The Story of a Roly-Poly Girl

Mr. Ladislav Fried was born on 6th February, 1891. He was apparently a very handsome man. Mrs. Adolfína Friedová, a beautiful and kind woman, was born on 5th November, 1906. They did not come from Litomyšl. They moved to the town in about 1939. They lived in today´s Na Lánech Street, where the headquarters of the Orion Company is nowadays. The house did not belong to them. Their landlord was Mr. Háša, who owned a sawmill. They had a business on the ground floor, which made clothes. They were quite rich. They lived on the first floor, in a beautiful flat, with sliding doors separating the rooms, a piano, and a large conservatory with a roof. They had two big dogs.

Their daughter Hana was born on 11th February, 1931. She had short hair and was extremely overweight. She had a room of her own. She had few friends and her mum wouldn´t let her go out because she was afraid that something might happen to her.

When her parents moved to Litomyšl, Hana started third grade and basic school. Her teacher was Milada Šmejcová. Some of her classmates were Mrs. Kunertová, née Musilová, and Mrs. Rejmanová, neé Šmejcová. A governess accompanied her to school, carrying with her a snack for Hana, like doughnuts and tea in a flask.

Hana went to school in Litomyšl for just one year, because going to school was forbidden for Jews in 1940. After that, she used to meet mostly with Eva Freyová, but Dana Kunertová and Věra Kučerová, née Blažková, also used to visit her. Vera remembers that they used to play with dolls. She says Hanča´s doll was really beautiful. Mrs. Adolfína Friedová would bring Hana scrambled eggs and a bun with butter at 10 a.m. and some cake at 3 p.m.

Hana and her mum were taken to Pardubice on 3rd December, 1942. On 5th December, they arrived at Terezín. From there, they were taken to Auschwitz on 15th December, 1943. Hana was given the number Dr-555 and her mum, Dr-550. They both died in Auschwitz.

Germans took Ladislav Fried from Litomyšl on 6th September, 1942. His name is not on the Terezín transport lists. He did however return home after the war. He moved to Prague and got married again. He has now passed away.

Dominika Pávková