Horcicka, Antonin (internee, Dachau concentration camp b.1914)

Collection relating to the Czech Army Service and internment at Dachau concentration camp [Konzentrationslager (KZ) Dachau] of Antonin Horcicka. The collection consists of photographs, letters, postcards and other ephemera; official documents, a scrapbook, and newspaper clippings. The photographs and photographic postcards depict Horcicka’s early life in Czechoslovakia including his service in the Czech Army during the early stages of the Second World War. Additionally they include images of his post-war movement in Europe and Australia.

The collection includes ten handwritten letters by internees at Dachau concentration camp written in October and November 1944. The letters reveal the personal thoughts of internees expressed in contemplative tones but contrasting terms, with some letters sharing positive stories and hopeful messages for the future whilst others are steeped in resignation and reference shared suffering, lessons learned and the lament of lost years. Many of these letters are accompanied by certified translations from the 1970s including an additional letter written in 1946 by Polish priest and former Dachau internee Waclaw Kaminski following his return home.

Also included are papers relating to the internment of Antonin Horcicka at Dachau Concentration Camp including several forged documents used by Horcicka during his escape from the camp shortly before its liberation on 29 April 1945. Other items feature a variety of official papers including identity documents as well as membership cards and correspondence that trace some of the challenges Horcicka faced as a displaced person during the early post-war period, his subsequent repatriation to Czechoslovakia and his association with several anti-fascist organisations.

The collection holds a souvenir scrapbook bound in internee colours with the front cover displaying Antonin Horcicka's prison number above a red triangle bearing the letter T representing his concentration camp prisoner classification and country of origin [a red triangle designating political prisoners and the letter T representing 'Tschenche', German for Czechs]. The scrapbook contains two hand-drawn illustrations: the first featuring historic Prague landmarks, namely Petrín Observation Tower, Prašná Brána [Powder Tower], Mostecká Vež [Old Town Bridge Tower] and Týnský Chrám [Church of Our Lady before Týn] whilst the second features an illustrated flyer advertising a fancy dress ball organised by the Sokol Organisation in Sydney.

Finally, the collection contains a certificate of authority to remain in Australia issued to Antonin Horcicka exactly two years after he arrived in the country under the Displaced Persons Scheme adopted by the Australian Government, two German compensation and restitution documents relating to his internment at Dachau Concentration Camp and an unrelated letter.

• Letters relating to the internment of Antonin Horcicka at Dachau Concentration Camp, October 1944 - January 1974
• Official documents and papers relating to Antonin Horcicka, March 1940 - c. 1950
• Official documents and a letter relating to Antonin Horcicka, March 1952 - October 1972
• Photographs and photographic postcards relating to Antonin Horcicka, c. 1919 - c. 1967
• Scrapbook relating to Antonin Horcicka, January 1951
• Newspaper relating to Antonin Horcicka, 9 August 1973