Jiri Munk with his wife Alena and friends on a tennis court

This photograph wasn't taken until after the revolution. I'm standing on the left with my wife, Alena Munkova, nee Synkova, on the right are the parents of the famous Czech tennis player Renata Tomanova. In the middle is another friend of ours. Already during the time of the Normalization we used to go play tennis with friends, because back then a person didn't have a lot of opportunities for a social life, so we tried to at least play sports and meet with friends. At the tennis club we had a good group of friends, so we used to spend Saturdays and Sundays there. We lived through thirty years of normalization in this sort of subdued fashion. No one hoped any longer that he'd live to see some fundamental changes in the regime, and so many people emigrated. It wasn't that difficult any more, but we didn't consider it. Our ties to the Czech environment and mainly to Prague were too strong. But despite that, even during this time various opportunities in sports and culture presented themselves. As far as culture goes, we assiduously attended excellent concerts, small and large theaters, and exhibitions, both officially permitted and not. Translations of international literature were published, quality foreign films were also shown. Occasionally we even got abroad. Even now we also try, in the realm of our capabilities, to keep in good physical and mental shape for as long as possible, so as not to be a burden on anyone. We exercise, swim, play tennis, improve our English and work on a PC. In this respect the Jewish community helps us by putting on various courses and so on.