The Story of Two Weddings and a Divorce
Hana Fleischerová was born on 3rd July, 1916. Her mum lived in Dobruška with Hana´s younger brother, Jan. In Litomyšl, she stayed with the Lederers´ and attended the grammar school. Having finished her pharmacy studies, she became a pharmacist and returned to Litomyšl, where she met Ladislav Švadlenka, a savings bank clerk. She married him in 1941. They lived at today´s 108, Smetana Square in a rented flat. It was a happy marriage.
Towards the end of 1942, the Nazis ordered the deportation of Jews from Litomyšl to Terezín. Mr. Švadlenka divorced Hana and she had to leave on 2nd December, 1942, together with other Jews.
In Terezín, Mrs. Švadlenková was given a job in a phramacy. She waited for her mum and brother to arrive but they were sent to Auschwitz instead, where they died. Hana stayed at Terezín during the whole war (although the list kept by the Jewish Museum in Prague says that she was transported to Auschwitz on 15th December 1943, where she died.)
After the war, she returned to Litomyšl for a while. She forgave her husband for everything and they got married again in 1946 and moved to Karlovy Vary. Hana worked there in a pharmacy and Ladislav worked for a financial institution. They had a daughter, Anna. Their housemaid, Anežka, cared for the household. They bought a car in which Mr. Švadlenka had an accident and died.
Hana Švadlenková apparently died around 1960.
The memories of Hana Švadlenková's return are apparently not accurate; the archives state that she died on 15 December 1943 in Auschwitz.
Karolína Osecká
