Tomáš Malínek

Abstract

Abstract

The study deals with periodicals published in the 1970s and 1980s by the Federal Ministry of the Interior (FMV) of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (ČSSR). These are mainly the magazines Signál (Signal), Bezpečnost (Security) and Pohraničník – Stráž vlasti (Border Guard – Guardian of the Homeland). Their editorial staff also created the content of the magazines Přílohové čtení Signálu, B‑Bezpečnost and Stop hranice. The text gives a detailed outline of the organisational, personnel, content and economic development of these periodicals. The weekly Signál was one of the most popular youth magazines of the time. In addition to texts that popularised the activities of the state security forces, it also offered readers articles devoted to sports, culture and motoring. On the other hand, throughout its existence, Bezpečnost remained more of a departmental magazine intended primarily for members of the National Security Corps (SNB). The editors of both magazines were transferred to the FMV in the early 1970s after deep personnel purges associated with the beginning of so‑called normalisation. The fortnightly magazine Pohraničník – Stráž vlasti was founded in 1979 and was primarily intended for members of the Border Guard (PS), pioneers and the population of border regions. Efforts to adapt these magazines to the post‑revolutionary social conditions failed. Bezpečnost and Pohraničník – Stráž vlasti ceased publication in 1990. The last issue of Signál was published in 1994. Přílohové čtení Signálu, which consisted mainly of detective stories, on the other hand, remained popular amongst readers after 1989 and is still published in a modified form to this day. On the other hand, the magazines B‑Bezpečnost and Stop hranice, whose main task was to popularize the activities of the SNB and the Border Guard respectively, ceased to exist together with their “parent” magazines Bezpečnost and Pohraničník – Stráž vlasti in 1990.