Armistice Day? No clue what does it mean.

In a week it is going to be 17 years since the velvet revolution in my country. We have become the part of EU and we all have been learning again what the democracy is like. We have been really enjoing our new freedom, but there are still so many things that are in front of us.

Tomorrow many people in the countries, we want to belong to, will celebrate Armistice Day (or Remembrance Day). Unlike us. Yes, officially, there will be some actions but generally people don't care. Not because they don't want to but because they have no clue what it is about.

There is no tradition to remember and honor those who were killed during wars except those who were the part of the Soviet Red Army and those whe died in the last few days of World War II during Prague's uprising. Of course, they have to be honored but they used to be honored way too much. This happened not the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" but every May 9th, the day that was celebrated like the final day of of World War II (no matter that the this war ended one day before in Europe). Worse, all others, killed during World War I and even those who died during World War II but wearing western uniforms were officially condemned to be forgotten. This has almost happened.

Many things has changed since then but the people's mind is hard to change from one day to the next. So tomorrow, maybe some people will wear poppies whille the majority will remain in the dark. Like I used to be some four years ago.

I was in England for the first time, starting studying English. And when the Armistice Day came the teacher explained to us the meaning. At 11 am we all took two minutes of silence as a sign of respect. The following weekend I went to London for the first time and what I was most impressed about were thousands and thousands poppies 'planted' almost everywhere. Thousands and thousands Londoners were coming with small crosses (or stars of David) decorated with silk poppies. Later I learned something about the charity connected with them.

At this point, I realised the huge difference between the people there and us. Those Britons strive not to forget those who died, mostly for others. We even don't know we should strive to. We have almost forgotten. I wish we remembered again. I guess, enjoying the freedom without remembering those ordinary people who had to die is like drinking best champagne or whisky without knowing their price. Is it a true joy then? Or is it more pretences? It is like 'Damn, stop bothering about some artificial flowers and charity…' It is just sad reality, the inheritance of our soviet-era past.

P.S. I am off to Paris tomorrow. I am curious to see the poppies there. Maybe I am too idealistic.