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World War II and the Jews of Slovakia

Posted by Margarete on Sep 01

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the beginning of World War II, a fight against Nazism and totalitarianism that cost the lives of more than 50 million and destroyed the lives of many millions more. A ceremony took place earlier in the day in Poland to mark the date and remember. For most people, remembering WWII also means remembering the ethnic Jewish population in Europe that was all but decimated within those five and a half years.

I’m not Jewish. As a matter of fact, before I moved to Europe I had little reason to ever think about Jewish life or the Jewish people. But over the few years I lived in Central Europe I couldn’t help to become interested in the story of the Jews. Why? Because at times it’s possible to actually feel the void of an ethnic group who once inhabited Europe, and who are overwhelmingly gone.

Sts Cyril and Methodius Day

Posted by Margarete on Jul 01

July 5 is a public holiday in Slovakia (and Czechia). It is Sviatok svätého Cyrila a Metoda, the day to commemorate Saints Cyril and Methodius. These two saints are significant in Slavic lands and indeed are called the “Apostles to the Slavs”. As far as I know, in Slovakia it’s not celebrated any specific way aside from the church that honors them. Still, they are vastly important.

Why are they so special to the Slavic people and what specific connection does Slovakia play?

Remembering the Veterans

Posted by Margarete on Nov 11

Today is Veterans Day. If you know a bit about the history of Veterans Day, you may know that its purpose is to raise awareness of the past and continuing contributions of those who have served in the Armed Forces. Veterans Day originally came from Armistice Day, which was the signing of the Versailles Treaty by the Central Powers (including Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Ottoman Turkey) and the Entente Powers (including Britain, France, the U.S. and Russia), which took place on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. This Veterans Day marks the 90th anniversary of the end of World War I.

In my quest to find out what the Slovaks’ role was in World War I, I’ve come across some pretty interesting information about the story of the “Czecho-Slovak” army. Though it seems there were no major battles fought on present day Czech and Slovak lands, the contributions of its many soldiers is important, not only in determining the outcome of the war but also in laying the groundwork for the recognition of Czechoslovakia as an independent country at the end of the war in 1918.

August 1968 - When the Tanks Came Rolling In

Posted by Margarete on Aug 21

Exactly 40 years ago to the day, on August 21, 1968, Soviet tanks rolled into Czechoslovakia in a concerted effort to put down Prague Spring – a period of political liberalization. When the tanks came into Bratislava Ladislav Bielik, a newspaper photographer was there taking pictures.

Mr. Bielik’s photos are extremely important because they serve as a stark reminder of the face of aggression, past and present. I had seen one of his photographs before. It’s probably his most famous from the series—the picture of the man baring his chest to a tank gun.

President Wilson and Wilsonova Street

Posted by Margarete on Aug 03

It all started with my curiosity over a street name I saw in Nitra: Wilsonova ulica.

In the Slovak language ova is one of the suffixes added to the end of a street name. This ending is added because the word “street” is a noun and the name is the adjective form describing the street. For example, Bernolákova ulica is Bernolák Street, and in this case named after Anton Bernolák, first codifier of the Slovak language. Other examples are Einsteinova or Kopernikova streets.

The "Pressburg 'Robinson' "

Posted by Margarete on Jan 07

Ondrejský cintorín – Ondrej cemetery is located fairly close to the main bus station in Bratislava. It’s actually a pretty neat cemetery because to me, it’s a “Pressburg” cemetery. What I mean by “Pressburg” is that the people who are buried in Ondrejský cintorín reflect the population of Pressburg (the town name of Bratislava before 1918) from the 18th to 20th centuries. If you walk through Ondrejský cintorín, you will see grave stones in three languages, with names of people from three ethnicities: German, Hungarian, and Slovak.

In the section of the cemetery on the left side of the church, there is a pamiatnik – monument to the “Pressburg ‘Robinson’ ”, Karl Jetting. Who was Karl Jetting and why is there a monument to him?