It all started in 1968 with the August occupation of Czechoslovakia. The young couple Pořízkovi from Prostějov decided to emigrate and crossed the border into Austria in Mikulov immediately after the invasion of Warsaw Pact troops. Not knowing how will it look like on the road, they left their little Pavlína at home with her grandmother in Prostějov.

But when they later wanted to get her to the West, it turned out that it was not so easy. Little Pavlína Pořízková, who later became the world's top model, became the hostage of communist regime in the early 70s. At that time her parents were already in Sweden, asking Czechoslovak government for her release, organizing a hunger strike; but all seemed a vain effort. The powerful people in Czechoslovakia refused to allow her to travel to her parents.

The Pořízkovi couple meanwhile approached two local pilots in Sweden. The idea was that they would fly by a small plane to Czechoslovakia, meet with the grandparents and kidnap the girl to her parents.

It was a risky plan, but not impossible. The pilots Christer Larsson and Karl - Göran Wickenbergh were young, they did not fancy Communism and probably also longed for adventure.

In Stockholm they met rich businessman Emil Rior, who ultimately decided to put their money into the operation. Pilots co-financed the project. The first flight ended up with a failure, the grandmother refused to release her granddaughter. Therefore, they agreed to try once again. And this time together with the mother in the guise of a Swedish tourist. But they end up as poorly as possible.


Photo gallery

Jiří Pořízka with daughter
Jiří Pořízka with daughterJiří Pořízka

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Walking route suggestion

  1. Mikulov, the surroundings of the customs