„Dát tak impulsy elektrickému psacímu stroji“. Pozoruhodný samizdatový elektroautomat, který zaskočil i StB
"To give impulses to the electric typewriter." A remarkable samizdat electric typewriter that surprised even the StB

Summary/Abstract: In late 1981, a routine police raid in Teplice led to the discovery of an innovative samizdat device, an electroautomat, used by František Knotek and Vít Filípek, members of the religious community of Jehovah's Witnesses. This device, comprising modified electric typewriters and a magnetic tape recorder, was designed to efficiently produce religious literature, circumventing state censorship. Despite extensive investigations and expert analyses, the authorities failed to identify the creators of this sophisticated machine, which utilized locally sourced electronic components. The device's ability to record and reproduce text from magnetic tapes represented a significant technological advancement, predating the widespread use of personal computers in samizdat production by a decade. The raid resulted in the confiscation and destruction of thousands of religious texts, causing substantial emotional and material losses for the community. The case highlights the resilience and ingenuity of Jehovah's Witnesses in maintaining their religious practices under oppressive regimes.

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