Czechoslovak Political Prisoners - über das Projekt Political ...

Of course, we had to have our beds made the military way and when he was leaving, I said
aloud, so that he could hear me, “I hope he doesn’t think I am going to make my bed before
the line-up!” However, I had to do a second job in the building site. We carted bricks. I used to
go and take one brick, put it in the wheelbarrow, take a rest, take another brick, put it in the
wheelbarrow, take a rest. The jailor shouted at me to work faster, but I ignored him.
What was the hygiene like in prison? For example, how often were you allowed to have
a bath?
There was no hygiene. When we came back from work we went to the washroom, which was
for about twenty people. There were troughs full of water. The washrooms were dreadful and
I wonder how come I didn’t catch anything serious in the prison.
Was there a supply of toiletries, such as toothpaste or soap?
This we had to buy with the “treat” money, with the camp money. I had very little when I was
working at the garment factory. In Tesla we could have up to 80 Crowns, so I used to give some
of it to Terezka Vejsadová who had a job stringing beads and earned like five crowns, which
was barely enough to buy the toilet paper. I gave her a bit extra, so that she could buy other
important toiletries. She was older, so she didn’t have to buy sanitary towels. She was like my
mom. She was unhappy when I was leaving and she was staying. Her son emigrated abroad
and her daughter used to come to visit her. They also confiscated all their estates. Anyway, in
the canteen we could buy sugar, biscuits, toilet paper and sanitary towels. Chocolate, tinned
food and other goodies were not available.
What was the food like in Pardubice?
In Pardubice we had most often potatoes and carrots, carrots and potatoes. It was very bland.
The sight of carrots used to make me sick for a couple of years after that. In Želiezovce we
picked peppers and tomatoes in the fields because the food was dreadful there. The soup was
water and a small piece of bread and we were starving all the time.
Would you be able to describe the difference between a stone prison and the so-called
“commando”?
In prison a jailor came and stuck a pot of coffee, soup, or some food through the door window
and closed it again. Then I just sat on the straw mattress, but it was forbidden in some
places. In a commando it was a bit freer, we could move around as we wanted. Pardubice despite
being a stone prison was better, in any case. It is true that the food was terrible too, but
we were warm. However in Želiezovce we had to work in foul weather, in sleet and frost.
You said that you met a vindictive prisoner, Mrs. Hofferová, in the Kutná Hora prison. Did
you meet other woman prisoners who were sentenced according to the Vindictive Degrees?
What were the relations among you like?
I have to say that they wished it on us to be imprisoned. Mrs. Königová, who tried to familiarize
me with the realities of prison life, told me, “Watch out for Ilona Hofferová, she cooperates
with the jailor and is an informer.”
Did you know also in Pardubice, for example, which one signed the cooperation documents
and started to give information on people?
No, we didn’t know because there were far too many of us. That’s why I was always alone in
the prison, I didn’t believe anybody. I was alone, alone with my thoughts, and thinking about
my mom and dad.
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