European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 29, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse Family s epic we i from Czechoslovakia Bob Cataldo a by editor was hmm Lovalla with ate a family when War saw pact tit Fps a coupled the it Umlor acc Ovat of their dash to Freedom 8atrday after watching three of to of Caparon. By Jani Ami ii Cataldo Fate set the alarm for 6 o clock. W it was Midnight aug. 23, in the occupied City of Liberec in Northern Czechoslovakia a Day plus three. In a few hours we were going to leave our Haven the Home of a Friend with important connections whose guests Weand our four children had been since aug. 7and make a break for West Germany in our car. Our Friend had insisted on accompany ing us to the Border. The directional signs All Over North Ern Bohemia have been taken Down or obliterated and you could t possibly find your Way alone he said Over coming our half hearted objections that his place was with his family. He had not heard from his 14-year-old son20miles away at the family s summer House since the polish invasion the first Day also Emil Hruska we shall give him that name Speaks russian might Handy if we were stopped by soviet friends had decided that we should get out while we could. The resistance radio had announced that president Ludo Fly Svoboda was to Fly that night to Moscow for secret talks in the should be quiet while the discussions go on they said. But the resistance will get hotter and hotter As Long As the troops stay and that can bring danger. You should go a. E had Only three Gallons of gasoline enough to take our station Wagon 75 Miles on level roads. But the Liberec Region is All Hills and valleys with Sharp turns on the narrow roads. And gasoline was being told Jane the Driver in our family to be ready at 8 15 to meet Contact who would take us Over Back streets to the Gas station one of the first things Emil did after the invasion was drive his car out of the garage and put ours in. It is better to keep the americans car out of View he said at the station there was a Long Lin of cars waiting to get their ration of w liners each. Our own tank was full filled but no Money changed hands. The operators wished Jane Luck an said Don t forget she never will. That night we put Christopher who is10, Loretta who had just turned 8 and Franca and Marina our 6-year-Oldtwins, to bed Early. We sat talking to Emil and his wife coincide entry also named Marina. Emil pored Over a map for an hour and a half finally settling on our route subject to change at the last minute if his Grapevine information should re quire it. He settled on a discursive course Mlada boleslav Melnik Slany Karloy vary Karlsbad Cheb and Poni Ezi Schirnding not far from Hof in West Germany. But worst of All what if she met tanks on a narrow Road Marina who talked More than he husband except about the occupation said Many things about socialism the communists and the future of her country. We must be optimistic she said. It is the Only sensible but she had returned Home Early fro her pharmaceutical work that afternoon and confessed Jane i am afraid that we Are in forbore dark she gave a Long summing up of the Many suppression by the government and party before went to bed at Midnight. It stormed with heavy Thunder an lightning. And Light sleeping Jane in her imagination heard guns firing an tanks rolling All night. She was terribly worried about the drive through Terri tory held by tanks and soldiers. What if she were stopped what if the children were questioned would they stick their tongues out at the soldiers As they were told Many czechs had done would they Tell the soldiers to go Home but worst of All what if she met a tank on a narrow Road tanks we rerunning Over everything in their paths the resistance radio had been reporting for three Days. Marina reassured the worrying Jan that Emit could handle any situation. Information to help us had been fun Eling into Liberec for several Days and our guide would get More information on troop movements and Road conditions at a number of places along the Way. Jane was worried about Strandin Gemil somewhere in enemy territory. You must not worry about him his wife said. He has already made plans to get Back. He can go to any Hospital and ride in an ambulance to a closer Hospital and make his Way Back that Way. And if you must seek shelter on your Way hell take you to any Hospital and you will be put up. Our people know about the Jane suggested to Marina that per haps we should seek out other for Eigners in the City and All travel to Gether in a Convoy. There May be safety in numbers Jane said timidly. Marina thought this was a bad said that Many foreigners had been caught up in the spirit of the czechs an had decorated their cars with resistance emblems and signs. This might make the soldiers angry she said. It could be unpleasant and dangerous for " "1111111"11 Jane i am a raw that ice Are in Tor More dark years.9 she gave a Long summing up of the Many suppression the government and party Liberec was surrounded by polish and russian troops and tanks the invaders had not chosen to secure the City an important Industrial City textiles and costume jewelry about 25 Miles from the polish Border and 80miles Northeast of Prague. There were tanks in the Square she told us and we thought our dash to safety was off. She said she did t seethe tanks someone had told her. Chris Loretta and the twins want thursday August 29, 1968 the stars and stripes separately to mrs. Hruska and handed her their unspent czech Money from their allowances asking her to hold i for them until they came Back. We gave the children Tranquilin Elswith their breakfast telling them what it was and that the trip would pass More quickly if they slept. Chris rebelled though he took the Medicine. He wanted to see the russian soldiers and Calls had been Corning in quite frequently. The Grapevine. Today our people cry Marina said to Jane. Emil took me aside to say that Weill have to wait. Tanks Are moving in from frydland on the polish Border. Bespoke in Laboured English. The linguist s report of tanks in the Square was false. As we wait we realize that our front tires Are Low. This worries us a bit for i have hidden some of my notes inside the hubcaps. So we pump up the tires. Upstairs i have some unfinished Busi Ness. I had decided that i could hide several Rolls of film in a couple of the twins dolls. The dolls Are dressed in Many layers of clothing and i hide the Rolls carefully. Then the thought occurs that if Weare stopped some soldiers might grab the dolls to take Home to their of the soldiers we have seen have been quite remember the reports Over the resistance radio saying that russian troop sin Slovakia were stealing from the peo ple. There was even a report that tank were seen moving along the roads with furniture tied to them. This report made the Friend who translated it for me laugh very hard i play Dolly again deciding to re move the film and i find a new place to hide men confidantes of Emil come continued on put in Page 11
