Czech Deaf community impacted by mass shooting at Charles University
Alex (Daily Moth): There was a mass shooting in the Czech Republic on December 21. I did not realize that the shooting impacted the Deaf community there. Who? This is a professor, Alena Macurova. The Czech Deaf community calls her the mother of Czech Sign Language. She was teaching in classroom #423 in a Charles University building, seen here. It is in the city of Prague. She was teaching “Introduction to Sign Language Linguistics” in the Deaf Studies program. That’s when the gunman entered her classroom and opened fire. Tragically, nine hearing students who were taking the sign language class were killed. Others were injured. Professor Macurova (shows sign name) did not die but she was injured. She is 77. She is still recovering. I got this information from an article on Gallaudet’s website. I’ve reached out to the person who wrote the article and I will show an interview.
[Begin interview]
Alex: Hello Marie. Thank you so much for your time and willingness to be interviewed. Before we start, can you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about yourself?
Marie Maslanova: Yes. My name is Marie but you can call me Mary (shows sign name). I was born and raised in the Czech Republic. It is in the middle of Europe.
[Full-screen image showing location of Czech Republic]
Marie: I was born and raised there. For my undergraduate studies, I went to Charles University. I majored in Deaf Studies and minored in Deaf Interpreting. After I graduated, I decided to come to the U.S. to study at Gallaudet University with a major in Deaf Studies. I’m currently a first-year student.
Alex: The professor who was injured — she is very important to you and the Deaf community. You call her the mother of Czech Sign Language. Her name is Alena Macurova. Can you explain why she’s important, why you call her the mother of Czech Sign Language?
Marie: Macurova (shows sign name) is hearing. Why is she special? In the 90s, there was a thriving Czech Deaf community. But was Czech Sign Language recognized as a language? Not at that time. Macurova noticed that in the U.S. and other countries, they recognized their sign languages. She is like Stokoe in the U.S., who did research on ASL. Macurova did the same thing and wanted to recognize CSL. In 1998, she fought for legal recognition of CSL. She also started a program for Deaf Studies.
[Full-screen image of Professor Alena Macurova - Credit: Charles University ]
Marie: The recent incident is really heartbreaking.
Alex: Wow, I feel so bad for her. She is 77 and it happened in her classroom. When I read the news, I didn’t realize that (the shooting) impacted a Deaf program. Nine students in the Deaf Studies program passed away. She was injured as well. I’m curious if you have any idea why the shooter picked Classroom #423?
Marie: Investigators said the shooter was also a student at Charles University but had a different major, in history. Why did he pick that classroom? We have no idea. It was random. The shooter wanted to go up the four-story building. The Deaf Studies program was on the fourth floor. He wanted to go to the fifth floor to get to the outdoor balcony so he could shoot others. During the way up, the first classroom was #423. He opened the door and started shooting.
Alex: Were there any deaf students there in the classroom?
Marie: The students in the classroom were in their first year. That means there were no deaf students, none applied to be there. But there are second- and third-year deaf students. All of the first-year students are hearing. That classroom had about 20 students.
[Full-size image showing three of the student victims who were studying “Introduction to Sign Language Linguistics.” Image from iDNES.cz]
Alex: Professor Macurova was injured and hospitalized. Do you know anything about whether she has recovered? Can you share anything?
Marie: Before the New Year, Professor Macurova was sent home. She is now recovering. Some other students are still in hospitals and going through operations.
Alex: After the tragedy, I saw that many people attended candlelight vigils. Was the Deaf community involved in the grieving process?
Marie: Yes. It was beautiful when people stood in a circle and held hands around the university building to show solidarity. It was very touching. It was beautiful to see how the community got together to give honor.
[Full-size image of hundreds of people standing around a Charles University building and holding hands. There is also a drawing showing the action.]
Marie: There were hearing signers and there was also a Deaf person signing. It gave us goosebumps because we can’t hear whatever is being spoken, but to see signing, it was emotional.
[Video clip showing a Deaf Czech sign language artist doing a visual, poetic tribute] - Credit: Facebook/KukátkOO ]
Marie: Also, because I live far away, at least 10,000 kilometers away, I wondered what I could contribute. I decided to make a Visual Vernacular (VV) video that is 4 minutes long, about that university.
[Video clip showing Marie performing her VV video] Credit: YouTube /Marie Mašlánová
[End interview]
Alex: Thank you Mary for your time and explanation. Our hearts go out to the Czech Deaf community during this time.
———
Sponsored video by Convo: www.convorelay.com
———
Gallaudet article: https://gallaudet.edu/academic-affairs/tragedy-strikes-deaf-studies-program-at-charles-university-in-the-czech-republic/#overview
Deaf Czech Tribute: https://www.facebook.com/100069119529946/videos/1552234422277480
Marie’s VV story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5GIbqbn40A