Jan Palach i "Žive baklje" kao protest protiv sovjetske okupacije Čehoslovačke

master's thesis

• Author: Mateja Milinković
• Mentor: Kruno Kardov (mentor)
• Mentor: Suzana Kos (mentor)
• Committee member: Aleksandar Štulhofer (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Suzana Kos (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Kruno Kardov (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of Sociology); Zagreb
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of West Slavic languages and literatures); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2019-02-27, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: SOCIAL SCIENCES; Sociology
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Slavic Studies

Abstract

U ovom radu dajem pregled događaja od Praškog proljeća do Baršunaste revolucije koji se tiču Jana Palacha, njegovog čina, reakciju medija, političara i javnosti na njegov čin, druge žive baklje diljem Istočnog bloka, s naglaskom na protestna samozapaljenja protiv sovjetske okupacije Čehoslovačke.Zbog snažnog odjeka i reakcije javnosti na javna samozapaljenja vodstvo Komunističke partije Čehoslovačke i drugih zemalja od samog su se početka trudile zataškati što više smrti i sniziti kredibilitet onih čiji je čin ipak došao do očiju javnosti, kao i pisma u kojima objašnjavaju svoje razloge i zahtjeve. U situaciji kad je narod godinama ugnjetavan, a država pod stranim, represijskim režimom koji uvelike snižava kvalitetu života i život građana čini gotovo nepodnošljivim, ponovno uspostavljanje suvereniteta može biti težak zadatak. Samozapaljenje simbolički potpomaže taj proces jer državna politika ima puno sličnosti s religijskom strukturom, primjerice veličanje domoljublja, žrtve i građenje spomenika nalik hramovima.U slučaju Jana Palacha i Sovjeta samozapaljenja su izazvala veliku pažnju javnosti, domaće i međunarodne, brojnih medija, a sama metoda se ubrzo proširila diljem drugih zemalja Istočnog bloka. Palachov tjedan 1989. bio je svojevrsna predigra Baršunastoj revoluciji. Ovim radom ističem značaj simboličkog kapitala kod formiranja nacionalnog identiteta i zajedništva, posebice prilikom borbe protiv okupacije neke zemlje i također prikazujem značaj političkih komemoracija za društvene pokrete.

Abstract (english)

The paper deals with events which date from the Prague Spring to the Velvet revolution regarding Jan Palach, his deed, the reaction of the media, politicians and the public to his deed, other living torches around the Eastern Bloc, emphasizing self – immolationin protest against the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia. Due to the strong repercussion and the reaction of the public to the self-immolations the leadership of the Communist party of Czechoslovakia and other countries have tried from the very beginning to cover it up as much as possible and to lower the credibility of those whose deeds did make it to the public, along with the letters which they use to explain their reasons and demands. In a situation when the people of a nation have been systematically oppressed for years, and a country is under foreign political repression which greatly lowers the quality of life and makes the life of citizens almost unbearable, re-establishment of sovereignity can be a difficult task. Self-immolation is a symbolic support of the process because the state policy has a lot in common with religious structure, for example exaltation of patriotism, sacrifice and building monuments resembling temples. In the case of Jan Palach and the soviets, self-immolations have attracted a lot of attention from the public, domestic and foreign, from numerous media, and the method itself expanded rapidly throughout other countries of the Eastern Bloc. Palach week of 1989 was a prelude to the Velvet Revolution, and with this paper I emphasize the importance of symbolic capital in forming national identity and community, especially during a fight against the occupation of a country, and I also demonstrate the meaning of political commemorations regarding social movements.

• Keywords: Jan Palach; Čehoslovačka; Praško proljeće; samozapaljenje; protest
• Keywords (english): Jan Palach; Czechoslovakia; the Prague Spring; self - immolation; protest
• Language: croatian
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:489375
• Study programme: Title: Sociology (double major); specializations in: Research, Teaching; Course: Teaching; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra edukacije sociologije (magistar/magistra edukacije sociologije)
• Study programme: Title: Czech Language and Literature (double major); specializations in: Translation and Culture, Teaching; Course: Translation and Culture; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra bohemistike (magistar/magistra bohemistike)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2020-02-12 08:34:32