Update

I wrote about a month and half ago that I was planning on writing/researching for a historical paper that deals with the oppression of protestant pastors under the Communist Regime; focusing mainly during the period of 'Normalization.' I wanted to update you on this work.

Just this past weekend, I fished through a few of the resources I have attained. Many of them have come from Mila Plechachek himself, which affords me the very unique opportunity of actually being able to read first-hand documents. Everything is real. Nothing is scanned, copied or stored away in some box, on a shelf, in the dank room of a library. My Czech is still, foundationally, conversational (or as Czechs like to say, 'v Hospodě), which is a very different language than the flowerly writing of academia and the often cryptic reports from the StB; it has been quite a challenge. My picture of the situation is getting clearer every month, but I still feel as if I am viewing this story through clouded lenses, or atleast, ones that are warped.

Throughout the past month, I have been randomly receiving emails from both Americans and Czechs who have been encouraging me. I don't know how many of them are finding out about the project, but they have all said one thing in common: it needs to be done. One of the realizations I have come to see, is that this 'history' that I am researching/talking about isn't very old at all. The Fall of Communism only occured 20 years ago--this year, in fact, marks the anniversary--which gives me hope that in a VERY small way, I am able to pay tribute to those who did suffer and did fight for political freedom. It is my small gift for them. In addition, while the church DID play quite a large role (Catholic and Protestant) in protest actions against the government, there has been surprisingly very little written about it. Of course, there have been many studies and some books published, but for the most part, a lot of the academic work has come from within the seminary or the denomination itself. There is nearly nothing written in English.

I don't want to call this paper an academic one, because I don't believe I can write an academic paper. It is a project rooted in personal interest. Many of these pastors have come to be my personal friends, so it is also a way for me to understand them on a deeper, more real level. There is still A LOT of work that needs to be done and I am just at the very beginning. My friend Jarda, a student of history at Charles University, has offered his assistance. We will be working together. I am also relying, to a large degree, on many of my friends in Policka who have helped me translate and write quetsions (thanks Madla!). Jarda and I will be meeting this weekend to discuss our next plan and to really get the 'ball rolling'. I plan on having many of the interviews completed by the end of winter, which means, it is time to get started.