The Tower of Death / 28 ianuarie / 20h00 / Centrul Ceh

DOCUMENTARY MONDAYS
un eveniment Centrul Ceh sustinut de Pilsner Urquell

THE TOWER OF DEATH
Vez smrti, Rep Ceha, 2002, 58 min
Regie: Kristina Vlachova
VO ceha / Subtitrari in engleza

O calatorie in timp, in anii 40-50 si mizeria care i-a inconjurat. Mii de prizonieri si-au ispasit pedeapsa in conditii inumane in minele de uraniu, in regiunea Jachymov. Unul dintre locurile cele mai negre era Lagarul L; poreclit de prizonieri lagarul lichidarii. Aici a fost tinut timp de 14 ani Jaroslav Lukes, pentru dezertare si tentativa de trecere ilegala a granitei. A incercat la un moment dat sa evadeze, dar a fost impuscat in cap de la 40 de metrii distanta. Dupa Revolutia de Catifea din 1989, Lukes l-a dat in judecata pe unul dintre gardieni, Vlaciha (poreclit Aratosul), a carui purtare incalcase chiar si legile din perioada aceea.
Prima parte a documentarului prezinta realitatea anilor ’50. Mozaicul amintirilor devine baza pentru procesul lui Lukes impotriva gardianului. Procesul a trenat aproape 10 ani si in cele din urma, cazul a fost clasat.

PARANTEZE NICE & FUN 
Ai apucat sa vezi I Served the King of England?
Cand ai intrat ultima oara pe diary? ne-am mutat la casa noua… czech-it out : )

ENGLISH VERSION

This documentary by Kristina Vlachova is a return to the misery of the 40s and 50s. Thousands of prisoners served their sentences in inhuman conditions of the uranium mines in the Jachymov region. One of the dark spots was the Camp L, that the prisoners nicknamed ‘liquidation camp’. This was the place where the worker Jaroslav Lukes served his 14-year sentence for desertion and an attempt to cross the border illegally. He tried to escape from the camp, but he was shot in the head from the distance of forty meters during the attempt.
After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, he sued the warden who by his conduct violated even the then laws. The first part of the documentary introduces the audience to the reality of the 1950s. The mosaic of memories then becomes a foundation for the case of Lukes and his lawsuit against the warden Vlačiha (who was nicknamed ‘Hezoun’ – Looker). The lawsuit dragged on for nearly 10 years and the case eventually lapsed.

In my opinion, it is important to capture a testimony. As the direct participants die, the awareness of the crimes fades out. And so the history is slowly being erased until it’s completely gone.

by Kristina Vlachova (shortened)

 

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