Marie Voznicová

"As machine lubrication workers, we had to lubricate everything that was spinning. The worst were the rammers the guys used to ram the coal. It all had to be cleaned. We made cleaning rags, which we called "pucvol". Sweep, clean and oil. If the guys couldn't move something, they would already be looking for us and swearing at us. So we had to clean and lubricate everything. When we came to work in the morning, there was coal everywhere, so we had to sweep first. And once a week we were given the oil. We used to call it "šmir". We had a two-wheeler and two machine lubrication workers used to haul large barrels of oil on it. There was a plenty of oil. And we had to take it really far. Sometimes the men helped us, but sometimes, when they didn't have time, we slowly carried it one step at a time.''

"My dad and I were at the cinema and the sirens started to sound. The planes started flying and shooting. The cinema stopped playing, my dad took me on his shoulders and we ran home. It took us home for about a quarter of an hour and they were shooting. And as we ran to the house, there were big cars in the garden and there were German soldiers. Mom was crying. The Germans moved into our garden. And so we lived there with them. Mom was not allowed to cook, she only had to tend a fire. They made a fire in the garden and cooked eintopf, as they called it, and we had to eat it with them, I remember that. They also had jams and chocolates and they always gave us some. I remember they were fine."