Havířov region's Mining Exhibition launched

HAVÍŘOV (11.9.2008) – The opening of Havířov Region's Mining Exhibition became a veritable cultural event. As many as three hundred visitors „rode down the mine“ to reach the exhibition gallery in the basement of the 'Radost' House of Culture and near the tables holding the exhibits one couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting something. People were flipping through old chronicles, examined with much interest various items which to miners would be commonplace, and dads and granddads were boasting to their offspring explaining the purposes of the various exhibits, themselves succumbing to the marvels of reminiscences.

„I like it indeed. Have been in retirement for 13 years already, and this exhibition brings my young years back to me,“ was the assessment for Horník Magazine by Karel Novosad, formerly an employee of the Fučík, Doubrava, and ČSM Mines, who brought his granddaughter Alexandra, nine years old, to the opening of the exhibition. „As miner and technician, all these are things that I was using at work. And my granddaughter? For her, everything here is new and captivating,“ he admitted, smiling.

The Havířov Region's Mining Exhibition, which offers its visitors a close-up view of the history of František and Dukla Mines, will extend until 28 September. Organized by the Havířov local branch of OKD Mining Museum Friends' Club, it has had a successful launch and can indeed be expected to keep its visitors in its grip.

„Yes, it's been great satisfaction so far,“ Jan Vincenec the local branch chairman confirmed for Horník Magazine. „I have some qualms about keeping the attendance level during the subsequent days. Our wish is that we'd have as many children as possible coming here. Pupils from schools as well as miners' kids and grandchildren. We'd want the awareness of Havířov's mining to be kept alive – that's why we are doing this.“

Bohuslav Krzyžanek