Mailbox
This week in Mailbox: the 20th anniversary of the start of the Velvet Revolution, reception in China, the story of Czech asylum seeker Ferdinand Platil in Canada in 1968. Listeners quoted: Howard Tuffrey, Lynda-Marie Hauptmann, Nicolas Erdei, Ian Morrison, Jason, Ruth D. Liston.
This is Radio Prague’s weekly Mailbox, a programme for your views, questions and comments. Thanks for tuning in.
This past Tuesday, on November 17th, the Czech Republic celebrated the 20th anniversary of the start of the Velvet Revolution which brought down the communist regime. Among the listeners who wrote in to Radio Prague on the occasion was Howard Tuffrey from the English town of Portishead:
“My congratulations to you all and all your fellow countrymen and women on this momentous anniversary which started twenty years ago... I do remember the large crowds of people over several days in Prague confronting the police; I remember the police in their particular white helmets, I also remember people being beaten back with batons. I was worried that it would escalate into something more violent with people being seriously hurt, or worse, killed. Thankfully this didn’t happen, and a peaceful transition of power took place.”
Lynda-Marie Hauptmann from the US says she read with some amusement about the choice of musicians Václav Havel invited to commemorate the events of the Velvet Revolution, including the singer Joan Baez:
“The reason I am so amused? My father, who left Czechoslovakia, literally under fire in the mid 1950s, detested Ms. Baez, calling her a ‘Commie folk singer’ because of her peace activism – Ms. Baez was not the only one viewed with such suspicion and by more than just my father, that is, of having communist sympathies. I can't help but wonder how he would react if he knew Ms. Baez was being honored as having ‘laid the soundtrack’ for the Velvet Revolution. As far as I am concerned, however, congratulations to the Czech people for reaching such a milestone!”
“20 years later. .. I wrote and recorded this song back in '89, ‘the voice of liberty from Transylvania’. Peace.”
Reception reports from our New Zealand listeners suggest great improvement in the quality of Radio Prague’s signal in the area, but Ian Morrison who lives in China reports difficulties:
“Still no luck with reception of Radio Prague here since the new schedule was introduced, I'll keep trying and will let you know if I have any success.”
Thank you for letting us know. Czech Radio’s shortwave experts are looking at the problem.
A listener who signed himself Jason who apparently has no difficulties tuning in says our broadcasts have inspired him to the extent he plans to relocate.
“I absolutely love your programming and listen in on a daily basis. In fact, it is because of your unique radio service that I have decided to open my photography studio there in Prague – it feels like home now. The exact date is unknown at this time but when the time comes, I will definitely move there. Thank you for providing such informative and welcoming insight into the Czechoslovakian history and culture.”
And finally, Ruth D. Liston, an Irish/Canadian woman who was living in Edmonton with her husband and six children in 1968 sent us this letter:
Thank you for sharing the story with us. If Mr. Ferdinand Platil is listening or reading this wherever he may be living and would like to reconnect with the Listons, just drop us a line to [email protected] or, if you prefer, Radio Prague, 12099 Prague. Those are the addresses for all your listener feedback as well as your answers to our monthly quiz question.
In November we would like you to tell us the name of the man who composed this famous piece of music:
Your answers need to reach us by the end of November. Thank you for staying faithful to Radio Prague and for sharing your views with us. Mailbox will be back in a week’s time so for now thanks for listening and take care.
