Taking Dad to a Police State in 1989: Czechoslovakia a Few Months before the Velvet Revolution and Freedom:

Taking Dad to a Police State in 1989: Czechoslovakia a Few Months before the Velvet Revolution and Freedom:

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My dad Bob Arndt and I have had some funny adventures in our time.

I like exposing him to the strangest experiences I can think of, but will try not to embarrass him.

In summer of 1989 I was going to school in Saltzburg, Austria.

I was doing an independent study on the Green Party, which had just had it's first electoral success. This was back when we thought we could save this planet.

A few months later the Berlin Wall would come down, but that was not apparent at the time.

Though people from the Eastern Block were begining to stream out of Hungry.

So I had a great idea. Why not take my dad to a full on police state?

So we set off by car to Czechoslovakia.

At this time Czechoslovakia was in full lock down mode, no freedom, we barely got into the country.

We went to Prague, one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen.

Took us awhile to understand why there was scaffolding around most of the beautiful buildings of the city.

At first I thought it was done for some reconstruction project.

But the truth was the main heating source was coal, and as a result the buildings were crumbling. Basically the scaffolding was to keep you from getting killed.

I remember puppet masters in the streets.

Buying ice cream cones for a penny.

Restaurants that had nothing that was listed on the menu due to food shortages.

The Charles Bridge, a place where dissidents would gather. I felt home here.

Then I saw my opportunity to make things strange with my dad, the Lenin Museum, pure propaganda, but dragged dad there.

Then for fun had someone take this picture of my dad and I with the murderous thug Lenin. Not sure my dad fully knew who Lenin was. The picture below is that moment.

Then we went off and I asked someone where we should visit and they said the Terrazin Ghetto. We had no idea what this was but set off to discover.

Well, it turned out to be a concentration camp run by the Nazi's during world war 2.

Generally I like to be prepared for such things. But there we were facing the most dark side of human existence.

After this we decided to get out of Prague and go to Karlo Vary, a spa town 81 miles west of Prague.

This is where the communist bosses went to vacation. We got reservations for the best hotel which were cheap.

When we arrived we were disoriented how to get to the hotel, we could see it, but unsure how to get there.

There was an old stone roadway that led to the hotel, or so we thought.

So my dad started down what he thought was a road.

I quickly realized it was for pedestrians only.

At first I did not tell dad, but this was a long pedestrian walkway.

Eventually had to tell him. We were halfway to the hotel, people were looking at us like we were crazy. 

I expected the secret police to descend on us but there was no turning back.

Somehow I don't think dad was phased.

We finally arrived at the hotel like royalty. Who else would drive down a long pedestrian only road?

So we got our room. I expected finally a good meal, this was the best hotel for the communist party big wigs. 

But of course the menu did not have what was listed.

So I settled for local beer which was not bad.

My dad headed off to sleep.

I stayed up and heard strange Western music 

So I followed the sound and found myself in a room with the communist party bosses who were dancing to the worst lounge band I have witnessed in my life playing Western pop songs.

I thought yo myself. "This is one fucking strange world."

When we returned to Prague we checked out the art museums. Some fine pieces of art, Klimt, Rodin, just to name a few.

Then we came across some strange underground jazz club which my dad really enjoyed.

I started to feel a sense of the underlying resistance of the people to this police state.

It was subdued but I could feel it. Something was going on.

I kept returning to the Charles Bridge, felt more freedom there, hard to put words to it.

But I had zero sense the Berlin Wall would come down three months later.

No idea that the largest mass protests since 1968 would descend on Prague, the Velvet Revolution would then overthrow the police state that had oppressed them for so long.

But I felt something. Change was in the air.

So if you are looking for an interesting experience with one of your parents, take them to a Police State, because then you will know the meaning of oppression and freedom.

Any country has the potential to become a Fascist Police State.

Don't fool yourself into thinking America is some special exception.

Fascism is always lurking around the corner just waiting for the right moment to strike.

I can't say my dad has understood or approved of my life choices. 

But at minimum I have taken him on some strange adventures he would not have experienced otherwise.

And of course I love him, hopefully that is enough.

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David Arndt 2022