It was very difficult to leave beloved parents behind and emigrate
Mina Neustadt was born on June 20, 1948 in Bratislava into the Knežo-Schönbrun family. Her father was of Jewish descent and during the war he was saved from deportation by his future wife. For this special deed she was awarded by an honorific of Righteous Among the Nations. Mina Neustadt had a nice childhood, although her father was fired from work in the 1950s. Her family meant everything to her. As a child she used to play accordion and beginning in1963 she studied at conservatory. In July 1968 she departed to Israel for a 6-week stay in kibbutz. After the Soviet troops invaded Czechoslovakia on August 21, 1968, she began to face a very difficult and complicated decision-making regarding emigration. After three months spent in Israel she left for Austria, where she met her mom. From there she traveled to Western Germany to be with her boyfriend. In Dortmund she finished her college degree in music and started teaching. Her two children were born during this time; however until the official unbinding with the CSSR at the end of 1970s, visits of her parents and sister were very rare. After this time she was able to regularly visit her family, which she missed greatly before. In 2007 she retired and continues to devote herself to music and her grandchildren.
