New Video: State Persecution in Communist State

New video documentary “The Struggle for Truth and Justice” about the state persecution of the “Principle People” in Czechoslovakia in the early 1970s

Link to the English version of The Struggle for Truth and Justice

by Barbara Grabner, historian and journalist, author of the books “Mission Butterfly” and “Children of Cain”

Fifty years ago, a new faith group was massively persecuted by the communist authorities. In July 1974, started the politically motivated court case against the so-called “Principle People”. That name was used by the regime since the Unification Church was not registered officially in the communist state. The final verdict by the Supreme Court was announced on 10^th October 1974. Out of the 38 members who were put on trial in several court cases, 28 were sentenced to prison for alleged “subversion of the state”. They served a total of more than 50 years in several prisons in Czechoslovakia.

The drama which unfolded at that time is worthy to be recorded for history. Thus, I decided to produce a documentary. Inexperienced with filming, my husband Miloš Klas and I consulted professional film makers from the Nation´s Memory Institute. Several meetings with experts took place, but they hesitated to take on the task. After some weeks, it became evident that there was no budget and staff available from their side.

But we did not give up. Since we wished to hold events to commemorate the persecution and trial, we decided to produce a documentary ourselves. With no practical experience, that was a big challenge! We searched desperately for alternatives.

Assistance came from Vienna-based Tony Cook. He had the necessary equipment, technical know-how and experience.

How to write a script – when you have never done so – was another challenge. First, I watched similar documentaries and took notes about details. Tony assisted me all the way.

Luckily a sponsor was found, and the costs were covered by the Slovak branch of the Family Federation.

From spring until autumn, the production was realized step-by-step. Unexpectedly, only few of the persecuted members were ready to give an interview.

The first leader of the Unification Church in Czechoslovakia, Alžbeta Danišková, was however happy to receive the camera team in her home. Bound to a wheelchair it was a double challenge for her to recount events, especially since her best friend and member of the group Marie Živná died in pre-trial detention during the interrogations.

Fortunately, the most courageous defense lawyer at the time, Dr. Štefan Detvai, and also Dr. Ľubomír Morbacher, a historian from the Nation´s Memory Institute (UPN) granted detailed interviews. Thus, several lengthy interviews were filmed, historic pictures and documents were collected and archived, ready for future projects. This job was done largely by Miloš Klas, who also had been imprisoned.

Tony Cook recalls,

“A special experience for me was to see the photographs of the convicted members – such young and hopeful faces. Putting them on the screen moved me deeply.”

Another challenge for the production team was to find the best locations and backgrounds. The house where the very person lived who had brought the young movement and its message from the free world – Austrian Emilie Steberl – still exists. It became part of the documentary. Historic is also the chestnut tree in the Horský Park, Bratislava. There, secret meetings took place, usually in the dark of night or early in the morning in order to avoid police observation. Unfortunately, one of the first meeting places – a house in a garden owned by the second church leader Margita Vrábelová – had been demolished a few years ago.

At the end of September 2024, hastily a trailer about the persecution and trial of the “Principle People” was produced for the vernissage of the exhibition at the Bratislava Peace Embassy on 2^nd October. Though rather short, the large audience was impressed.

Their response inspired us to realize the documentary film within two weeks. On 10^th October the documentary was first time shown to the public on occasion of the 50^th anniversary of the final verdict. In early December, after some improvements, it was shown to a gathering of experts in the Nation´s Memory Institute.

Since Slovakia is a rather small nation, it was decided to produce an English version. Thus, it was made available on YouTube for members and friends around the globe. But the interviewed persons were kept speaking in their native language Slovak.

Documentary The Struggle for Truth and Justice, length 30 minutes. Script: Barbara Grabner. Camera: Anthony Cook. Technical assistant: Miloš Klas, produced in Bratislava, 2024.

Link to the English version of The Struggle for Truth and Justice

The book “The Faith that Broke the Iron Curtain” written by Julian Gray provides detailed insight into the case.

Text: Barbara Grabner, slightly edited

Featured image above: Some of the members who were imprisoned in Czechoslovakia during crackdown by Communist authorities in 1973-1974. In the middle, are the prison photos of Marie Živná, who died while in prison. Photo: Screenshot from “The Struggle for Truth and Justice”

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