It was then, that everything started. I woke up early in the morning, my bag had already been packed and I couldn’t wait to make new friends and have new experiences. However, everything changed. My dad came and said: “You will not go to collect hops, the Russians attacked us and they are occupying our country.” I didn’t know any better than to start crying. I couldn’t even go out, just to the food shop opposite our house in Nusle for some tins, until they ran of stock. The hop collecting was postponed for one week so I went to Wenceslas Square with a friend of mine– without the permission of our parents. It created suspense for us and a great deal of adventure.
Yet we were terrified of the tanks that we saw on the way. I will never forget. All the people on the tanks spoke Russian. When we came to the middle of Wenceslas Square, just above the newly built subway we saw several tanks. We just stood there and watched, just like everybody else around us. Suddenly one of the Russian soldiers started shouting something and moving the cannon. We were filled with terror. We started running up the square towards our home and when we were at Muzeum, we heard cannon fire. ..it was terrible!
One week later, in the end I left to collect the hops. However, even there we were watched by soldiers and tanks. When I look back at it, I can see how stressful it was.
No, it was not a good time, it was one big negative experience of my life. It cannot be forgotten!!!! Everybody is very sensitive to what they are living through when they are fifteen. No wonder that everything that I experienced in 1968 had a direct impact on my future opinions on the matters of life.
It is good to remind people what happened!!!!!
Ing. Alena Šindlerová