Oldřich Vytvar

“Well, it’s true that around 1944 there was already shortage of coal and we did not go to school regularly. We were only going there to pick up our assignments. And then we would be told to come ten days later, for another set of assignments. We would be told what homework to complete, get the exercise books, and we would go home. Well, those who managed to do all that at home in a day or two, well, then they had nearly ten free days. And then we would go to the school again with the homework, and I don’t know how the teachers managed to correct it, but I think that they just made a checkmark there.”

“Well, a tailor needs to spend his working time sitting; sitting and sewing. His back is bent over is work. In the past you did most of it by hand and you only had a sewing machine for sewing some parts, but the rest would be all done by hand. You know, the boss would stand above you and tell you: ‘It’s not straight!’ And I don’t now what else. Unfortunately, or fortunately, it went as far as that. Or take another thing. My father always used to say: ‘I would like to know whether you will be able to earn your living by this trade. Whether you have customers at all. The way you do it, phew, you don’t do it like… This is not tailor’s craft what you are doing here…’ I can tell you something: the years passed, and then dad died, and then the manager of the Vkus cooperative died, and I actually took his position!”