The exhibition Border Ahead! Devín Behind the Iron Curtain 1948–1989 aims to document the increasing restrictions on freedom of movement following the February coup in 1948, when the Communist Party seized power in Czechoslovakia. It details the impact of these restrictions on the lives of Slovaks, particularly those in Devín, which became virtually inaccessible in the 1950s. The exhibition focuses on the status of Devín Castle during the communist regime and the military measures imposed on the border with Austria. Additionally, it includes accounts of specific escape attempts across the Devín section of the state border.  

At a time when the values of democracy in Europe are often questioned, it is all the more important to remember the impacts of totalitarian regimes on the lives of ordinary people. "Our intention is to draw visitors' attention to the history of the second half of the 20th century at Devín Castle. Through an expert and critical evaluation of this period in the specific context of Devín, we aim to contribute to the public debate on modern Slovak history and strengthen the values of democracy, freedom, and tolerance," says Milan Zálešák, head of Devín Castle and curator of the exhibition.  

The Iron Curtain, which divided Europe into two hostile blocs in the 20th century, is one of the most recognizable symbols of the Cold War. It primarily represented an economic and political barrier between the democratic West and the communist East, but in the countries of the Soviet bloc, it also had a physical form that brutally interfered with the lives of the population. In addition to curtailing freedom of expression, assembly, and the media, freedom of movement was significantly restricted in these countries. Today, free travel, including passport-free travel within the Schengen area, is common. During the socialist era, it was an unattainable dream.  

“In communist Czechoslovakia, restrictions on the right to free travel were introduced shortly after the February 1948 coup d'état. The state leadership quickly allocated armed forces specifically for the protection of the state border, and the first roadblocks were soon erected on the western borders," explains Milan Zálešák.  

In July 1951, the law "for the protection of state borders" was adopted, which definitively erected the Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia. This law led to the creation of a "border zone" and a "forbidden zone" in the border regions, where entry was controlled by the Border Guard, whose members were authorized to use weapons even against unarmed persons. During the entire period of the Border Guard's operation, from 1951 to 1989, at least 7,500 people were detained for attempting to illegally cross the Slovak-Austrian border, with more than 90 percent attempting to cross into Austria. At least 42 people died at the border. This information is confirmed by research conducted by the Nation's Memory Institute, a co-organizer of the exhibition. The NMI is dedicated to uncovering the crimes committed against the population of Slovakia by totalitarian regimes, both fascist and communist. “Authentic documents detailing the activities of the Border Guard in Slovakia from 1951 to 1989 were used in the preparation of the exhibition.

These documents are stored and preserved in the NMI Archives. Anyone interested can freely study them here and thus easily verify all the facts presented in the exhibition," said Peter Mikle, Director of the NMI Archives and the main author of the exhibition texts, who also lent items from his private collection for the exhibition.