As soon as a prisoner served half his term, he had a chance to ask for a conditional release. Often the prison guards used that to raise a prisoner's hope of release, only to have the request denied and have the prisoner fall into despair and eventually have a mental breakdown. Fr. Trcka found himself in the same predicament. Augustin Krajcik, a fellow prisoner, remembers this occasion: A certain other prisoner in Mirov, Dominik Trcka, had an even tougher time of it. He was also a catholic priest and a member of an order. Old and sick, he was unable to work. He also respected and followed closely all the laws of the prison regime. When he served half his sentence, he put in a request for conditional release. The guards confirmed that he would surely be released. And he believed them. It seemed only human and logical. Why would they keep an old man in jail? He is not able to work, can't even earn his own keep. He is only a burden to the administration of the prison. The best thing to do is to release him. Especially if we take into consideration that for his problematic criminal activity, he had already served full six years. During those six years, the elderly prisoner acquired rather decent prison belongings: proper clothes, good blankets, nice bowls for his meals, good shoes, and more. Friends asked him to exchange these things with them. He did it gladly. He was convinced that he would never again have to use them. And what happened? They did not release him. This was such a disappointment to him that you could not speak to him for about two weeks. He stayed away from company of others, he shut everyone out, he did not trust anyone.
        April 22, 1958, they transferred Fr. Trcka from Mirov to Leopoldov, which ended up being the last place on this earth for him. In a cell of the priest section, there were 18 priests. About five of them were old and sick, who were not able to go to work. Among them was prisoner #4898/E &endash; 1 &endash; Fr. Metod Dominik Trcka. From his correspondence to his family, they understood that he was feeling much better in Leopoldov than in Mirov. They felt his health was improving, and in July, he wrote his niece: Thank God I am healthy and have reached 73 years of age. I still have to serve five more years. God willing, I will live through that as well. The letter he wrote in August, was written along the same lines. It looked that in spite of his age and sickness, he felt well. He wrote: I am feeling a bit better. I am not so sick that I need to spend time in bed, but old age is old age. Thank God even for that. There are always some health problems but such is life.

 

        Just before Christmas 1958, Fr. Metod wrote to his niece: My dears. Soon Christmas will be here, I am thinking of you and your family. May God let you spend it in happiness; I wish you that from the bottom of my heart. I will particularly remember you. I think back on my last Christmas, it was exactly December 21st, it was different. Weather here is much milder than in Mirov. Until now, we have not had any big frost. My health is fair, just the dizziness. What can I do! I wish you much luck and God's blessing and health in the New Year. You show me great kindness by sending me money. That helps me a lot and for that, God repay you! I do not forget you. I am closing my Christmas greetings and send warm greetings to the entire family, especially the two of you,
Your uncle, Dominik