In 1983, things were happening below the surface rather than on the surface. However, this certainly does not mean that nothing happened "on the surface". Czechoslovakia was rocked by the largest abduction of our citizens in history. A group of 66 experts and their families were kidnapped from the Angolan town of Alto Catumbela by members of the then anti-government movement UNITA. A march of more than 1,300 kilometers through the jungle in appalling conditions claimed "only" one casualty. 

In the world, the biggest uproar was caused by the downing of a Korean civilian plane by the Soviets. The background of the entire event remains shrouded in mystery to this day, and none of the parties involved is very interested in revisiting the incident. Flying a plane at all in 1983 was rather unwise. Such a concentration of kidnappings, assassinations and plane crashes defies all statistics. The only bright spot in aviation history that year is the famous "experienced" landing of an inexperienced American Sea Harrier fighter pilot aboard the container ship Alraigo.

On the sports field, Jarmila Kratochvílová shines, whose world record in the 800 m has not yet been broken, making it the longest-lasting athletics record in history. The Golden Nightingale is again won by Karel Gott, but the moment is approaching when he will be dethroned for a little while. 

So let's dive into the memories of the year of the official birth of the Internet, the year when the first commercial mobile phone was launched and a mysterious fainting epidemic terrified the Middle East.