1970s of the 20th century in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, the German Democratic Republic, Poland, Romania and Hungary is a time of triumph of the so called "real socialism". The communist authorities have stabilized its position and starter buying public support by upgrading the living conditions. Opponents were controlled the secret political police. First generation raised from birth in a communist dictatorship was entering adulthood. These people mostly did not know life in another world. They seemed to be reconciled with the surrounding reality and sought to derive maximum benefit from it. Opposition, even if it existed, was marginal. And although Communism collapsed in the next decade, the legend of the 1970s as a carefree period of happiness is uncritically reproduced to this day...

The Polish, Czech and English version of this outdoor exhibition will be on display from 20 May until 17 June in the castle courtyard in Pardubice.

The exhibition has been prepared by the University of Pardubice and the IPN Public Education Office in Warsaw.

The exhibition catalog can be downloaded below.