Exploring the Modulatory Role of Transitional Justice Measures in the Intergenerational Transmission of Psychosocial Legacies of Political Repression in the Czech Republic
Project Description
Welcome to our case study of the Czech Republic dedicated to exploring the modulatory role of transitional justice measures in the intergenerational transmission of psychosocial legacies of political repression.
Nestled in the heart of Central Europe, the Czech Republic carries a poignant history as a former communist country, marked by four decades of political repression largely implemented by Czech security organs, including the notorious State Security. The dark shadow of the communist regime, along with political repression, cast a wide net, claiming the lives of thousands of victims and subjecting hundreds of thousands of individuals from all segments of society to widespread political persecution. Families were torn apart, properties confiscated, and innocent individuals imprisoned or forced into labour camps based on fabricated allegations. Compounding the complexity of this period, many individuals, driven by a multitude of reasons such as ideology, fear, threats, desire for power, career advancement, or other personal gains, also actively participated in the political repression, assuming various roles within the apparatus of the repressive regime. For instance, estimates suggest that a staggering 150,000 individuals collaborated with the State Security, serving as one of the primary instruments of communist repression.
Following the fall of the communist regime in 1989, the Czech Republic embarked on a transitional path toward liberal democracy. Determined to confront the legacy of its communist past and pave the way for a peaceful and prosperous future, the Czech Republic implemented one of the most systematic and extensive lustrations among post-communist countries, seeking to purge individuals affiliated with the previous regime from public offices. Concurrently, driven by a pursuit of the truth about its repressive past, the country also granted unrestricted public access to secret police files,
unveiling the identities of those who allegedly once colluded with the State Security. These two transitional justice measures, albeit unprecedented in scale, sparked profound societal controversy, as their impact extended beyond the former regime representatives, despite initial intentions. In fact, victims of political repression, often coerced into collaboration with the State Security and enduring years of service within the security forces, found themselves within the scope of these transitional justice measures as well.
Against this historical backdrop, however, the actual impact of political repression and the subsequently implemented transitional justice measures on individuals who endured those tumultuous times, as well as on their families across multiple generations, remains a mystery, even 34 years after the fall of the communist regime.
This realization prompts us to ask several critical questions:
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How did the prolonged communist political repression affect the lives, well-being, trust, and social functioning of ordinary citizens who merely tried to live out their lives in peace, raise families, go to work, and stay healthy?
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​What enduring psychosocial legacies of communist political repression persist in the children and grandchildren of those who experienced political repression?
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Did the implemented transitional justice measures promote healing, trust, and reconciliation, or did they introduce new unforeseen challenges and strains within families and society at large?
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​And, ultimately, did these measures play a role in shaping the psychosocial legacies of political repression that have been passed down to future generations?
Our case study endeavours to answer these questions and shed light on the long-term impact of political repression and transitional justice efforts in the Czech Republic. Employing a mixed-methods approach, we will combine quantitative survey and qualitative semi-structured interviews with victims and former representatives of political repression and their descendants. By amplifying the voices of victims of political repression, former regime representatives involved in political repression, and their descendants, we aim to illuminate the intricate interplay between historical trauma, transitional justice measures, and the transmission of psychosocial legacies of political repression across generations. Join us on this journey as we uncover the profound impact of the past and strive for a better understanding of the complex dynamics shaping the present and future of the Czech Republic.
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Relevant Literature
​Bichescu, D., Schauer, M., Saleptsi, E., Neculau, A., Elbert, T., & Neuner, F. (2005). Long-term consequences of traumatic experiences: an assessment of former political detainees in Romania. Clinical practice and epidemiology in mental health, 1, 1-11.
​Courtois, S., Werth, N., Panne, J. L., Paczkowski, A., Bartosek, K., & Margolin, J. L. (1999). The black book of communism: Crimes, terror, repression. Harvard University Press.
​Danieli, Y. (Ed.). (1998). International handbook of multigenerational legacies of trauma. Springer Science & Business Media.
​David, R. (2018). Communists and Their Victims: The Quest for Justice in the Czech Republic. University of Pennsylvania Press.
Horne, C. M. (2014). Lustration, transitional justice, and social trust in post-Communist countries. Repairing or wresting the ties that bind? Europe-Asia Studies, 66(2), 225-254.
​Kazlauskas, E., & Želvienė, P. (2015). A history of political violence in the family as a resilience factor. In Resiliency: Enhancing coping with crisis and terrorism (pp. 141-148). IOS Press.
​David, R. (2018). Communists and Their Victims: The Quest for Justice in the Czech Republic. University of Pennsylvania Press.
VIDI project funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO)
