My roots are still German
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Pavla Luftová, née Wildová, was born on 24 August, 1935 in Strupčice (Trupschitz) in the Northern Bohemia in a German speaking Czech-German family. The father Josef worked as a driver and a car mechanic, his mother Margaretha was a cook. Pavla had two brothers, Günther and Manfred. They lived in Chomutov, and later in Strupčice. The father fought for Wehrmacht and after war was accused of collaboration and finally hanged himself. The rest of family wanted to move out with other relatives to Germany, but the transfer finally did not happen. Their property was confiscated and they felt the post-war anti-German regulations; lower food ratios, ban on using public transport etc. Pavla had to learn Czech to finish school education. She did not succeed in applying to pedagogical college, so she studied secondary vocational railway school and worked as an operator-dispatcher. Later she worked as a governess in the elementary school in Strupčice and a secretary in Chomutov Zoo park. She is married to Siegfried Luft. They have two sons. For a long time she worked as the head of the Czech Red Cross in Strupčice. She enjoys travelling and is interested in local history.
