Jan Palach

VŠETATY DECEMBER 1952

Ouch.

Asta, wait!

Come on!

Jan...!

-Jan, where are you? -Where are you?

-Jan! -Jan!

-Jan! -Asta, where is Jan?

-Jan! -Jan!

Jan!

KAZAKHSTAN JULY 1967

Volodya, come here, you Komsomol member!

-Shall we smoke one? -Yeah, we will.

What a moron!

Communism depends on people like this.

-What kind of an invention is it? -Grandpa fought in the Second World War.

It is a memory of him.

Jan, don't overdo it. Nobody's watching.

Somebody always watches you in socialism.

Look, look over there!

Hi, girls. We work like horses here.

We can’t go swimming. We must eat this shit.

Would you like to go swimming?

Andrea, Zaya, Anna, how about it?

-Are those leftovers from yesterday? -No, it’s for dinner tonight.

We’re going to eat this shit forever.

-Let’s not eat it! -We’re not eating this!

The Czechs refuse to eat.

What is it? A strike?

No.

So, what’s going on here?

You know what’s going on.

Well, so you are striking.

As you wish.

What about you? You are not from Czechoslovakia!

You are Komsomol members! Eat!

Are you a Komsomol member?

Are you a Komsomol member?

Yes. I am a Komsomol member.

Get up!

Get to your tent.

I know about everything.

One thing is clear-- you behave like children

and demand the same rights as adults. I decided you can go swimming in the lake.

I know about everything.

You can only swim so far from shore where the shortest of you can still stand.

And nobody will look down on the food you get here for free.

Nobody!

You!

I know about everything. Go to the dining tent, we'll talk.

Do you want to wash off that dark spot on your reputation? Think about yourselves!

He'll be punished. They'll probably expel him from school and from Komsomol.

Fall out!

Excuse me, Comrade Director. It does not make any sense.

Wow, look at this big Czechoslovakian proletarian.

Please allow me. Either there are rules or there are no rules.

If you expel a Russian and allow a Czech to stay, there are no rules.

It does not make sense.

Yes. It is logical.

I will not expel anybody. You have the word of a Communist.

And now you can show us you can work as well as talk.

Thank you.

Is that how you dance our national socialist dances?

What a guy!

Are you not happy with us?

It is better here with girls.

A gift for you.

Grandpa made more of them.

I’ll never forget you stood up for me.

Thanks.

Did he give it to you?

You don’t smoke anyhow.

Russian men launched a satellite

With Laika the dog in it, they forgot to feed it

PRAGUE, SEPTEMBER 1967

And then they screwed it

That’s my bed.

We played it in Czech and they did not understand a word.

They dance to it like it was real rock 'n' roll.

Russian men...

We traveled through half of Russia with this song.

With Laika the dog in it, they forgot to feed it

And then they screwed it

Jan, you have a female visitor.

Hands below your belly!

Turn, lock your knees and wiggle!

This is not fun, this is therapy!

Breathe in the water!

Enough!

And now swim alone!

Concentrate on your muscles.

Get all muscles involved.

What we can do in the water, we’ll soon be able to accomplish on the ground.

Without any help.

Slow swimming.

-Thanks. -Could we please get another coffee?

-How about a lollipop? This is a beer pub. -Leave it here. Thanks a lot.

Are you talking for everyone? That’s how wars begin.

Red Right newspaper says:

"Former Nazi colonel Peter von Butler will be named on April 1st, 1968,

a Deputy Chief of Staff in NATO Central Command in Belgium."

Those Belgians, they can take a lot. Germans twice took their land,

twice they burned down Leuven, and now they have a Nazi general in charge.

-Belgians! -It is horrible.

My father said that in Vietnam you do not have a choice. Either you burn to death

or Americans will do it with napalm.

-Here you go, young man. -Thank you. -What else can I get you? -World peace.

You won’t find it here.

Look, amusement!

No amusement. They won't fight. You can sense it.

Did she stand you up? Did she have a date?

She did not. Eva keeps her word.

-Sorry I'm late. I got stuck in a parade. -What parade?

The power went out at the Strahov dorms. Students protested. They’re all mad.

What do they want to do?

They're looking for someone to complain to.

-To who? -What do I know? To the president?

They’re in good spirits, all fired up.

Shall we go look?

Yes, I can manage.

Stop! Did you hear me? Stop! Stop running!

-He’s on the right! -Stop, you son of a bitch!

Stop! Stop!

Do you want power? Here, you got it!

-Halt! -We are halting.

-Do you want to hit a girl on crutches? -Who are you?

-We’re students. -What do you want here?

-You may guess. -Do not provoke us!

We can get them at the dorm. They have no place to escape from there.

They had no mercy. They beat defenseless people.

They kicked us.

-Used tear gas. -Shame on you!

Followed us from Neruda Street to the Strahov dorms.

They claimed it was a plot against them. But we could not turn on the lights!

-It was they who turned off the power. -That’s him. The professor.

Do you want to say something, Professor?

Well, I came here just to listen to you.

But I must say, four years ago, your living conditions were discussed

among the members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party.

What solutions did the comrades suggest?

It’s going to be solved.

I just want to make sure nobody will be punished for raising your voice.

-That’s him! -It’s me. -Helena!

-I always feel better when I see you. -This is Jan Palach.

-Oh, Colleague Palach. -I hate to bother you. -No bother at all.

-What is your major? -I would like to be a historian.

All that happened here today would be impossible at the School of Economics.

That’s not fair. But hotheads like you usually think that way.

So, history.

Well, let's see what I will be able to do for you. Goodbye!

Thank you. Goodbye.

That's a lot of people, a lot of people here.

Friends, please make way for Comrade Minister.

-We're going to the Head Office. -I'm here incognito today.

I have an appointment with the comrades in the School Head Office.

The chancellor is on your side. So please stay calm, will you?

Do not let anybody misuse you for political reasons.

Things are moving your way even if it does not seem like it.

I realize young people must raise their voices if something does not work.

Young people must raise their voices if something doesn’t work. That is clear.

My generation wasn't better off. And we paid for it in a big way.

Believe me, I know what an insane cop can do.

I was in a lockup. So I understand why you want to be heard.

I am just begging you-- let's not make our streets a battleground.

Believe me. We're trying to solve it. It will come out OK.

You have my word on it!

My word. Let’s go on.

My word.

Now please let me through. I'll get things moving!

-Kids! Please make way! -Thank you.

Thank you.

What am I supposed to do?

-Hi! -Hi!

-Hi! -Oh, you brought Jan here?

I better get dressed.

So, what happened?

Smrkovsky. He is a tough guy.

I am glad I could introduce you.

He’s a old, lecherous tomcat. "I always feel better when I see you."

But he’s smart.

Smart, old, lecherous tomcat. The sequence is important.

Jan, I really felt hurt when you told the cops I am disabled.

It really hurt me.

You were hiding behind me.

I am not disabled.

I’m going to make some tea.

They’re tight.

-Ouch. -Can I join you? -Yes.

Look what I got today.

What is it?

It’s blood.

-Yuck! -What do you mean, yuck? It’s my blood.

I got it for my third blood donation.

Really?

So it is not fashion jewelry from Jablonec?

Helena, I did not hide behind you.

Ouch!

What about Helena's surgery? Is she walking yet?

She had polio, not the flu. It's improving.

-She’ll be walking within a year. -I’m glad it’s better.