Portraits of Artists in Mistrzejowice Church, photo series.

Zbigniew Galicki not only took photographs of the Holy Masses taking place every Thursday in Maximilian Kolbe Church in Kraków-Mistrzejowice, but also documented the performances of artists in the church. During and after the martial law, song-writers (Antonina Krzysztoń, various singers from Cracovian Piwnica pod Baranami, Pod Budą band), film directors (such as Andrzej Wajda), and theatre artists (the Theatre of the Eighth Day), visited the church and motivated the audience in their resilience and opposition towards the communist state.

Location:
- Kraków, Poland
Languages:
- Polish
Creator:
- Galicki, Zbigniew
Year of creation:
- 1982
Featured item of:
- Zbigniew Galicki Photographic Collection

Postcard sent by citizens of Western countries to the president of Czechoslovakia demanding the release of imprisoned members of Jazz Section

The Jazz Section Collection, now deposited in the National Archives, contains a postcard from 1986 addressed to the Czechoslovak president, Gustáv Husák; the postcard was part of a campaign to release the detained members of the Jazz Section. Similar postcards which were sent by citizens of Western countries led to the earlier release of many political prisoners – members of the Jazz Section – and to lower sentences for others.

Location:
- Archivní 2257/4, 149 00 Praha 4 - Chodovec, Czech Republic
Languages:
- English
Year of creation:
- 1986
Featured item of:
- Jazz Section Collection at the National Archives

Postcard with self-portrait of Heldur Viires

Heldur Viires painted his self-portrait in the prison camp in the 1950s on the back of a piece of paper with a poem written and presented to him by his friend the poet Helmut Tarand. He sent it home as a postcard in 1955. The sad eyes of the artist in this portrait, and the poem by Tarand, both reflect expressively the harsh conditions of camp life. This postcard is not a normal work of art, but a tool for communication with relatives at home.

Location:
- Tartu Raekoja plats 8, Estonia 51003
Languages:
- Estonian
Creator:
- Viires, Heldur
Year of creation:
- 1955
Featured item of:
- Heldur Viires' private collection

Poster "Leseladen"

The Jena Leseladen (lit: reading shop) inspired by the East Berlin Environmental Library, opened in 1988. It was supported by a group of friends active in the City Youth Parish (JG). This group was committed to planning for the future and saved incriminating and controversial writings so as to disseminate them amongst a broader audience. These writings were mostly from those authors who had been forced to emigrate from the GDR, particularly those belonging to the Jena Society for Peace. The Jena Leseladen was also able to spread West German literature by clandestine means. The Leseladen became an important communication center for opposition groups in Jena.

Location:
- Jena Camsdorfer Ufer 17, Germany 07749
Languages:
- German
Year of creation:
- 1988
Featured item of:
- Thuringian Archive for Contemporary History 'Matthias Domaschk'

Poster VPN

Poster, material: paper. Creator: Rosmány, Karol

Location:
- Bratislava Drotárska cesta 42, Slovakia 811 02
Languages:
- Slovak
Year of creation:
- 1989
Featured item of:
- Public Against Violence