Bozena Marie Turnovsky

Božena Markvartová married Lev (Leo Turnovsky) in December 1946 after Lev returned to Czechoslovakia. She met him in Prague where she was working in a dentist's office. She moved with her husband to Kratka Ves near Havličkův Brod after her marriage. Their 1st daughter was born there in October 1947. In March 1948 she and her husband escaped into Austria not far from Police where her family lived and where she grew up. According to her oldest daughter, Božena and Leo were taken to the forest area close to the border crossing by her half brother Jenda. They then crossed (with a guide) in the snow on foot through the forest. Unfortunately they had to leave their 5 month old daughter behind. The plan was that a relative or a friend was to return a week later and bring the baby in a car across the border to join Božena and Leo in Austria. For some reason this did not happen. Božena saw her first born child for the first time again in 1981 in Germany when she already was a grandmother. Božena was never allowed to re-enter Czechoslovakia and see any of her family. She lived a very difficult life with her husband first in England and then in Jamaica where her ashes are scattered in May Pen.