IMUST explain that Rudolf Meyer had departed from the Carlsbad Crystal Factories before the opening of the big showrooms on Příkopy. After he left, Bělský filled the role of commercial manager on the board and Lorentz Meyer managed the technical end of the business. Gründlich and Fischer filled identical roles at the Bohemian Ceramic Works. In my role as manager of their combined showroom in Prague, I served as a liaison between these two factories. Otherwise, they had no connection, except for the fact that the Associated Bank held controlling stock in them both.

Then in 1936 Lorentz Meyer and Bělský both resigned from Carlsbad Crystal. So long as Lorentz remained with the firm, creating new designs and accepting my suggestions whenever he thought them practical, I was content to be subordinate to the boards of management in both factories. But now I saw two young men being appointed to replace Meyer and Bělský, two men with whom I had never worked and who knew nothing of the history of our growth in Prague.

Antonín Hardt listened when I went to tell him how I felt about the change. He agreed to discuss my position with the board of directors of the bank and give me their answer as soon as possible. I waited in anything but a sanguine state of mind. I knew I could go to Vienna any day I chose to take over the direction of Staatsmanufaktur Augarten, Austria’s oldest and finest china works. They had approached me more than once. But I had no wish to go to Vienna; Austria was already palpably under the influence of Berlin. I wanted to stay in Prague, in my own country, with the glass and china I had made known throughout the world. But I did not want to be subordinate to the new appointees at Carlsbad Crystal.

Three weeks later I received notice of my appointment to a combined board of management for the Carlsbad Crystal Factories and the Bohemian Ceramic Works. My position as manager of the Prague branch remained the same, and my office on the board would be that of a liaison officer between the two factories, with full authority to implement my desires with regard to management and promotion. The possibilities for future growth in the two factories appeared limitless.