Reading the wonderful comment on the July 14 entry, brought the following memory back to me:
In 1968, the Prague Spring with its protests was an exciting period in Europe. We lived in Regensburg, a medieval town close to the border with the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. I had visited Prague, the beautiful historic city, even had started lessons in Czechoslovakian with an older gentleman. So when the Soviet Union army invaded the country on August 21st and marched into Prague, my 14-year-old self – shy but rebellious – used her bike as a protest vehicle. Attaching big hand-painted cardboard posters onto the frame, I thought it was effectively attracting attention and looked great. Being an ardent fan of reformist Alexander Dubček who was imprisoned, I asked my father if I could paint our car, making it into a protest car. He kindly thought about it, but pointed out: “Well, I’d love for you to do it, but I would get fired and that would mean no food for the family.”
Using the bike to cycle to school and for errands, I paraded my “protest bike” the following day into the school building, which was forbidden, as was any political action. It got attention :) My parents had to come in and save me from expulsion. I marvel to this day at their tolerance and support for peaceful civic action. In German we have an important word, especially after the war: Zivilcourage. Civil courage, solidarity, action and help wherever there are injustice, need, and suffering, all are important ingredients for civic and personal life lived with conscience. Only then can we call ourselves a Mensch.
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