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RE: Lost and found photos: the road to Prague
Every Czechoslovak citizen was obliged to carry ID than going out of home. There was stated your employer and employed from date. Not being employed was criminal offense "social parasitism". You would be caught in prison for a few years very quickly.
Having to carry IDs is common almost everywhere these days, but prison for being unemployed? Wow. Rather nasty way of enforcing full employment. Not the government you would wish for.
I do remember the Czechs being happier, or at least looking happier to me, than the Poles or the East Germans in those days, but I don't know if that had anything to do with the circumstances or with the Czechs being a cheerful people 8-).