Former first lady Melania Trump denied her father was a communist and says neighbors betrayed their families in a detailed account of a childhood behind the Iron Curtain in her new memoir.
In Melaniareleased on Tuesday, she portrayed her upbringing in the small village of Sevnica in Slovenia as a happy one, where she began modeling at the age of six and took trips around Europe with her “affluent” family.
Her mother Amalija, a seamstress raised on an onion farm, and her father, car salesman Viktor, took her and sister Ines to Elton John and Tina Turner concerts, which made her feel “more connected” to neighboring Italy and Austria.
But there was also a terrifying incident where the secret police raided her home because of her father’s ‘suspicious lifestyle’.
The 54-year-old reminisced about “one of her fondest memories” when her father brought home a “stunning French Citroen Maserati” when she was seven, calling it “the most beautiful car I had ever seen.”
She attacked descriptions of her father as a communist, saying this “did not reflect his political beliefs” and that party membership was “compulsory”.
“His joining the Communist Party was a mandatory induction as the party had introduced an automatic monthly payment of part of his salary,” she claimed.
Melania Trump (circled, center right) started modeling at the age of six. She is photographed during a fashion review for Jutranjka, the textile company where her mother worked. She writes about a happy childhood behind the Iron Curtain in Slovenia
Previously, a source told DailyMail.com that Knavs’ party membership helped his family get special treatment in the city, such as earning “higher positions” or getting first access to “essentials” at a time when many goods were the receipt.
During Melania’s childhood, only five percent of Slovenians were members of the Communist Party and although her father did not advertise his political beliefs, it was apparent to neighbors and relatives, a person living in the village previously told DailyMail.com.
And it’s undoubtedly helped both Viktor and Melania’s late mother Amalija maintain solid jobs.
“Victor was in the party that helped you get government jobs or higher positions,” the source said.
A document from the Slovenian State Archives shows that Viktor (seen in 1965) was on the list of the League of Communists
It wasn’t clear whether Viktor was “a true believer,” the source acknowledged, adding, “Maybe he was just being pragmatic.” Being a member of the Party made things a little easier and meant he could help his family.”
In her book, Melania writes that although her parents experienced “important political events,” they “were not particularly politically active themselves.”
In recent years, her father has attended political events for former President Donald Trump.
“Growing up, I felt more connected to our neighbors in Italy or Austria than to other communist countries in Eastern Europe,” she continued.
The book suggests that the family lived well.
“My family, like many others, thrived because of my parents’ ambition, determination and strong work ethic,” she wrote.
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Melania Trump (center) is seen at Barron Trump’s graduation ceremony with her father, Viktor Knavs (left) and former President Donald Trump (right). In her new book she emphasizes that her father was not really a communist, apart from his party membership
Melania Trump (right) poses with her husband, former President Donald Trump (left) at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in mid-July. Her memoir was released Tuesday, just weeks before the 2024 presidential election
A newspaper clipping shows a young Melania Trump (right) at a children’s fashion show while growing up in Slovenia
A young Melania Trump is photographed with her nanny. In her memoir, Melania, she describes her family having a fleet of cars and being able to afford vacations despite living under communist rule.
An early modeling photo of Melania Trump. As a teenager, she moved to the Slovenian capital Ljubljana to study industrial design, but eventually started a modeling career
In more recent years, Melania’s father Victor Knavs (left) has supported former President Donald Trump at political events. He is photographed alongside (from left) Donald Trump Jr., Kimberly Guilfoyle, Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos after the ex-president was indicted in April 2023
She recalled going to an Elton John concert at the age of 14 and later a concert with Tina Turner. She attended Formula 1 races with her father.
She traveled to Venice with her older sister Ines.
She skied through the Alps and took summer trips to Croatia’s Dalmatian coast.
“Despite living in a region that was often seen as separate from the rest of the world, we were fortunate to have the opportunity to travel and explore different cultures,” she said.
The family was able to afford a private nanny, who Melania recalled made “beautiful birthday cakes for me and my family that were not only visually stunning – decorated with handmade sugar flowers – but also very tasteful.”
His father – now a US citizen – was a driver turned car salesman and so the family’s car collection included ‘Ford Mustangs, German BMWs and a Ford Cougar XR-7, in addition to a collection of prestigious Mercedes-Benzes.’
But her favorite, she recalled, was a “stunning” Citroen Maserati SM that her father brought home when she was seven.
“I can still feel the excitement as I sit behind my father, taking in every moment, my heart racing, as he unleashed its power,” she wrote. ‘It was pure adventure, a connection forged on the open road, a taste of freedom.’
The terrifying reality of communism only came to light when she spoke of an incident in 1978 when “agents” searched the house looking for “evidence of criminal activity” after a neighbor reported that “there was something suspicious about the lifestyle of my father.’
A “neighbor perhaps, or a colleague or even a so-called friend” had reported her father’s car fleet to the authorities.
“My father was never found guilty of a crime and never served time in prison,” she wrote.
Melania wrote of her Eastern European upbringing that she “never felt isolated or limited in my experiences.”
“Numerous stories about my childhood have been published, but they often miss the point and paint a bleak and inaccurate picture of my upbringing,” she wrote. “In reality, my childhood was filled with happiness, beauty and positivity, far from the typical story of a girl growing up in a communist society.”