Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans

COMBAT STORIES FROM World War II

Barry Malac | Czech Civilian

7:13   |   Barry Malac, a Czech living in Vienna, came of age just as his country was "sold down the river" by its French and English allies during the Munich Conference. His schooling became almost non-existent, but he and a friend did manage to make a little musical mischief with the German national anthem despite the loss of freedom that resulted from Nazi occupation.

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Videos ( 5 )
WWII
  • Barry Malac  |  WWII  |  Czech Civilian  |  7:36

    Along with fellow Czechs, and others from every occupied German country, Barry Malac arrived in Germany to become part of its captive labor force. Only when he saw the fences and guards did he realize that he was not going to be free while he was there. The local German civilians were so naive he was asked, "Why did you volunteer to come here?"

  • Barry Malac  |  WWII  |  Czech Civilian  |  7:12

    He'd never been a mechanic but he was pretty good at working on German fighter plane engines. That was his work assignment at the labor camp attached to an air base near Munich. Barry Malac was forced there from Czechoslovakia and he was encouraged when the Allied bombing began.

  • Barry Malac  |  WWII  |  Czech Civilian  |  5:53

    Barry Malac and the rest of the foreign workers near Munich liked to watch the Allied air raids off in the distance. Even when they started coming in right on top of them, they still cheered and applauded.

  • Barry Malac  |  WWII  |  Czech Civilian  |  4:18

    The workers at the Camp near Munich knew the end was near when a solitary American tank rumbled down the road. The German guards reminded them to tell everyone that they were humanely treated and, then, that they were free to go. Soon, Barry Malac was at home in Czechoslovakia.

  • Barry Malac  |  WWII  |  Czech Army  |  5:56

    What was worse than the German occupation of Czechoslovakia? The Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia, says Barry Malac, who was drummed out of the Czech Army as an enemy of the state. The Nazis were from outside, but these were his own people and it caused him to start planning his escape.

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