Jitka Rousová

“There was my father's sister at home, there were my father's parents, my mother. All dark and quiet. We were just sitting there unable to do a thing. As the Germans declared martial law, there was no electricity, they just paralised the whole town. And suddenly, being just a child, I realised that my father would never bring me a book again, that he would never tell me anything. So there was this huge emotional scar. And for my whole life I haven´t gotten rid of fear. Even as my son did his military service, I worried for him so much. So we would pack and go visit him. We would set up a tent in the forest next to the barracks, we would bring him to us, he would put on his civilian clothes and spend the whole day with us. I would bring him food I would cook and in the evening we would drive him back again. I was indeed so afraid for him, as it really wasn't easy back then.”

“Stanislav Motl, a journalist, just wrote that one [former Hitlerjugend member who probably shot witnesses' father in 1945] was so sorry for what he had done. And Mr Motl asked me if I would tell this man something in case I would meet him and I told him that I wouldn't. As I am not the one to pass judgments. I would even shake his hand, knowing that he regrets what he had done. But I wouldn't bring more evil into this world, never. As there is more than enough evil already. So I wouldn't be the one to judge them. As in the end maybe they would be judged by destiny. As they would be dying. I saw people dying in great pain. So then they will pay for what they had done.”