#johnlennon #prague #czech
00:00:00 The John Lennon Wall
00:03:41 The Wall Pub (former John Lennon Pub)
00:05:09 Pivo Pilsner Urquell 0.5 L - 95 Kč , € 3.85
00:05:16 Fish and Chips - 325 Kč, € 13.18
"Shortly after the death of John Lennon, this stone wall surrounding the Maltese Gardens was transformed into an impromptu memorial with a painting of the singer's face. Lighted candles accompanied quotes from John’s songs about world peace and freedom, and soon slogans criticizing the totalitarian regime began to appear. With the arrival of democracy, the wall has lost some of its significance. Now it is decorated by a portrait of John Lennon and pictures created by more than 30 artists from five countries. Everyone still can express his/her opinion there, while using a pencil, a fix or a piece of chalk. Spraying is forbidden there." - https://prague.eu/en/objevujte/john-lennon-wall-zed-johna-lennona/
"1960's
In the 1960s, as the world swayed to the tunes of The Beatles and embraced their message of peace, the Communist government of Czechoslovakia clamped down on Western influences, imposing strict censorship and banning Western music. However, the youth of Prague, yearning for change, found solace and inspiration in the subversive lyrics of John Lennon.
Depending on who is telling the story, the first traces of writing appeared on the wall in the 1960’s. They weren't just aimless ponderings, rather the words were for Jan Werich, a Czech actor and screenwriter.
Werich moved people through his absurdist and politically challenging performances, more often than not going against political norms despite having restrictions imposed on his productions.
1970's
Writing on houses and walls can be traced through the 1970’s from accounts by Jiří Bareš, a Czech musical artist. Through this period, the city was covered in etchings, commenting on policial and social issues.
In the 1970’s,
the Lennon Wall was called the “Wailing Wall”. It was here that love poems were written and dedicated to those special to the artists.
1980's
On December 8th, 1980,
John Lennon was shot and killed, becoming a revered symbol of amity and anti-violence. His band, The Beatles was extremely influential and sang songs about peace and harmony for the world. Due to the Communist Regime this type of western music was banned, but Czech people still found a way to listen and become influenced.
The first addition to the wall was a stone slab that acted as a memorial to Lennon, reading “For John Lennon” with a cross above his name. It is said that the slab came from an old water fountain but bore a striking resemblance to a gravestone. From this point on, gifts, flowers, and offerings were left at the stone.
In the beginning of 1981,
the slab was given proper engravings as it outlined when Lennon was born, when he died, and included a picture of him. Before the graffitti made its way to this particular wall, Beatles lyrics popped up in other locations around the city.
...
On the 8th of December, 1981,
on the first anniversary of Lennon’s death, the Czech youth gathered and wrote poetry in opposition of the Communist Regime. The government, in an attempt to control the resistance kept painting over the wall, but the Czech’s put posterboard over it and continued on.
Lennon’s enthusiasts stayed loyal throughout the years, holding meetings near Čertovka. Yearly, marches were organized but were continually disrupted by the police in an effort to decrease their impact. Media wars were waged against the people honoring Lennon, calling them alcoholics and claiming they were trying to push western ideals into the country. The media would go on to call what they were afflicted by as “Lennonism”.
In the year 1989,
the John Lennon Peace Club, or (MKJL) met and soon after the poster board was taken down from the walls. The wall was then given back to The Order of the Knights of Malta who decided to go through with a restoration process for the damaged brick. The John Lennon Peace Club then got the Knights of Malta to have František Flašar paint the portrait of John Lennon. Diverting from the original idea of just having a portrait of Lennon and minimal decoration, people soon began to add phrases about peace and resistance to it." - https://thelennonwall.com/en-cz/blogs/news/1980s
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