Editing Unification Church (section)

=== Communist Czechoslovakia ===
The movement sent missionary Emilia Steberle to communist countries in 1968 during the [[Prague Spring]] to [[Czechoslovakia]]. She succeeded in building an underground movement during the early [[Normalization (Czechoslovakia)|Normalization]]. The group was soon observed by the [[StB]] (communist secret police) since 1971.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bellum |first=Post |date=March 22, 2025 |title=Moonistku Marii Živnou našli na samotce mrtvou. Zavraždila ji StB? |url=https://hlidacipes.org/moonistku-marii-zivnou-nasli-na-samotce-mrtvou-zavrazdila-ji-stb/ |access-date=August 1, 2025 |website=HlídacíPes |language=cs}}</ref> The [[Communist state|communist regime]] persecuted members of the group as undesirable for the establishment.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stehno |first=Bohuslav |date=November 6, 2014 |title=Deska Marie Živné na hradě zatím nebude |url=https://svitavsky.denik.cz/volny-cas/deska-marie-zivne-na-hrade-zatim-nebude-20141106.html |access-date=August 1, 2025 |work=Svitavský deník |language=cs}}</ref> In 1973, during an operation called "FAMILIA", almost 30 members were captured and arrested. In the following months of imprisonment in a communist jail, one of the members, [[Marie Živná]], who resisted interrogation methods,<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 15, 2024 |title=Ani padesát let po smrti Marie Živné není jasné, co se v komunistickém žaláři odehrálo |url=https://www.novinky.cz/clanek/historie-ani-padesat-let-po-smrti-marie-zivne-neni-jasne-co-se-v-komunistickem-zalari-odehralo-40467834 |access-date=July 30, 2025 |website=Novinky |language=cs}}</ref> died on April 11, 1974, at the age of 24, with unclear reasons. Witnesses who saw her body before the burial testified that she had unnaturally white hair,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Kubínová |first=Anna |date=April 23, 2024 |title=Příběh Marie Živné ožívá padesát let po její záhadné smrti |url=https://stisk.online/a/iPHBP/pribeh-marie-zivne-oziva-padesat-let-po-jeji-zahadne-smrti |access-date=July 30, 2025 |website=stisk.online |language=cs}}</ref> concluding that she was tortured.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alois Živný – Městys Svojanov |url=https://mestyssvojanov.cz/w/alois-zivny/ |access-date=July 30, 2025 |language=cs}}</ref> The funeral in [[Svojanov]] became a demonstration against the communist regime.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 5, 2025 |title=Dívka vyznávala tajemnou víru. Vzala si ve vězení život, nebo ji oběsila StB? |url=https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/domaci-divka-vyznavala-tajemnou-viru-vzala-si-ve-vezeni-zivot-nebo-ji-obesila-stb-272978 |access-date=July 30, 2025 |website=Seznam Zprávy |language=cs}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Marie Živná – Městys Svojanov |url=https://mestyssvojanov.cz/w/marie-zivna/ |access-date=July 30, 2025 |language=cs}}</ref> On October 10, 1974, the Supreme Court in Bratislava sentenced 14 young people to prison terms ranging from 18 months to 4 years and 4 months.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 12, 2025 |title=Moonistku Marii Živnou našli na samotce v roce 1974 mrtvou. Zavraždila ji StB? |url=https://magazin.pametnaroda.cz/volne/zeny-v-ohrozeni-ukazky/moonistku-marii-zivnou-nasli-na-samotce-vroce-1974-mrtvou-zavrazdila-ji-stb |access-date=July 30, 2025 |website=Magazín Paměti národa |language=cs}}</ref> Marie Živná is the first officially recognized [[martyr]] of the Unification Movement behind the [[Iron Curtain]], for her exemplary fight for freedom.<ref name=":1" />