František Vít

"At that time, a boy who was in my platoon and was the chairman of the Communist Party came to me in that unit, in that company, and brought me a party application. And he told me to take care of it at home on the holiday. At that time, it was necessary to have a guarantor, about three guarantors, who, as comrades, were already experienced. And he told me: "Look, when you get it confirmed by them, you come back, I'll take it from you, we'll accept you right away and the career of a lifetime opens up for you." Well, I left the application on the nightstand and left on vacation. Well, after the holidays, I thought it would just die down, but it didn't. He came to me, his name was Jano Vaněk at the time, and asked me if I had the application form. I said, "No, I haven't." But since he was my subordinate, he didn't ask me more. Well, in about three days, the deputy commander of the school for political matters came to see me, I think his name was Lieutenant Colonel Haldel. Well, we nicknamed him the apple of paradise, because he always had such a round face and such a smile. Well, at first, he played it funny, but then he told me why I don't have the application. And I told him at the time that I didn't feel mature enough for such an important life step. And imagined that I was among the best for the whole next year. I was still deputy platoon leader, but I was only a corporal. No further promotion took place."