NEWSREEL
BLACK DAYS
Due to secret talks of Czechoslovak and Soviet representatives
at Cierna nad Tisou, the world press expected
a presage of serious events.
How will socialism develop in advanced countries?
The socialism with the human face of the Czechs and Slovaks was opposed.
Many struggles and contradictions are expected.
The content of the talks is unknown
but the meeting of the Warsaw Letter signatories with Czechoslovak
representatives in Bratislava was accepted with enthusiasm.
Foreign observers waited but for attendant phenomena.
During negotiations, nobody could get closer to the parties' chairmen.
General Declaration was formed, but it avoids the present situation
of the global labour movement.
However, there was a mention of sovereignty,
and we fastened on that fortunate idea.
We are sure that the document we have signed
will be important for strengthening of our versatile...
our fraternal relations in economy,
politics, culture, in all spheres of our activities.
Then came the tragic historic day of August in 1968.
The foremost representatives of our country and CP are interned.
To the labour parties all over the world!
Against the will of the Government, National Assembly, communist leaders
and the people of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic,
armies of five Warsaw Pact countries are occupying our country.
Protest against this breach of the socialist internationalism!
Ask representatives of the Soviet Union, Poland, Bulgaria,
Hungary and German Democratic Republic to order their armies
of occupation not to paralyse the work of our Government
and the Communist Party Central Committee headed by Mr. Dubček.
Ask them to withdraw the armies of occupation!
Banská Bystrica is quiet, in Trenčín are armour vehicles.
There will soon be a transmitter of trespassers.
ln Trenčín, broadcasting of occupants in Slovak is being prepared.
We warn you its task is to confuse you.
Distinguish its transmission
from the free Czechoslovak Radio Prague
you are just listening to.
The staff in the Bratislava Castle regulates the transport of convoys.
Dear citizens! There is a tank in front of our building.
We shall broadcast as long as it is possible.
We ask you to keep your temper.
lt is nonsense that such a small country,
although with a well armed and drilled army,
should line up resistance against such five mighty armies as those
that came to our country uninvited.
The best arm is passive resistance.
To do nothing, to know nothing
but to be calm and stay at your places.
We repeat the proclamation!
People outside the radio building in Bratislava, go calmly home.
Help standardize the situation and the talks with the Soviet Union.
Go home quietly in the interest of our freedom and democracy.
We are now being taken over by the transmitter in Banská Bystrica.
Brothers Slovaks, listen!
This is the last free broadcasting from the town of Plzen.
lt can be stopped any second.
We are getting sign-up sheets saying:
''We have only hearts, hands and paper!
Leave our country! Leave Czechoslovakia!''
The voice of the people is united, there are millions of us.
The transmitter of Banská Bystrica, loyal to the Uprising tradition,
became the only free voice in the country for some time.
At once, there are as many radio studios as never before.
They confirm the unity of communists and the people, so important now.
The situation in our country is complicated.
We cannot explain you anything at the moment.
As President of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic,
l address you with the full responsibility l took over together
with the mentioned function,
and l entreat you
to keep your temper and stay calm!
Citizens, be judicious when buying daily foodstuff.
lt is not necessary to queue and lay in excess supply.
There are enough raw materials and products in works and factories.
lt is a matter of routine production and smooth distribution.
Long live Mr Dubček!
You may have repeatedly heard the Russian word manoeuvres.
The officer was sure they were at manoeuvres somewhere.
We also warn you about agents provocateurs among you
who want to incite a conflict.
They are among you in the streets.
Be careful.
Ask the Soviet soldiers the only question: why.
But first of all, keep calm.
ln these tough moments we all are watching the situation in Prague.
There is fire outside the Radio Prague again.
Despite appeals, people did not always cope with the strain.
Blood is spilt also in Bratislava's streets.
l walked down the SNP Square towards the Slovak Radio building
and then was going back down the square.
l saw soldiers moving towards the bridge and l followed them.
ln the Sturova Street the soldiers
started to shoot.
The crowd broke into a run.
l jumped aside to a gate.
When they ceased fire l popped up my head,
and l was suddenly hit.
My wife was with me. She is OK.
l cannot speak, all my teeth are knocked out.
On August 21 , we went to the butcher's,
then we stood on the corner of Sturova Street.
Suddenly, we heard shots,
so we ran back downtown.
As bullets were flying behind us, we hid in a gate.
l managed to get in but my husband fell down at the door.
CENTRAL COMMlTTEEE OF THE COMMUNlST PARTY OF CZECHOSLOVAKlA
Comrade Sedláková brought the first copy of the special issue of Pravda
daily to the Slovak CP Presidium.
Some members will negotiate with the Soviet representatives.
Engineer Zrak guides the branch in Bratislava.
Deputy Prime Minister Doctor Husák has barely a free minute.
The radio editorial staff work hard, changing their places.
President and other representatives fly to Moscow to negotiate.
