The following text is not a historical study. It is a retelling of the witness’s life story based on the memories recorded in the interview. The story was processed by external collaborators of the Memory of Nations. In some cases, the short biography draws on documents made available by the Security Forces Archives, State District Archives, National Archives, or other institutions. These are used merely to complement the witness’s testimony. The referenced pages of such files are saved in the Documents section.

If you have objections or additions to the text, please contact the chief editor of the Memory of Nations. (michal.smid@ustrcr.cz)

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Ladislav Vrchovský (* 1948)

When there is something in a person, it gets to the surface despite adversity. The main thing is not to give up

  • born on 25 June 1948 in České Budějovice

  • grew up in poor conditions in a village in Wallachia

  • joined the secondary mining school in Havířov

  • could not graduate, left school only with apprenticeship certificate

  • after the war worked for 20 years in the mine Antonín Zápotocký in Orlová

  • theatre amateur, organizer of unofficial exhibitions in Ostrava

  • repeatedly questioned by the State Security,

  • in November 1989 led a strike committee at OKD and organized a general strike

  • from 1990 to 1992 Member of the House of People in the Federal Assembly for the Civic Forum

  • journalist, theatre critic, writer, member of the Green Party

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