Marie Adlerová

“I remember that we had been preparing for it, and then we raised the flag in front of the clubroom, sang the Scout anthem and the national anthem, and then one of the Scout officials... (…) I don’t remember it so precisely, but I know it was a great experience for us. One of the officials from Prague, I think, was present, and we took the oath. Unfortunately, we had to quit scouting afterwards. But scouting has remained with me all of my life. Small things, like for example that a Scout should do a good deed every day. I don’t know if it still applies today. I would often remember that, and when there was no other opportunity, I would at least smile at somebody or talk nicely to somebody. Throughout my life I felt that I was observing what I had promised back then when taking my Scout oath.”

“When we were going to school, they threatened us that if we did not participate in the May Parade, we would not be allowed to graduate. We were afraid. It was still a short time since the war ended, after all. We felt really grateful to our parents that they let us study and we were afraid what we would do then. Many people were being arrested and many people were emigrating. Some of our friends and schoolmates left the country. They had no chance to find a job here. When we started grammar school, they tried to make us join the socialist youth union instead of Scouts. But I did resist. I was not lured into that. Unfortunately scouting was no longer allowed and we couldn’t continue.