Vilém Wodák

" I worked in the rasper factory Tona in Polenská street, there I went to get trained. On 21 August, 1968 there was no work, everyone was listening to the radio and women were crying. We came to the square in the afternoon. The masses were already gathering there. We were waiting for the occupants. Then one (or two) Russian tanks passed through. At a square, right at the saving´s company, a tank caught a man, who died due to injuries. On the second day, 22 August 1968, when I went to work in the morning, I was taking a trolley in the lower part of the square. I saw Russian transporter at the parking place near current school of arts. We were threatening with our firsts in their direction. And when I came back from work the same day, Russians were out of the town and standing at the road to Pístov aiming at Jihlava. The whole road was occupied. But they were gone from the town. Occupation authorities were searching, where the illegal Jiskra was printed. In a few days someone told them it was in the printing house Grafia in Strážná street. It was later raided and crushed down. Russians established their headquarters in the town opposite to today´s Commercial Bank (in Palackého street). There is a travel agents there. With my older friend we were approaching the Russians to discuss with them. We were interested why they were here. We were trying to explain, there is freedom and democracy. And a young lieutenant was pointing at his belt with a gun replying: ‚That is our democracy.´"

"As a small boy I lived in Jihlava opposite to the church of the Mother of God. I remember the old Jihlava, the little streets and romantic corners, which disappeared due to 1960s assanations. The buildings of Jihlava were gradually destroyed. In 1974 a liquidation of a legendary Krecl began. Instead of that there is the thing in the square today. I remember finding treasures, when we as children were searching the attics of original inhabitants, that is photos, books, magazines, postcards, etc. Also scrap material centres, where we used to bring library books from schools. There were piled wonderful books, such as Ottův dictionary, German paperback gems from libraries and more. Treasure that cost a lot of money in auctions today. We were of course attracted to books and magazines from occupation times. And I grew up being formed by the interest."