Július Vörös

“During the medical examination a doctor asked me: ‘Soldier, what diopter do you have?’ I said: ‘Five or six.’ He replied: ‘Incapable of working in a pit. Only a surface work allowed.’ So then I worked only outside of the pit. I didn't get there thanks to my glasses and I also believe it was controlled from above that I didn't have to deal with such labor. There were many injuries and mine cave-ins, you know.”

“We didn't even know when we would be released. Some of us, for example, those in Pilsen, were released after two years and a month, since an extra month had to be served in the civilian life, so the military service lasted for 25 months in total. Even some from the PTP camps were released that way, and others gradually. I don´t know why was it that way, if those were the informers or holding some other merits, I never found out. Simply, some could go and some not. However, after three years passed, we hoped it would come to an end for us too, but some had to stay even longer. One day they called us and said: ‘So, we shall release you under one condition. You shall choose signing a contract of staying two years working in mines or three years at a military company.’ I refused to go to mines at once, and well, if working at the military company or somewhere else, it didn't matter anymore.”