Doležal family roots

Tuesday, 3 September, 2013, was the day for the long awaited visit to the town where Gary's father was born and raised.  Gary and his father had tried to make this same trip in 1968 and then the Soviets closed the Czech border just weeks before their departure; it was a huge disappointment.  Now it is Gary and I who are visiting this very small agricultural community.  The reception we were given was wonderful and heartening due to the generosity of strangers; strangers that are now friends.

We were met at the train station by Zuzka, our interpreter for the day, and we immediately drove the few minutes to the Oldrichovice town hall where we were met by the Mayor and her 2nd in command.  It was raining slightly and they came out to the car with umbrellas to shepherd us inside.  We immediately were guided to a conference table set with traditional pastries and offered tea and coffee.  As introductions were being made some lovely and delicious open-faced sandwiches were also set on the table.  Soon there was slivovitz on the table; so what if it was only 10:30 in the morning and we are drinking a serious liquor.  It was homemade and smoother than anything I'd ever tasted from a commercial distillery.

We talked some of the Doležal family and how land records didn't exist anymore or were tucked away in another city's archive location.  Zuzka was doing quite well with interpreting in both directions and everyone was having fun.  More than an hour's time flew by as we talked, then the interpreter, then they talked, then the interpreter, and so on.  After we'd taken some photos of us with the Mayor, Marie Bartková, and we took photos of the aerial view photo of the town as well as of the Accessor's plat.  A phone call was made to the current owners of the Doležal farm and we walked the short distance to meet them.

Mr. Zelik, the current owner of the farm, was at the street to greet us.  Mr. Zelik is the son of the man that bought this farm from Gary's grandfather.  He is 3 years younger than Gary and has some knowledge of the old times.  Though the original buildings are gone the current storage shed was built over the original vaulted root cellar.  There are sections of the original kitchen linoleum being used outside to cover a muddy area from a water tap.  Then it was inside for more Czech hospitality.

Pastries, weinerschneitzel, potato salad, and more slivovitz.  Mrs. Zelik is a fine cook as everything was so delicious.  And then more homemade slivovitz, and more.  We laughed and joked with each
other as Zuzka translated.  The Zeliks gave photos to us that had been given or sent to the elder Mr. Zelik by Gary's grandfather, some of which we'd never seen.  It was more than we'd hoped for and we are so happy that we made this trip.