Krista Lavíčková: Difference between revisions
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Once again, thank you for all your love, for your courage and sacrifice. In spirit, I embrace you for the last time and close with the words, ''[[Errare humanum est|Errare humanum]]'' — ''[[Post tenebras lux|post tenebras spero lucem]]''!</br> |
Once again, thank you for all your love, for your courage and sacrifice. In spirit, I embrace you for the last time and close with the words, ''[[Errare humanum est|Errare humanum]]'' — ''[[Post tenebras lux|post tenebras spero lucem]]''!</br> |
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Your Krista |author=Krista Lavíčková |source= |
Your Krista |author=Krista Lavíčková |source=farewell letter before her execution }} |
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== Footnotes == |
== Footnotes == |
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Revision as of 19:53, 17 August 2011
Krista Lavíčková (December 15, 1917–August 11, 1944) was a Czech citizen who fought in the German Resistance against Nazism. She was arrested on September 3, 1943 and was tried along with her father, Paul Hatschek, at the Volksgerichtshof ("People's Court"). Both were sentenced to death.
Biographical details
Lavíčková, née Hatschek, was born in Moravian Ostrava, Czechoslovakia.[1] As an adult, she lived in Prague, where she worked as a secretary. On September 3, 1943, she was arrested by the Nazis. Tried with her father at the Nazi "People's Court", they were both sentenced to death on March 27, 1944. Before her execution, she was imprisoned at the women's prison on Barnimstrasse, in Berlin.[2] Her father's second wife, Elli Hatschek, was arrested with her father, but was tried separately.[3] She was also sentenced to death, charged with being connected to the German Resistance group that her father worked with, the European Union and with Wehrkraftzersetzung. Lavíčková's father was executed by guillotine on May 15, 1944 at Brandenburg-Görden Prison. She was executed, also by guillotine, at Plötzensee Prison on August 11, 1944. The record of her execution notes that it took seven seconds from the time she was led to the guillotine till it was announced that the sentence had been carried out.[4] Elli Hatschek was not tried until November 1944. On December 8, 1944, like Lavíčková, she was executed by guillotine at Plötzensee Prison.[3]
Lavíčková was married. Her farewell letter, written before her execution, is addressed to Ilsinko and Friedl.[1][note 1]
My dear Ilsinko and Friedl,
Now it has arrived, that which we never awaited. When you receive my letter, I will no longer be in pain. My beloved, I am glad that I was able to say goodbye to you yesterday. I know that this is wrenching for you, but you must think about what you told me. Only look forward! For life, it's enough when someone has another person for whom he lives and you both have that. You know my last wishes. The inheritance from Father that should fall to me, belongs to you, Ilsinko. And my biggest request of you is please leave my dearest Honza alone in the difficult hours that await him, until he has again found his inner peace. If there is an afterlife, then I will live for him and for you both. In my horoscope, it says that death will find me fully conscious and so will it be for me too, when it comes in a few hours. You can believe me, I am completely calm and partly glad that all sorrow has an end. If I still feel any anguish at all now, it is in thoughts about you. But I know, you have so much vitality, that with time, you will emerge from this pain and I will pray for you in my last hour, that it will be your last and that from now on, everything turns toward the good. I will see my Mama, beloved above all, and my loving Father again and I am very glad for this. The attached letter to Honza, please give to him personally—and in a moment that you find appropriate. Give my love to everyone I have loved, especially Hana, Pepo and Viktor.
Once again, thank you for all your love, for your courage and sacrifice. In spirit, I embrace you for the last time and close with the words, Errare humanum — post tenebras spero lucem!
Your Krista
— Krista Lavíčková, farewell letter before her execution
Footnotes
- ^ The letter was written on both sides of a lined sheet of paper. At the bottom of the first are printed instructions from her Nazi captors, "Only use the lines! No writing in the margins!" The body of the original German letter read, "Nun ist doch das eingetroffen, was wir nicht mehr erwartet haben. Wenn du meinem Brief erhältst, dann tut mir nichts mehr weh. Meine Lieben, ich bin froh, daß ich mich noch von Euch gestern verabschieden konnte. Ich weiß, daß es für Euch ein großer Schmerz sein wird, aber Ihr müßt daran denken, was Ihr mir gesagt habt. Nur vorwärts schauen! Zum Leben genügt, wenn jeder einen Menschen hat, für den er lebt und das habt Ihr doch beide. Meine letzten Verfügungen kennt Ihr. Das Erbteil von Vater, das an mich fallen sollte, gehört Dir, Ilsinko. Und meine größte Bitte an Euch ist: Steht bitte meinem geliebten Honza in den schweren Stunden zur Seite, die ihn erwarten, bis er seine innere Ruhe wiedergefunden hat. Falls es noch ein Weiterleben nach dem Tode gibt, dann werde ich für ihn leben und für Euch beiden. In meinem Horoskop steht, daß der Tod bei klarem Bewußtsein eintritt und so wird es auch bei mir sein, wenn es ins wenigen Stunden so weit ist. Ihr könnt es mir glauben, ich bin ganz ruhig und einesteils froh, daß aller Schmerz ein Ende hat. Wenn ich jetzt überhaupt noch einen Schmerz empfinde, so ist es bei dem Gedanken an Euch. Aber ich weiß, Ihr habt soviel Lebensenergie, daß Ihr mit der Zeit auch über diesen Schmerz hinwegkommt und ich will auch in meiner letzten Stunde für Euch beten, daß es der letzte ist und daß sich von nun an alles zum Guten wendet. Ich werde meine über alles geliebte Mutti und dem lieben Vater wiedersehen und darauf freue ich mich sehr. Den beiliegenden Brief an Honza bitte ich Euch ihm persönlich zu übergeben und zwar in einem Augenblick, den Ihr für richtig befindet. Grüßt von mir alle, die ich lieb hatte und besonders Hana, Pepo und Viktor. Nochmals danke ich Euch für alle Liebe, für Eure Mühen und Opfer. Im Geiste umarme ich Euch zum letzten Mal und schließe mit dem Worten: Errare humanum — post tenebras spero lucem!"
References
- ^ a b Paragraph in English under Krista Lavíčková's handwritten farewell letter in German Gedenstätte-Plötzensee. Retrieved August 16, 2011
- ^ List of inmates who were executed Retrieved August 14, 2011 Template:De icon
- ^ a b Photo (by the Gestapo) and short biography of Elli Hatschek Gedenkstätte-Plötzensee. Retrieved August 14, 2011
- ^ "Record of the execution of Krista Lavíčková on August 11, 1944" Gedenstätte-Plötzensee. Retrieved August 17, 2011 Template:De icon