Marie Podlipná

"I don't remember exactly, but I remember the atmosphere. The child remembers the atmosphere - what the parents say and how they talk, what the mood is. I know how on the radio they said the names of those who were executed in revenge for the death of Heydrich... The names of those who were executed were read out. I remember my mother saying, 'Vladislav Vančura, Vladislav Vančura.' I remember a lot the atmosphere when Lidice was burned down. Then I remember thinking about when Dresden was bombed by the Allied forces, and I thought, 'Drážďany - that sounds like it's in our country.' I know I asked my mother afterwards where Drážďany was, and she said, 'In Germany.' She said, 'Dresden.' So I was clear about that, I hadn't known if it was destroyed in our country or somewhere else. But I knew about the atmosphere of Lidice and the assassination of Heydrich. My parents were happy about it, but as children we were lectured every day. I say lectured because it was me and my sister hso was three years older - that we were not allowed to talk about it anywhere."

"When we were liberated, I remember my mother waking me up in the morning and dressing me in a red skirt and a white blouse. Those were the Czech colours. And she put a sprig of lilac in my hand, and we welcomed the Russians. They were rushing towards Prague, but then their advance slowed down and they stopped and rested. We were there by the side of the road, and one Russian soldier took me in his arms, and he pressed me against him, and he smelled of sweat and gasoline, and I remember he was very tanned. Tears were coming out of his eyes and I was wiping his eyes. My mother told me later - I didn't understand him - what he said to me. My mother told me that he had a little girl like that at home, too, and that he hadn't seen her for three years. So that was a powerful experience, too."