Prague photographed by Secret Police?

[jodys]

<p>I did a quick search, I don't think this has been posted before.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.vice.com/read/state-sponsored-voyeurism-935-v16n7">Link</a></p>

<p>The premise is that during the 70s, 80s, the Czech Secret Police took photos of pretty much everyone, trying to catch 'dissidents' and generally chill the atmosphere of the place. Some of these photos are quite good, accidentally of course because the 'hidden camera' setup precluded things like framing and focus. The '<a href="http://www.ustrcr.cz/"><strong>Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes</strong></a>' (never heard of them) is releasing some of these in a book this year. The website I've linked to shows a few samples. There may be a language barrier for most of us, with the 2nd link. I've looked for the book on Amazon ('Prague Through the Lens of the Secret Police'), no luck, but there does seem to be a traveling exhibit. Has anyone seen it?</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>I wonder if I could get prints?</p>

<p>When I was driving around the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (<em>Československá socialistická republika</em>, as it then was) in 1972, I was approached at least three times in Prague by the same man, each time offering illegal money exchange ("Geld wechseln?", the first words I heard in the country), and at differing places all over the city. I had been warned against agents provocateurs, and besides I had got my Koronas in a state-sponsored sale of a sort. There wasn't much to buy unless you really liked Bohemian glass.</p>

[a_petkov]

<p>I don't find any of these photographs good or appealing. But it's interesting anyway.</p>