THE WAY WE WERE (Czechoslovakia, 1963-1982)
Gustav Aulehla meticulously documented ordinary life in Czechoslovakia, photographing the cafés, orphanages, funerals and party meetings in Krnov, the town where he lived. As a chronicler of his time, Aulehla sought to observe, before all else. As an observer, he had a sharp eye for the contrast between socialist rhetoric and the cheerless realitiy. His photos of the extensive Soviet army base that was located in Krnov led to his being interrogated and having his house searched by the secret police. He was jailed once, but later freed as a result of an amnesty proclamation. He was able to keep his photographs hidden. Only once – in 1984, in the Czech city of Ostrava – did he organise a small exhibition of his work.
