TransAct statement

Dear Colleagues,

I am following the latest political developments in Austria with great concern. Apart from the last ten years, I lived my whole life in a country which was controlled by the extreme ideology of so-called Socialism, which is well-known to have many similarities with Fascism. I do not need to describe the incredible destruction of cultural, social and especially moral values at all levels of society which resulted from the fascistic rule of the communists. It is especially important to remember today that for us in Czechoslovakia the Austria of the seventies and eighties set a certain example of how a normal democratic country worked. With home-made television aerials we secretly watched Austrian television as one of the few uncensored sources of news from the free world. In deep isolation and cut off from the world we could not then imagine that the situation of our countries would ever change, not to mention become reversed. Deep and life-long personal experience of an extremist regime means that we can imagine only too well the results of this body of thought whose representatives have become part of the governing coalition in your country. On behalf of myself and all my colleagues at the gallery, may I express our support for your efforts to prevent a sweeping boycott of cultural life in Austria.

With best regards

Dr. Petr Nedoma
Art historian, Prague
Director of the Rudolfinum Gallery

Prague, 29th of February 2K