Reconcilee

Reconcilee is a neologism for Czech word upravenec (pl. upravenci) which denotes an émigré from Communist Czechoslovakia who "reconciliated" his or her relationship towards Communist régime.

The origins

Since 1948 illegal migration from Czechoslovakia was a crime. Between 1945 and 1987 172 659 people went into exile. After Helsinki process Communist establishment wished to show some kind of mitigation for so far harsh relationship towards émigrés. Directives No. 4/1977 Official Journal of the Czech Socialist Republic, On Reconciliation Legal Relationships of Czechoslovak Socialist Republic to Citizens Who Stay Abroad Without a Permit of Czechoslovak Authorities, were adopted. Hence the term upravenec.

Categories

In 1980 there was 115 000 émigrés. Directives stipulated 2 categories of reconcilees:

1. those who wished to stay permanently abroad as citizens of Czechoslovakia (art. 3–5; 3 145 persons applied), or
2. those who wished cessation being citizens of Czechoslovakia (art. 6–8; 4 533 applied).

A prerequisite to receive a status of upravenec was an application for a pardon of conviction for illegal emigration (12 486 applied) or being amnestied. They had to pay large sum (officially the cost of education) and after reconciliation were allowed to visit Communist Czechoslovakia with no obstacles.

Those who wished to return to Czechoslovakia (art. 2 – first category; 452 persons applied) were called "returners" (navrátilci). Directives also stipulated the fourth category of émigrés – enemies of Communist régime (art. 9–12). They were deprived of Czechoslovak citizenship and prohibitted to visit Czechoslovakia. They thus cannot be ranked among returners or reconcilees.

Controversy

The unsuspendable condition for reconciliation was "good or neutral relationship" towards Communist régime. Upravenci were therefore disliked by the rest of exile community and called collaborationists. Most reconcilees hid their reconciliation and speculative accusation of being upravenec was considered as a slur by thus offended. Famous Czech author Josef Škvorecký wrote some satire short stories about them. Hard line émigrés speculated upravenci were confidents of Communist secret police. The most famous reconcilee is Jan Koukal.

Reference

1. Directives No. 4/1977 Official Journal of the Czech Socialist Republic, On Reconciliation Legal Relationships of Czechoslovak Socialist Republic to Citizens Who Stay Abroad Without a Permit of Czechoslovak Authorities, p. 1 (JPEG; Czech)
2. Directives No. 4/1977 Official Journal of the Czech Socialist Republic, On Reconciliation Legal Relationships of Czechoslovak Socialist Republic to Citizens Who Stay Abroad Without a Permit of Czechoslovak Authorities, p. 2 (JPEG; Czech)
3. Directives No. 4/1977 Official Journal of the Czech Socialist Republic, On Reconciliation Legal Relationships of Czechoslovak Socialist Republic to Citizens Who Stay Abroad Without a Permit of Czechoslovak Authorities, p. 3 (JPEG; Czech)
4. Directives No. 4/1977 Official Journal of the Czech Socialist Republic, On Reconciliation Legal Relationships of Czechoslovak Socialist Republic to Citizens Who Stay Abroad Without a Permit of Czechoslovak Authorities, p. 4 (JPEG; Czech)
5. Jan Hanzlík: Czechoslovak emigration seen by secret materials. In Sborník Securitas Imperii 9 (doc; Czech)
6. Pavel Jacko: Čistý štít (Czech)