Life on foreign military missions captured through the eyes of Czech soldiers

Why does the Czech army take part in foreign military missions? And why should Czechs appreciate their war veterans? This is the main theme of an exhibition which is currently underway at Prague Castle. Entitled Ten druhý život or That Other Life, it features large-format photos showing scenes encountered by Czech military missions abroad, captured by soldiers and journalists.

Photo: Miroslav Lopatář

Prague Castle’s Old Royal Palace is the last stop of the travelling exhibition That Other Life, which has previously toured six other towns in the Czech Republic, acquainting the general public with life of Czech soldiers serving on foreign missions. Most of the nearly 50 photos capture everyday life in the war-torn regions of Afghanistan, Kosovo, Iraq and Mali, as seen by the soldiers themselves.

Lieutenant Colonel Jana Zechmeistrová, one of the photographers with work displayed, explained the choice of the title, That Other Life:

“The exhibition offers a rather uncommon picture of foreign military missions. The ‘other life’ refers to the life and experiences of soldiers on foreign missions, which are completely different from their life here in the Czech Republic. But it also refers to the life experienced by the local people.”

Indeed, it is mostly local people, often women and children, who are caught on the camera. Jana Zechmeistrová, who participated on a mission in Kosovo in 2009 and 2010, has several pictures of children on display at Prague Castle.

Mrs Zechmeisterová says that as a woman, she is naturally attracted by children’s faces and their fates. One of the photos captures the face of a boy with his hand stretched out, while someone in a car is handing something to him. She explains the story behind that picture:

“Our vehicles drove around the poor villages along the border with Serbia, carrying humanitarian aid. Every time we passed through, dozens of children would flock around our cars. What you can see in the face of this boy is not an excitement or a plea, it is sadness or even defiance in the face of what is going on in his country. At least that’s how I read his expression.”

Photo: archive of Czech Army

Jana Zechmeisterová admits that as a woman, she sometimes found it hard not to get carried away by her emotions. She says photography was one of the ways to keep a healthy distance from what she was going through.

“I used to take pictures in the past, but only of places and landscapes. Kosovo was a trigger for me to start taking pictures of people, to try to capture their lives and emotions. The situation that I was going through pushed me into that. I wanted to let Czechs know what the people in those countries were experiencing and that it was necessary to help them.”

According to Mrs Zechmeisterová, Czech soldiers have a very good name among their foreign colleagues, and they are appreciated mainly for their ability to cope in any situation. However, she also says that the general public does not have a very positive view of Czech foreign missions. She hopes that events such as this one could help to change the public opinion in their favour:

“I believe that the photos could help people realize that Czech soldiers don’t go abroad just to make money, but also because of the human aspect. Also, many of my colleagues from technical professions, such as engineers, want to try their skills in real life situations, they want to accomplish things like constructing a bridge or building a school.”

Among other authors whose pictures are featured at the exhibition That Other Life is Master Sergeant Miroslav Lopatář, who embarked on a military career in 2001, when he underwent basic military training. Four years later he joined the Airborne Battalion in Chrudim as a professional soldier:

Photo: Daniel Hlaváč

“I embarked on my first foreign mission in 2007. I was deployed at the north-eastern province of Fayzabad in Afghanistan. In 2009 I was on the Provincial Reconstruction Team PRT in Logar and the last mission I took part in was at the turn of 2010 and 2011 near Kabul and in the Wardak province in Eastern Afghanistan. This is where all the photos were taken.”

Mr Lopatář says photography has always been his hobby but now, it is also a form of therapy:

“I think that every activity is useful that helps you cut off from a reality which can be pretty difficult at times, mainly due to weariness and separation from your loved ones, can keep you busy and take your mind off your troubles. Some people prefer sport, some people watch films or play games, and in my case, it chose photography that helps me relax.”

One of the pictures by Miroslav Lopatář, which on display at the Prague Castle exhibition, captures a Czech and Afghan soldier standing side by side, watching a storage tank in flames:

“This was actually quite a common sight in the Wardak province. This way, the rebels attempted to disrupt the activity of the coalition troops. It is actually one of my very few pictures that were not entirely spontaneous. I usually see something and snap it right away. But this time, I had to run 200 metres for my camera to document the scene and I had to ask the boys to stay in the position.”

Miroslav Lopatář says that during his long military career, he has witnessed a great improvement in Czech professional soldiers and believes the foreign missions have contributed to promoting the good name of the Czech Republic abroad:

Photo: archive of Czech Army

“At the beginning, we were regarded by the NATO allies as an underrated partner from the East, but after they saw us in action, they realised that we were equal partners and in some cases, we were even better. I also hope that the Afghan people, both the locals and the soldiers we helped to train, will always think nicely of the Czech Republic.”

The exhibition That Other Life at Prague Castle runs until the end of September. Among other authors contributing to the exhibition is Sergeant First Class Daniel Hlaváč and photojournalists Lenka Klicperová and Jarmila Štuková.

On October 4, selected pictures from the exhibition will be auctioned off and the proceeds will be used to build a community centre for war veterans at the military hospital in Brno, set to open at the end of this year.