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The cruel border protection system cost the lives of at least 282 people fleeing for freedom, 80 thousand people were imprisoned for trying to cross the border. Freedom of movement was already restricted by the Communist-dominated Ministry of the Interior on February 23, 1948 by introducing the so-called the exit clause, without which people could not cross the border even though they had a valid passport. It was issued by State Security, which prevented people fearing persecution from leaving the republic after February 25, 1948. They had no choice but to risk their lives by crossing the border illegally. At that time, they were guarded by police patrols armed with rifles, submachine guns, or service dogs. On July 11, 1951, Communist deputies approved the Law on the Protection of State Borders, which denied the citizens of Czechoslovakia the fundamental right to freedom of movement. Based on it, the Border Guard was created - and the border guards celebrated this sad day as a holiday. We were able to travel only with a passport without an exit clause for the first time on December 4, 1989. After joining the European Union, we only need a national ID card to travel to neighboring countries. However, we should not forget the time of non-freedom, the stories of the Iron Curtain, which you can listen to in our short documentary, can also help us. Article about the Iron Curtain in the Memory of the Nation Magazine https://www.pametnaroda.cz/cs/magazin...