All the country is listening to the President's message.
l ask you all to be calm and judicious.
Let your actions not be a threat for our country and our relations
with the foreign representatives.
With your conscious approach you can create good conditions
for us in the complicated talks.
We must find an honest and dignified way out of the situation
which is tragic for our people and for our country.
We must go on building our Czechoslovak Socialist Republic,
continue on our democratic way of developing our socialist country
in the spirit of the legacy of the January CC Party congress.
Despite appeals to be calm, the young ones were more pressing
when expressing disagreement with the foreign troops.
Their hunger strike is expression of the exemplary self-discipline.
Workers in all towns and factories all over Slovakia!
Today, on August 23 at noon, an hour's strike will be held
to support the requirement: ''lnvaders, go home!'' Stop work!
General strike.
Feeling the expression of one's will, human becomes human again.
The old ones experienced hard times twenty years ago.
The young ones are now learning about the people's power.
One-hour strike of our people has just finished.
lt was our way of expressing our opinion.
During shooting, delegates of extraordinary CP congresses
come to Bratislava to convene congresses on the national level
and will send three groups to the Prague's congress.
Danger has not left our towns yet,
and we are saying goodbye to the first victims.
THE MURDERER'S CONSClENCE
As in the town of Kosice,
the victims in Bratislava were also innocent,
uncommitted young people.
... resolution from the extraordinary CP congress!
This is the free transmitter of the Prague CP Committee.
ln the agenda there was a proclamation,
appeal to workers' parties all over the world,
abolition of the mandate of the CP Committee,
and election of a new one.
The Slovak Communist Party congress in Bratislava was lively too.
They welcomed delegates of the Czechoslovak CP.
The poet Novomesky asked the present to be prudent and brave.
They supported the results of the Czechoslovak Party Congress,
and asked the retreat of the alien armies.
Despite the message from Moscow to postpone the congress,
the extraordinary CP Congress of the Slovaks is opened.
... Comrade Dubček asked us
to meet the requirements of our delegation in Moscow talks.
The reason of holding the congress today is the following:
To remove compromised functionaries from their mandates
and legitimacy de jure,
because they lost it de facto long ago.
To talk with the Czech representatives
about the democratic Slovak Establishment.
To appoint delegates for talks with the Warsaw Pact representatives
who will not be scared
to defend legitimacy of our Party and governmental bodies
face-to face the violation without politicking,
manipulation and compromises.
To choose such Party leaders who can carry out the tasks
of the democratic socialism with the human face.
The night meeting in Bratislava agrees with the Prague's congress.
Return of our delegates from Moscow brings a turn in the events.
We have learnt the bitter truth about the fateful talks
and conditions asking for general self-denial.
However, there is some hope.
Though they revived the message of the authors of communism,
due to the general world crisis of the world political system caused
by selfish interests of powers, we come up against misunderstanding.
They deepen dehumanization of man, curtail the fruits of his thinking.
After a short stopover at the first talks in Prague,
Doctor Husák leaves for Bratislava with a special mission.
The change of terms is reflected also at the night session
of the Slovak communists, which acquires a new content.
As l do not know the circumstances of the talks at the congress,
and the situation in Slovakia,
l delegate the comrades Husák, Sádovský and Barbírek,
as the representatives of the CP Central Committee,
to inform the Communist Party and its congress in Slovakia
about the talks and their results in Moscow,
and to talk about the necessary measures with you.
ln Prague, on August 27, 1968. Signed Alexander Dubček.
The tactics of the Moscow talks, explained by the doctor Husák,
is accepted by the delegates with excitement and understanding.
lt is inevitable, as that is the only way.
As for the extraordinary Party Congress in Prague,
after a frank and lively debate, the chosen Slovak delegates
were of the same opinion as Mr. Husák.
The solution is a compromise: to reinforce the Central Committee
with people proven by conditions of the congress meeting
in the worst hours of the Party.
Do your work for the nation, calm the people,
explain, when their souls are upset,
how to see the things.
lt is difficult to gain confidence!
But our Party is experienced,
we are not in politics only when it is a bed of roses.
We have survived the times...
you know them, l am not to remind you of history,
we lived hard times in our Party,
and no one else but the brave ones have held out.
Let fall away who is unstable!
Let fall away who is opportunistic,
let only stay who is firm, honest,
who wants to fight for this nation!
The greatest benefit, certainty and hope of the Slovak congress
is a new, creative and political representation.
The hours of the breakthrough, the solution of the undesirable
invasion of foreign troops were a test of work of the radio workers
and communications technicians, working in bad conditions.
The consciousness of our nations is stunned.
Our feelings are deeply disturbed.
But we have a programme of hope,
aims that we shall not relinquish.
Moreover, we are led by competent politicians.
Our nations were always allies in the past,
nbut as vassals, we were defiant and unpleasant.
lt is not only sentiment but a historic fact to be taken
into account in any political of concept assessing the world
according to the principles of Marx and Lenin's thinking.