174
self as the boss. He used to say that he
was only writing on his own behalf and
never forced anyone to put their signa-
ture underneath his words.Do you think the Charter is today some-
thing more than merely a “museum exhibit”?
The work of Charter 77 obviously
came to an end and it cannot be revived.
It would not make any sense. However, its
40th anniversary is a good time to revis-
it this legacy: People should still defend
the rights of others and they should ask
questions related to human rights. They
should keep reminding others that it is
possible to reach an agreement across
different environments that represent
different beliefs.Currently in Poland politicians often play
the Lech Wałęsa card seeking to rewrite the
history of the Solidarity movement. Is the
situation similar in the Czech Republic?
I understand that. I also understand
that our memory is playing tricks onus and with time everyone remembers
things differently and that is why some
events might be interpreted as positive
by some people but negative by others.
Sometimes, however, it is complete non-
sense and that should be stopped. We
opened the archives. In the Czech Re-
public the discussion on Charter 77 is al-
ready over, and if I remember correctly,
there were no dramatic fabrications. In
the case of Charter 77 critical voices are
rarely heard. There are obviously con-
stant accusations that the communists
were behind it, but that is simply a lie.
A dispute can always bring about
some explanations and clear the air.
Speaking about the past makes sense as
it can help us understand both the pre-
sent and the future. A man like me does
not want to be treated only as a veter-
an that meets his peers to catch up on
their youth and heroic years. Charter
77 is one of the very few things that we
are positively inclined to. It makes us
proud.Translated by Justyna ChadaThe author would like to thank the Villa Decius Association for inviting
Martin Palouš to Kraków which helped make this interview possible.Martin Palouš is a Czech philosopher, a diplomat and a lecturer. Currently he is
the president of the Václav Havel Library Foundation in New York. He was one
of the first signatories of Charter 77 and in 1986 he was its spokesman.Łukasz Grzesiczak is a Polish cultural journalist who covers Czech and
Slovak issues. He is the editor in chief of the online portal Novinka.pl.Poles and Czechs across generations At peace with ourselves, Interviewer: Łukasz Grzesiczak