“Cherish camaraderie and solidarity, because that is what really matters in life.”
Jitka Polivka is born in 1921 in what was then Czechoslovakia. As an only child, she grows up in Pardubice with her loving grandparents. In a time of great political upheaval and social change, she is exposed to many dangers as a child, but her grandparents give her a safe home. Her mother, a strict and hard-working private chef for wealthy families, is rarely at home. However, her grandmother and grandfather make sure that little Jitka is missing nothing.
Jitka Polivka has fond memories of her school days. She first attends primary school in the village before walking three kilometres to the town every day to attend secondary school. Having not seen her father since she was three years old, she is all the more spoiled by her mother and grandparents. Her mother refuses child support payments from her father and provided for her daughter on her own through her hard work. Her youth was carefree; even after the Nazi occupation, she and her family were doing relatively well.
To escape the threat of forced labour in Nazi Germany, Jitka Polivka marries at the age of 20. They have two children, a son in 1944 and a daughter in 1947. The marriage does not last, and after 12 years they separate. She remains alone for several years, concentrating on her work and her personal independence, before marrying her second husband, her former supervisor.
During the Prague Spring of 1968, the family is forced to leave the country and flees to Switzerland. Jitka Polivka is 47 years old at the time. They spend their first year in exile in Moutier, where Polivka worked for Tornos. Learning French was not easy for her, but three years later the family finds a new home in Winterthur and builds a new life there. She lives a contented life in Switzerland for many years until her husband died in 2000. ‘Men always die when you need them most,’ she remarks with a hint of melancholy in her voice.
Jitka Polivka attributes her advanced age to her family genes – her mother lived to be almost 105 years old. She likes to describe herself as a phlegmatic optimist. She also emphasises the importance of a healthy diet and avoiding fast food, alcohol and cigarettes. She has fond memories of her upbringing, the values her grandmother instilled in her, and the many friendships that have enriched her life. Surrounded by loyal friends who visit her every week, she leads a quiet and balanced life. She is content.
When asked about her advanced age, she replies with certainty: ‘Mlád neumřu’ – I will not die young.