Anna Hojerová

“And in 1970, we already knew it was the end. We already knew it wouldn’t work, that we couldn’t meet the requirements that were being heaped on us. So we organised a camp knowing it would be the last one. We took all the children that time, all the children that signed up, although in the past if we knew that the child was somehow completely incapable, out of it, that we wouldn’t manage, we couldn't take him or her. This time we took everyone, so the camp consisted of a hundred and eight people. It was in Šumava (the Bohemian Forest). That was because one functionary knew a forester at Lipno (Dam), so they gave us some space a bit below Volary, well simply it was close to Warm Vltava. So that’s where we set up our mammoth camp, but it was magical, maybe because it was the last one. And after the camp we organised a meeting here in the restaurant, in the ballroom, a feast. We spent all the money we had in the account on that feast, and we had it as an official goodbye party.”

“Just now when we were opening the library here, I was remembering him personally because he taught me how to read books. It’s no use, whatever he was like, that’s how I remember him. But at the same time I can’t forget that he... Logan’s mother worked in the parent’s group, because she worked in all sorts of places. That’s why she kept on working until she worked herself into jail. Logan turned to (Zikmundovský), because he was only sixteen when they imprisoned his mum, and he only had his granny and granddad here. He was looking for help from someone he knew. And he came to Zikmundovský for all sorts of things when he needed help. Logan talked a lot about his opinions which were used against him by Zikmundovský. This shows how his character matched the fact the never took the Promise, and that he could be excellent in many things, but he was not an excellent person.”

“We all know now that they really were all monster trials. Their interrogations used scopolamine, those were injections they gave them to have them say what they wanted. I don’t mean the accused, but their interrogators. Otherwise she also had broken ribs after interrogation. Those really were monster trials. She was an active woman. Very much so. She was that type of woman: not for the hearth, but for the public.”

“A lot of Greeks came here and they brought a load of stolen children, and we at the school didn’t even know, weren’t allowed to know, what their names were. We just knew their Christian names, but nothing else. And then in Ústí they received an assessment from the local, no, wait, I’m saying that wrong, from the Ministry of Education. And the Ministry of Education gave an order. I was out straight off. ‘Such a political hazard, and Greek children even.’ I was out of the school within an hour. And that was it for me. I was never allowed back to teaching.”