Dalibor Plšek

“As a part of our training we made a 50km walk with combat gear. This was an experience I wish to no one. In such cases you really know what it is to reach the very bottom of your strength. On the one hand, it was fine that you learned what you could or could not manage; on the other hand we considered it to be… a kind of torture, to be honest. But we survived, of course. During that march I learned that people could really be friends. When someone failed, others helped him, for instance by carrying his gun. We walked with full combat gear, including ammunition. It was no fun to bear a 25kg box with ammo. It is true that after each hour there was a break. The more experienced, however, warned us: ‘Don’t sit, don’t lie down, because you won’t get up again.’ When we reached our destination, we fell, literally fell like dead. And we recovered for a week. But it was a part of the training.”

“The conditions on the border patrol were quite different than in civilian life or other areas of human life. I must say that the border guards were trained to do what they were told. It was a tough, demanding service. I must admit even today that those guys who served then and spent twenty months on the border deserve deep respect. They did not protect the communist country. They protected the Czechoslovakian republic, their country. They didn’t care about the political aspects. This was given by the fact… I’m not saying it was a kind of nationalism but rather patriotism. Naturally, there were individuals who had doubts on certain things. And of course I, too, had my doubts – for instance when there were news from the 20th Convention of the Soviet Communist Party and Khrushchev’s criticism of Stalin’s personality cult. These were things that opened our eyes.”

“One time we were walking along with one soldier because we weren’t allowed to check on the demarcation [ourselves]. We were checking the border markers along the state border in the area allotted to Border Company Maxov. There was a secluded cottage there, called Singer’s, it’s still there today. Not only did the German have a farm, he also had a refreshment stand for possible visitors, or for when he had holiday workers, he had this refreshment [stand], I don’t want to call it a pub. When we approached the building, it was a hot July day, and two members of the Grenzpolizei were sitting there, drinking beer. Of course, our mouths were dry as leather, we were sweating all over, but we reckoned: good for them. One of the policemen greeted us and asked if we didn’t want some beer as well. I replied in German that we’re sorry, but we’re not allowed to, and that we have to carry on with our duty. They laughed and we went on. However, there was an aftermath; luckily, I didn’t forget to write into my report what we had seen on the state border, that there were two [police] members there who had invited us for beer, but that we had refused. That was that, I regarded the matter as closed. But then I was questioned by counter intelligence, I had to write an extra report on the event. It was nothing really, just a humorous anecdote, the soldier probably informed about it, but I don’t know, I didn’t investigate any further, it was done and over as far as I was concerned. But it was one experience from my own service, we could never afford not only to cross the state border, but also to make any contact whatsoever. And it was suspicious because I had replied in German.” (Q: “And the soldier who accompanied you, did he know German?”) “No.”

“It was the biggest foul they could commit on the Czech nation. The normalisation process. 564,000 of communists stripped of their party membership, honest people who just did not agree with the invasion of foreign armies. Without any warning, wasn’t it? And regardless of the fact that there were some political issues. I have never accepted it and won’t accept it now. I think this was a process that the communists should be ashamed of till this day. I would be ashamed to be a communist today. Not because it is the communist party. But because of the way they behaved towards their own people.”

“1968 was a hectic year. Lots of fun... When the Soviet armies arrived at the border zone between Mlýneček and Filipova Hora, I drove out there and informed the commander of the Soviet company that was there - because I could just about speak some Russian. I told him there was a sign there saying ‘Border zone. Authorised entry only,’ and I asked him if he had the appropriate papers. He said he didn’t. I said: ‘I’m sorry, but we border guards are responsible for this area. Nothing is going on here, everything is okay. You can go back inland.’ And then they left.”