The Czech Republic is preparing to mark the 60th birthday of the launch of Radio Free Europe broadcasts in Czech across the Iron Curtain to Czechoslovakia. The broadcasts were a key factor in telling people under communism not only what was really happening in their own country but also keeping them up to date about events in the West.
In May 1951 the broadcasts in Czech targeted at Communist Czechoslovakia from exiles in Germany began to be transmitted from the then West Germany. At the time, Joseph Stalin was in charge of the Soviet Union and his faithful follower Klement Gottwald had a firm grip on Czechoslovakia after taking control there three years earlier. The Cold War still threatened to blow up into a conflagration.
In Czechoslovakia, like most other Communist regimes, censorship was already in operation. Opponents were forced underground or to flee for their lives. One of those opponents was the first director of the Czech division of RFE, Ferdinand Peroutka. He was joined by other exiled journalists, for example, Pavel Tigrid.
In Czechoslovakia, like most other Communist regimes, censorship was already in operation. Opponents were forced underground or to flee for their lives. One of those opponents was the first director of the Czech division of RFE, Ferdinand Peroutka. He was joined by other exiled journalists, for example, Pavel Tigrid.
(Source: Radio Prague Website)
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