Modern Czechoslovak history, particularly the communist era in Czechoslovakia, is one of the themes that we systematically focus on within the framework of the One World in Schools education programme. The teaching of history in schools very often ends with the conclusion of the Second World War or else pupils and students are given insufficient information on the post-War period. This is usually because of a lack of time or a dearth of suitable teaching aids and materials. In view of the fact that this concerns historical events that are still very relevant today, some teachers have qualms about how to include an explanation of this historical period in lessons and how to interpret it.

Consequently, we compiled a set of films mapping modern Czechoslovak history, with the emphasis being on the crimes of the 1950s and 60s, the Prague Spring of 1968, the Soviet-led military invasion, the subsequent period of communist entrenchment known as “normalisation”, and the Velvet Revolution of 1989. In our projects, documentary films and other audiovisual materials have proven to be an excellent resource for imparting information and getting students to reflect on the relevant issues and debate them. We deliberately select films that look at the fate of individual people and which give viewers an authentic picture of a specific historical period.

 

In order for us to intensify the inclusion of modern history in school curricula, we regularly organise the Stories of Injustice – A Month of Film in Schools project every November. Every year, within the scope of this event, we offer primary and secondary schools one film dealing with the communist era in Czechoslovakia. We are not simply trying to get viewers to receive information passively, but with the aid of the film screenings that the schools organise and subsequent discussions with people who lived through the events in question or historians and film makers, we are striving to encourage pupils and students to think about the relevant issues and to discuss this period of our history, which is still in living memory.

The past four years of the project have seen more and more schools express interest in what we are doing. The first year took place in 2005 when screenings and discussions took place in more than 360 primary and secondary schools. 619 schools (7 film clubs) had got involved by the fourth year of the project in November 2008.

We are currently preparing the fifth year of the project.

 

Every year, we announce a literary competition for secondary school students. This time the subject is “Nationalised”.  Students have the task of producing a report, essay or interview on the following topic:

The communist regime unjustly confiscated real estate from thousands of citizens (residential houses, farms, factories, etc.). What happened to this property? What became of its original owners?

 

The project is accompanied by other events for schools and the general public, including a series of articles in the daily newspaper Lidové noviny, exhibitions, publications and team projects for pupils and students.

 

 

 

You can send any possible queries you might have to this e-mail address: info@pribehybezpravi.cz..