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17th November…

…most of the student population is oblivious to this date, yet this date is one of the most important dates in the student movements’ history. It is the International Students’ Day.

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Background:

During late 1939 theNazi occupants of the Czechoslovakia(at that time it was called the protectorate of Bohemiaand Moravia), in Prague,suppressed a demonstration held by students of the Medical Faculty of the Charles University. The demonstration was held tocommemorate the creation of an independent Czechoslovak Republic.This demonstration resulted in Jan Opletal’s death. 15th November isthe date when he was meant to be transported from Pragueback to his home in Moravia.His funeral procession consisted of thousands of students, who turned thisevent to yet another anti – Nazi demonstration. This however resulted indrastic measures being taken by the Nazi’s. All Czech higher educationinstitutions were closed down; more then 1200 students were taken and sent toconcentration camps; and the most hideous crime of all: nine students /professors were executed without trial on the 17th of November. Dueto this the date of 17th November has been chosen to be theInternational Students’ Day.

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The following is thefull list of the nine students / professors executed on the 17/11/1939 in Prague – Ruzyne:

Josef Matoušek (d.o.b1906)

Jaroslav Klíma (d.o.b1913)

Jan Weinert (d.o.b1914)

Josef Adamec (d.o.b1909)

Jan Černý (d.o.b 1914)

Marek Frauwirt (d.o.b 1911)

BedřichKoukala (d.o.b1913)

Václav Šafránek (d.o.b1920)

FrantišekSkorkovský (d.o.b1909)

Another bloody 17th November event

In November 1973 students of the Athens Polytechnic went on strike. Theywere protesting against the Regime of Colonels that was in power at the time.Their struggle began on the 14th of November. After barricadingthemselves and constructing a radio station from the equipment that they foundin the laboratories they started broadcasting to the entire city of Athens. Their broadcastswere pro – democratic, against the junta that was in power. They were soonjoined by thousands of their compatriots. However they did not achieve theirobjectives. In the early hours of 17th November an AMX 30 tankcrashed through the blocked gate of the Polytechnic. What followed after wascaptured on a film by a hidden Dutch journalist: passing of a tank through the mainentrance of the polytechnic as well as the transmission of a student, comingfrom the radio, pleading the attackers not to fight the protesters. Accordingto the contested official investigation, no students were killed at thePolytechnic, however several were injured severely, and their injuries left apermanent mark on them. The records of the trials held after the fall of thejunta do document the civilian deaths. It is possible that the official numbersare inaccurate. But this issue has not been brought to a conclusion, yet.

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This time a casualty less 17thNovember

In 1989 independent student leaderstogether with the Socialist Union of Youth (SSM/SZM) organised a massdemonstration to commemorate the International Students Day. This 50thAnniversary event gave students an opportunity to voice their displeasures withthe communist party of Czechoslovakia.What began as a peaceful commemorative event turned into a violent one, by thenightfall, with many participants being brutally beaten by riot police, redbarrettes and other members of the law enforcement agencies. There were about15 000 people taking part in this demonstration. The only person to be leftlying down where the beatings took place was an alleged body of a student whoin actual fact was an undercover agent. The rumour of a fellow student whopassed away due to the police brutality triggered events that most probably thesecret police were not envisaging. That same night, students together withactors from theatres agreed to go on strike. The following events that tookplace brought about the downfall of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia.

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As it can be seen, students have alwaysbeen on the forefront of the movement of change. Always when the country was incrises students took the opportunity to demonstrate their opinions, even theone that went against the current regime’s values and beliefs. Unfortunatelythese actions took place only when there was crisis, or unbearable suppressionof human rights. What about today? Students need to have their voices and opinionsheard! They have an obligation if not towards themselves, towards the otherswho will follow them, to teach them what the previous generations have left us.In a world of reasonable calm (this is an understatement as we are constantlyreminded by media of the “war on terror’ and other ‘activities’ taking place)students are not doing as much as they should. There is a lot of apathy amongthe current student population. People are not taking an active part in theopportunities that present themselves to them. Everyone is complaining aboutthe system, yet no – one does anything to change that. A number of those that“do” care about education and student movements are not doing so solely for thesake of students’ well being, but to serve their hidden agendas. They tend tohave extreme views, or belong to extreme political spectra. Not being able torepresent the general student population. This is quiet sad. I remember thatSRVS did try to do something to commemorate the events of the 17thNovember last year (2005), however the turn out was poor at best. I hope thatby reading this article some of you will stop to think about this situation.What you decide from then onwards may affect all of us, or … well that is up toyou to decide. WHERE THERE IS A WILLTHERE IS A WAY!!!

Damian Kovac

Damian Kovac

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Manžel, Otec, Projektový Manažé, člen hnutia NOVA Zoznam autorových rubrík:  Kunsill Studenti UniversitarjiMy ESIB ExprienceOpinionsSúkromnéNezaradené

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