Matylda Klapalová, roz. Lapková

Now, the memories return to my childhood, to my brother Jaroslav, who was two years older than me and wiser, meant without irony, and I became a curious Girl Scout like him. When he found Scouting, I became his little pet and became a Scout as well so that I didn't miss out on anything. I inherited Jára's Scout calendar, I found his scout card number, No. the 92029th, listed there. I also kept a congratulations to me for my wedding on October 8, 1939 by the Scouts and friends of Third „R“ Section with the signature Tona Rosenkranz and Boza Tumpach.

I ran for 2 weeks when the Revolution broke out. On May 5th, I was getting ready for the morning service at 4.30. I experienced everything that was going on from the tram. When the radio called for help, the Germans ran to assist. The Czechs could not send messages or instructions and there was shooting everywhere. We went from Kačerov to help. They had already built barricades. We soon met up with some German soldiers in front of the Pankrác prison. They were shooting prisoners, mostly the political prisoners, but were missing most of them. Before the court there was a terrible fight. Many people were wounded or dead - Czechs and Germans. The firing continued around the barricades. The last thing I saw was a German military officer standing in a car with a machine gun pointed at me. This was May 5, 1945! I was shot through the back and the tip of the bullet remained in my lung near the heart. My left hand was shot through four times. I underwent three operations to have the bullet and shrapnel removed from my back and hand. When I recovered, I entered the monastery. During the occupation I could not be accepted, so I had to wait. On August 27, 1945 I was accepted. On September 9, 1945 I was accepted into the nursing school. After receiving my diploma I got clothes and the religious name, Sister Mary Monica. I took the monastic vows of chastity, poverty, obedience, and the vow of perseverance of life. On August 15, 1949 I started work at the University Hospital in Prague's Vinohrady district. While I was still lying in the hospital I received the honor of the Military Cross. I could not personally attend so my father accepted it for me. This was a great honor for me. I do not regret and I have never regretted entering the convent and dedicating my life to God. I am happy and would not change anything. Praise God and thanks!

As time went on, my brother was involved with the activities of Scouting and I also had friends and Scouting. In 1938, people became aware that something was brewing. In Londa at Slany, I met my future husband who had just returned from Germany where Hitler was stirring up the Reichstag in Berlin. It was terrible, so he and other students came back to their homeland. At that time he was employed by Pála as a sales representative. It was said that between 1920 and 1924 we would go to Germany to work. People used marriage to avoid this. That was how weddings were - was it love or convenience. Therefore when a man eight years older asked for my hand, my parents approve.

I was living in Ostrava, when at 40 my brother did a year of forced labor in Berlin-Grünau. I still do not know what happened. This situation for him, as decent man, was unbearable. He lived among people of different nationalities and qualities. There he learned what a hard life is. Today it is called bullying. No wonder he lost his health there. When he returned his sight and hearing had deteriorated. I still worry that I did not pay enough attention to him and that I had not written more to him as he deserved. In June 1945 when he was returning from Berlin he came through Poland and stayed with us in Ostrava to recover.