Unique Documentary Offers a Rare 1968 Recording of Václav Havel

It is without exaggeration to say that these are the radio discovery of the year as the recordings of broadcasts from August 1968, recently obtained by Czech Radio, are truly a treasure. These recordings captured during the dramatic events of the occupation have long been sought for.

And yet, the names of the radio “presenters” and commentators discussing the events of the time are rather remarkable, including actor Jan Tříska and playwright Václav Havel, who in 1968 participated in the radio broadcasting from Liberec.

The fact that these unique recordings could go on the air after several decades was rather a matter of coincidence.

A lion’s share of the credit goes to Vladimír Beran, a listener from Liberec. He recalls the August occupation in 1968 saying: “I had fallen into apathy and the only thing I was able to do was to turn on a tape recorder and record the broadcasting. I was listening to broadcasts from Prague, but also to the more and more frequent “free live broadcasts from Liberec”.

The son of Vladimír Beran recently offered his father’s recordings from 1968 to Czech Radio for broadcasting and digitising – and an incredible discovery was made. They were the long sought for unique recordings made during the dramatic events of August, commented on by the then “presenters”: actor Jan Tříska and playwright Václav Havel.

After 45 long years, some of these recordings found their way to the listeners again. They are featured in a documentary by Tomáš Černý, called We Stand with You, Stand with Us, Too!.

“The documentary also features the memories of two Czechoslovak Radio presenters, Jiří Kadlec and Vladimír Fišer,” says Tomáš Černý. “The first one was on duty in the evening of 20 August 1968 and shortly before he presented the evening news at eleven, he discussed the scenario of what would happen if ‘they burst in on us’ with his newsroom colleague”.

"We stand with you, stand with us, too!" This motto was first heard on the air in May 1945. Czechoslovak Radio wanted to clearly indicate that it supports the “right cause”, calling on the audience to follow suit. In 1968, one of the presenters or editors recalled the motto and used it in the same way: We stand with you, dear listeners, trust us, follow suit and stand with us. “It’s hard to say whether the voice of the radio will have such an impact ever again,” concludes editor Tomáš Černý.

MSc. Zora Karmazín Blümlová
Communications and External Relations Director
Czech Radio
Phone: +420 221 551 310