The idea of taking a car trip to Prague was probably due to the political unrest that was brewing in our neighboring country.
Increasingly, the Czechoslovak Republic under Alexander Dubček refused to obey Moscow. From the experience of building the Wall, I feared the closing of the border and a ban on entry. Heinz from our study group shared my opinion.
We therefore decided to take off for Prague one weekend with the girls in the car. Under a flimsy pretext I explained to Marga that I would not be able to come home on the said weekend.
Early Saturday morning we set off and after a long drive reached the Golden City without incident. All day we strolled through the Old Town, visited Wenceslas Square, Charles Bridge and Hradčany.
In the late evening we finally started our journey home. We drove all night. My travel companions were tiredly showering away. At dawn, we finally reached the fair city.
When Heinz and his girlfriend got out, I persuaded Uta to spend the rest of the night with me in my attic. I was dead tired and didn’t want to drive all the way to the other end of town after the endless night drive.
Uta was too tired to object. I could not have known that this decision, only two hours later, would totally change the life of my family, that of Uta and also my future life.
Hysterical screaming tore me from my sleep. When I stood dazedly on my feet, I stared into my father’s rage-distorted face, which clutched me tightly. Marga dragged the drowsy Uta out of bed and beat her. I could do nothing, for I dared not raise my hand against my father.
Somehow, I managed to tear myself away and separate the two women. Hastily, Uta gathered her things and fled half naked through the stairwell to the street. I was helpless and did not know what to do. Finally, I too fled from my wife’s screaming and my father’s angry reproaches.
On the street I threw myself into the car and looked for Uta, but I did not find her. After wandering the streets empty-headed and to no avail, I ventured back to the house. The motor scooter that Father and Marga had come on was no longer in its place.
Gradually I began to calm down a bit and decided to sleep in first, and then to think about what had happened in peace. It was clear to me that things were not looking good for me. Restless but composed, I went to the institute on Monday morning.
I had successfully completed the seventh semester with the evaluation of the internship. Now I needed a scientific topic and a good mentor for the written exam paper. Despite the family affair, I was determined to successfully complete my studies.
I did not believe that Marga wanted a divorce, if only because of our children. As regrettable and painful as the affair was, it was still purely a family matter that could be settled with calm and reason.
I was convinced of this thought, but I had forgotten to include my father in my considerations, and that was a decisive mistake. 𝓣𝓸 𝓑𝓮 𝓒𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓾𝓮𝓭…
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