Marie Schmolková died on 27 March 1940 as a result of a heart attack. Her funeral was attended by leading figures of the Czechoslovak exile and British Zionists. The government in exile was well aware of her importance. Hana Benešová arrived, and Minister Jan Masaryk promised in front of everyone: "God bless you, Mařenko, count on us. We will be united, we will love each other, we will win and we will take you home. Until then, rest and may your spirit help us in our holy work together, for peace, decency and freedom."
This promise was never kept. The urn containing her ashes was either lost or scattered in London without any further commemoration. Hardly anyone knows her name.
The house where she grew up and lived is now a hostel, which at least in some ways continues her legacy: offering affordable accommodation to people on the move.
Excerpt from Marie Schmolka's last letter to her nephew Miloš, 15 February 1940.
"Edith is on her way to Palestine. I'm not tempted to go to America, boy, I hope I'll come back one more time and kiss the dust in Kamzíkova Street (and there will be plenty of it). I'd be more suited to Palestine if Edith does something there and invites my cooperation. Incidentally, Emily, to whom I wrote about Edith wanting me to join her future shoe-making business, wrote that she didn't understand why I hadn't done so - that I could better help my family from there. But that's an illusion, I know the migration conditions and the whole situation there, and by the time I could learn to make shoes and earn money for my family, I'd be an old spinster."
Family archive.