Hradec Waves 1968 / Hradecké vlny 1968

A thematic guided walk through Hradec Králové focusing on the dramatic events of August 1968. During the walk you will visit key places connected with these events and recall the atmosphere of those days through authentic testimonies of witnesses and unique period photographs.


1st stop - Vrchlického Street - Fuchsova vila - the headquarters of Czechoslovak Radio in August 1968

The participants of the walk will meet at 4 pm directly in Vrchlického Street No. 985/13.

Participants will learn about the history of the First Republic villa of the Jewish Fuchs family, the story of the Fuchs couple who saved their 14-year-old son Miro when he was put on Charles Winton's train, and they themselves managed to travel legally to England in 1940, where they all survived the war. The abandoned villa was confiscated by the German administration and, thanks to its luxurious interiors, became an entertainment club. In 1944, the German Josef Hauser took it into private ownership. After the war, the villa was put into receivership, and soon the newly founded Czechoslovak Radio moved in. Mr. and Mrs. Fuchs tried to get the property back, but were successful only after 1989. They sold the villa to a new owner on the condition that he would restore it to its original condition.

In Vrchlický Street, participants will learn about the initial events of 21 August 1968 - the improvised broadcast sites, the personnel composition of these units, and reminders of the initial cohesion of the nation.

On site: screening of archival photographs and archival audio recordings.

Move on foot to the waterfront (by way of the Stolpersteins of Hermann on Ulrych Square - 0.5km)


2nd stop - Tylovo nábřeží - the current seat of the Czech Radio (1km)

Participants of the guided walk will be introduced to the story of the Hradecky Waves itself. They will be able to see the Pink Book - a collection of messages from listeners during the hectic days of the invasion. We will introduce the direct participants - radio workers of the Free Broadcasting Company Hradec Kralove - by their narration for the Memory of the Nation. Through their personal stories, we will recall the course of the invasion and the consequences of the coming normalisation. In the East Bohemian Radio there was a major change in personnel and major changes in broadcasting, which significantly damaged the trust of citizens in this public media.

On site: screening of testimonies of radio workers, reading of the most impressive messages from the Pink Book. Screening of archive photographs.

3rd stop - Osvoboditelů Square (200 m)

Participants will learn about the history of this place, where the Memorial to the Liberation of the City by the Red Army in Hradec Králové stood since 8 May 1949 and which was removed on 5 June 1991. We will recall the role it played during the August 1968 invasion.

The guided walk will end at 6 pm with the event "Without tanks, free outside", organised by the Network of Active Citizens of Hradec Králové, the Masaryk Society of Hradec Králové and Milion chvilek. The public gathering will commemorate the 57th anniversary of the invasion by Warsaw Pact troops.