The exhibition focuses on Czechoslovak samizdat, its form, methods of reproduction and distribution, and the role it played during a time of censorship and repression. In addition to the historical context, it also showcases specific samizdat publications and highlights the importance of a free public sphere.
It was created in collaboration with the Moravian Library in Brno, the Museum für Kommunikation Frankfurt, and the City of Prague as the first of ten major exhibitions being prepared for the Czech Guest of Honour appearance at the 2026 Frankfurt Book Fair.
Věra Böhmová was in charge of preparing the exhibition on behalf of the Moravian Library. Jiří Gruntorád, who opened the library’s Libri prohibiti collection for the exhibition, graphic designer Štěpán Drlík, and scriptwriter Michal Přibáň also contributed to the final form of the exhibition.
As Tomáš Kubíček, Director General of the Moravian Library, emphasized at the opening, the exhibition is not merely a historical retrospective: “A message about the fragility of public space and the need for civic responsibility runs throughout the entire exhibition.” He also noted that an exhibition focusing on freedom of expression marks the beginning of the Czech Guest of Honour program in Frankfurt.
The exhibition can be visited at the Museum für Kommunikation in Frankfurt through January 24, 2027.
Photos: Museumsstiftung Post und Telekommunikation / Salome Roessler