Abstrakt
The main topic of my presentation are the former Czechoslovak political prisoners from the 1950s associated in the Confederation of the Political Prisoners, which have been the their biggest and most important association in the Czech Republic. I will discuss their expectations in the process of dealing with communism and how they were successful in promoting it (only partly).
This had significant influence on historical interpretations promoted by the Confederation, for example their perception of the third resistance, the Velvet revolution and also the dissent movement which is considered as responsible for too mild Czech way of dealing with the past. The organization have been participating in politics of history since 1989 but they had to struggle for the public recognition of their demands.
It All these processes are also shaping identity and transforming memory of the former prisoners.