Historical trauma in the former Czechoslovakia: Insights from focus groups with survivors of state oppression

From 1948 to 1989, former Czechoslovakia was ruled by the Communist Party that persecuted active citizens and political figures who organized under initiative Charter 77. During the 1970s and 1980s, Operation Asanace (meaning “cleansing”) took place as a systematic way to expel Charter 77 activists and other totalitarian regime adversaries from the communist country by implementing physical, psychological, and systemic abuse. This qualitative study explored the experiences of seven primary victims of Operation Asanace by conducting focus groups and analyzing the emerging themes. Results show that various changes in national identity, feelings of hopelessness, otherness and alienation were present, together with several losses and diverse reactions from individuals in their vicinity. Our study also highlights enduring traits of entrepreneurship and activism, resilience, adaptation to adversities, alongside evidence of post-traumatic growth, contributing to the body of knowledge regarding the psychological consequences of confronting an authoritarian regime.