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This picture is already from during wartime, from Nadejkov, at the end of July or beginning of August 1940. My cousin Inka is at the far right. The young man with the glasses in the middle is Jirka Kroupa, who was a head physician of an oncology department after the war. I'm the sixth one from the right; even today, it's apparent from the photograph that the atmosphere was very pleasant, we were enjoying our holidays and weren't acknowledging that there was a war going on.
I used to go to Nadejkov often. As a child I lived there for three years - the reason was that I was a very skinny kid, and my parents used to take me to see some Dr. Vit in Smichov. The doctor didn't want to let me go to school, that I was too skinny and weak. But my mother was afraid that if I didn't go to school I'll fall behind, and so my parents decided to send me to Aunt Zofie Weinerova's and Uncle Josef Weiger's in Nadejkov, near Tabor, to improve my health. Auntie Zofie was an awfully kind woman, and I loved her very much. My childhood in Nadejkov was a very beautiful time, Auntie had a farm, and it was really swell there.
I lived at my aunt's for one year before I went to school, and then I attended elementary school in Nadejkov for another two years. I was the only Jew in the entire school, so when we had Catholic religion class, I could choose whether to go or not. But my aunt didn't know where I could go during that time, so she asked Father Vesely if I could attend Catholic religion class together with the other children. The priest didn't object, so for two years I attended Catholic religion class. I was always a model student, and so thanks to Father Vesely, I know all the prayers perfectly. Our Father, Hail Mary! After three years of life in Nadejkov, I returned to Prague to my parents.
