A Pact with Pavel

"Because we love you [President Gottwald], because we love the great Generalissimo Stalin, and because we know you are leading us to a happy future." This was the reason, according to official Czech propaganda, why 77 involuntary passengers on the famed Freedom Train to Germany (TIME, Sept. 24) returned voluntarily to Czechoslovakia.

Pink-cheeked, 16-year-old Zdenka Hyblova had another and more valid reason: she loved her boyfriend Pavel. Zdenka, Pavel and Zdenka's girl friend Alena had long dreamed of escaping. A year ago, all three had made a pact to flee their Communist land together. Then on a day that seemed at first like any other, Zdenka left the schoolhouse in Eger and climbed aboard the 2:09 train for Asch, the border town where she lived. Instead of stopping at Asch as it always had, the train roared on into Germany, and Zdenka suddenly found herself free. Thinking of Pavel, Alena and their pact, she climbed meekly into a bus with the rest of the 77 and headed home again.

Last week Zdenka was back once more in free Germany, this time with Pavel and Alena. In Munich, she told her story.

Salami for Chocolate. The Czech returnees, still glowing from their unexpected lark, had started their trip back in high holiday mood. They were given a royal send-off by G.I.s, who loaded them with chocolate bars and good wishes. They were careful to bite each bar in the hope that Czech customs men would find the candy less appetizing that way. On the other side of the border, Communist officials and newsmen were lined up to greet them. "You must be so happy to be back again," they exclaimed, "after the terrible way the Americans treated you." "Yes," said some of them, "terrible."

At political police headquarters, a banquet was laid out: bread with no butter, salami and a bottle of lemonade for each returning traveler. "Much better than American chocolate," insisted one loyal Communist woman to Zdenka.

"I was not so eager to eat this bread and salami," said Zdenka, "so I walked over to the waiting hall. Suddenly Mr. Benes came over and asked me why I was so sad and didn't eat. Mr. Benes was my teacher. Last year he failed me because I refused to study Communist government. I didn't have the courage to tell him I couldn't eat because I had come back, so I said I was struck by the sadness of a mother whose son had not returned. He said: 'It is good. If she had brought up her son as a good Communist, this wouldn't have happened. Now her boy will be sent to Korea to die.'"

Afterwards, Zdenka was questioned by the police. "If you should spot any of those who stayed behind," they warned her, "be sure and tell us, for these people will surely return as spies."

Morse Code on the Border. "The same day," continued Zdenka, "I found Pavel and Alena. They didn't expect me back. We had talked about escape for a year already, but we had been afraid because it was said Americans tortured Czech refugees. Now I could tell them it wasn't true. Now we could escape together.

"For three weeks, we waited. I didn't sleep a single night. I quarreled with my family, who wanted me to stay, but we had made our decision. On a moonlit night, the three of us met in the town and headed through the fields for the frontier. We were 20 yards from the border when someone began whistling in Morse code to the border guard. So we crept swiftly back to town. The next night we made it.

"Where will we go now? Alena wants to go to Australia, Pavel and I are going to Canada. I have heard that you can say what you think there."

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