Mgr. Monika Brázdová

* 1969

  • “We made flyers that we brought to workers. We cooperated with concrete people inside (state-owned) companies and their role was to pass the information on to others. We also visited production plants. Here at the Černolen plant there was People‘s Milita and they threw us out. So we had to find another way inside. We got past some obstacles, without fear. We didn’t let it (potential danger) get to us because we felt the power at our back was so strong that there was nothing fear.”

  • “I met my schoolmates from gymnasium, five, six or seven of us at a time. They arrived from Prague and came from different faculties and different universities. Our school had five or six representatives so we said what’s new and who will say what and what has to be said to the people what had to be done. So we took turns speaking and told people what is happening in Prague, Prague’s message to Humpolec, an update about the state of things in České Budějovice, and a message from České Budějovice to Humpolec about the developing situation. The people in Humpolec were surprised. They knew something was happening in Prague, but there was very little available information at that time. Unless you listened to Radio Free Europe or Radio Luxembourg and other stations it was difficult to get information. People had to tell one to another. So when we came and told them, they were eating it up; all those ovations and applause. It was odd being eighteen or nineteen and talking to adults and telling them what to do. They looked at you like the Virgin Mary a said: These kids came over here to tell us what to do and that we have to wake up.’ And they got up and did it. They were happy that someone came over to tell them what to do and they did it with great fervor. The atmosphere was very interesting.”

  • “When I returned to Humpolec, I had some papers with me and I said to myself: ‘What am going to do with these?’ and I found out – I believe it was in Staněk’s store – that there is an assembly planned at the statue of (President) Masaryk by the Sokol sports hall. I went home and told my parents: ‘There is an assembly.’ They said: ‘We know and we are going. And you?’ So I answered: ‘Of course I am going.’ ‘You better not say anything (at the assembly). Listen to what is going on but do not say anything.’ So we found our way there and it wasn’t long and I stood up.”

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    Humpolec, 19.06.2019

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It was an amazing meeting of people, amazing revelations and amazing emotions

Monika Brázdová, the graduate
Monika Brázdová, the graduate
zdroj: archiv pamětnice

Monika Brázdová (nee Horáková) was born in Humpolec on November 27, 1969 to parents Pavel and Jaroslava. Her alma mater is A. Hrdlička Gymnasium. Monika Brázdová had a passion for sports during her youth. She joined the Socialist Youth Union and as her school’s chair she organized a number of sporting as well as cultural events. After graduation, she attended University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Education in České Budějovice where she majored in physical education and biology. Before November 17, 1989, she focused on school, not politics. When she found out in Humpolec about the severe police suppression of a student demonstration, she travelled to České Budějovice to learn more about the revolutionary development. She then returned to Humpolec and publicly spoke at a demonstration. She actively informed people about the events, including the planned general strike on November 27 where she once again spoke publicly. After the fall of the totalitarian communist regime she partook in Václav Havel’s presidential campaign. After this point she no longer engaged in politics and returned to her studies, which she completed in 1993. She worked as a teacher for a year and after that she worked in shipping. She started her own international trucking company, which she has been running to this day.