Babi's Journal Pages

It all started when my "Babi" passed away. She left a few pages of a journal. A thousand "Thank yous" to my mother. She saved those pages and made copies for those who wanted them. To my knowledge, and to date of writing this introduction, I believe that I am the only one who has read through these pages. Babi wrote about her "uncle", Charles Vopička. She even recalled his retirement party at the Drake Hotel, complete with a beautiful ice sculpture. This is my collection of research on an immigrant and ancestor from what is now the Czech Republic. Call it destiny, call it providence, call it amazing, to have grown up in the Czech Republic, let life take me places, and end up living and teaching Czech Language & Culture in the place he called home, Chicago, IL.

Some text from my Babi's journal as transcribed Fall 2013:

"Grandmother Vopička had died in childbirth, at the age of 34-tragically. The midwife lied to the doctor. The afterbirth had not been expelled, and the young mother hemorrhaged to death. The baby also died. My Mother, at the age of 14, watched her mother's life flow out of her. Mariánka, mother, had to take over to mother the younger children - take care of the household, the hired hands, the cream, eggs, milk, the baking and cooking. Grandmother had always set aside portions of everything that was produced and baked...for the Jewish friend Pepka Mojžíš (Josephine Moses) who had a little shop in the small town of Dolní Hbity. Grandmother was a true Christian."

"Grandmother and Father were true lovers - and the home had been permeated by love. Mother's little sister was four years old whe their mother had died. She was eight when my Mother and Father were married. When Teta Anna was fourteen or sixteen, her Uncle Charles (Karel) Vopička, my Great-uncle, wanted to take her as a governess - nanny for his children, to America. She told her sister, my Mother, 'I won't go unless you promise me you'll follow me to America.'"

"After Fred was born, my parents began to plan to keep their promise to Aunt Anna, who had gone to American with Charles Vopička. He was grandmother Vopička's brother. Great Uncle was appointed by President Wilson. They were from a family of 16 children to "Babička z Planejch" - Mother said they always looked forward to her coming with all the goodies she brought. Great Uncle Charles Vopička was the U.S.A. ambassador to Romania before and during the First World War. Grandmother was his favorite sister, and he did all he could for her children. He reached the German concentration camp too late to save Mother's brother Joseph, who refused to fight for the Germans. He (Joseph) died of starvation there shortly before Uncle arrived. Consequently, Uncle did all he could out of his own pocket to help the other Bohemian incarcerated soldiers. Uncle (Joseph) left 3 orphaned boys Joseph, Karel, and Bedřich (or Frederick). Cousin Karel we found during our 1975 trip behind the iron curtain to Prague."