The article provides a brief historical review of the origin and development of the optical quantum generator as well as its primary applications in the former Czechoslovakia. After the first Czechoslovak lasers, the paper describes progress in the field of coherent light source use for holographic puposes. The tendency to search the optimus holographic interferometry schemes aimed to surface deformation measurements in experimental mechanics is outlined. Topics such as image plane holography, pused ruby laser holography, ESPI and dual-channel speckle interferometry, hybrid experimental-numerical stress state determination but also problems solution for engineering practice are discussed in the article., Milan Držík., and Obsahuje bibliografii