near Paris. 1968
With Professor Pierre Laffitte (right), Rector of the University of Mines in Paris, on the feast of St. Barbara, patron saint of miners. ENSMP's headquarters in Fontainebleau, near Paris. 1968
With Professor Abdelhadi Tazi from the Royal Academy of Sciences (centre) and witness´s daughter Markéta Sattranová at the residence of the Czech Embassy in Rabat. 1996
With Professor Abdelhadi Tazi from the Royal Academy of Sciences (centre) and witness´s daughter Markéta Sattranová at the residence of the Czech Embassy in Rabat. 1996
With a group of Czech compatriots at the reception on 28 October 1994 at the Embassy in Rabat (witness second from the right). Next to the witness is Dr. Hakim Safadi, who graduated from Charles University and married a Czech woman
With a group of Czech compatriots at the reception on 28 October 1994 at the Embassy in Rabat (witness second from the right). Next to the witness is Dr. Hakim Safadi, who graduated from Charles University and married a Czech woman
Mgr. Marie Zajíčková, Consul and Ambassadorial Council (left), the witness´s wife Milada Sattranová and the witness welcoming guests at the residence in Rabat. 1996
Mgr. Marie Zajíčková, Consul and Ambassadorial Council (left), the witness´s wife Milada Sattranová and the witness welcoming guests at the residence in Rabat. 1996
Diplomats meeting with President Václav Havel at Prague Castle, 1995. The President greets everyone and photographs are then sent to all those involved
Diplomats meeting with President Václav Havel at Prague Castle, 1995. The President greets everyone and photographs are then sent to all those involved
The other Czech ambassadors (fourth row, left) with Foreign Minister Zieleniec (standing next to President Havel) were received by President Václav Havel at Prague Castle in July 1995
The other Czech ambassadors (fourth row, left) with Foreign Minister Zieleniec (standing next to President Havel) were received by President Václav Havel at Prague Castle in July 1995
President Václav Havel is a distinguished guest of the French Senate. He was received by Senate President Alain Poher and Senator for Life Pierre Laffitte. Paris 1991
President Václav Havel is a distinguished guest of the French Senate. He was received by Senate President Alain Poher and Senator for Life Pierre Laffitte. Paris 1991
Reunion of the last living graduates of the Budějovice Grammar School in Česká Street from 1950. On the left standing PhDr. Vladimír Karfík, former editor-in-chief of Literary Newspaper, with MUDr. František Bürger, on the right Ing. Zbyněk Mršík, RNDr. Ing. Vladimír Sattran and MUDr. Pavel Stašek. October 2021
Reunion of the last living graduates of the Budějovice Grammar School in Česká Street from 1950. On the left standing PhDr. Vladimír Karfík, former editor-in-chief of Literary Newspaper, with MUDr. František Bürger, on the right Ing. Zbyněk Mršík, RNDr. Ing. Vladimír Sattran and MUDr. Pavel Stašek. October 2021
