X-Charset: ASCII
X-Char-Esc: 29
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.slovak-l
Date:         Fri, 28 Aug 1992 13:47:37 DST
From:         Jan Szelepcsenyi <janszel@POSEN.MFF.UNIBA.CS>
Subject:      Re: Dusan Slobodnik
X-To:         Discussion of Slovak issues <SLOVAK-L@UBVM.cc.buffalo.edu>

Mr Rysavy writes:

> 	As it is rather difficult to judge without a detailed
>	knowledge of facts, was it before or after the "Slovak
>	Uprising" in 1944 when Mr Slobodnik was conscripted to
>	the unpalatable outfit? I would, probably, naively,
>	assume that an ablebodied, conscriptable seventeen
>	years old, would join to fight against the Nazis of
>	whichever nationality. I have known quite a few chaps
>	from both sides  of the Beskydy Mountains, of the same
> 	age or even younger who did so.

Mr Slobodnik was conscripted in 1945 - a short time before the
Soviet Army entered the Slovak teritory. I don't know, why the
army camp in concern is in general described as a SS-camp. It
was a camp of the paramilitary national guard run by Slovaks.
However, the military trainers were Germans. That's a very
important formal circumstance. Mr Slobodnik wasn't a volunteer,
but he had to follow an official conscription.

He was discmissed from the camp when he denied to wear a German
military uniform. In April 1945 he was detained by NKWD and
sentenced for 15 years prison. Details about Soviet gulgas you
may find well described in a lot of Soviet books (Solshenitsin's
novel is giving probably the most realistic picture of the
suffering of the imprisoned). He spent there 9 years. 1960
Highes Court of Soviet Union rehabilitated Mr Slobodnik and
stated that the reason for his sentence never occured...

At the time of concern there was not any possibility to join to
a partisan group. The uprising was defeated, the partisan
units were dissolved.

I'm affraid the behavior of a 17 years old chap cann't be
evaluated by any ideological norm. The point of view of adults
living nearly a half of a century in peace, whose mind was
treated by ideologists, moralists and quasi philosophers, is
quite different from the way of decision-making of adolescents.
My father was in 1919 taking part in the establishment of the
Hungarian Republic of Councils, which was an attempt to transfer
the revolution of bolshevics to Middle Europe. For this
advanture he was detained in a concentration camp. And then? For
all his live he was a democrat and anticommunist, unaccepted by
the communist regime.

But back to Mr Slobodnik: 19.8.1992 protested the Slovak
Confederation of Political Prisoners against the campaign led
against Mr Slobodnik. Similar was the statement of the Slovak
National Archive published the same day. The authority of this
statement was supported by historical documents, which they
searched and which improved the POLITICAL INNOCENCY of Mr
Slobodnik.

Please, have a look at the backgroung of this case. Who is
rising his voice against a ministry of culture with a fascist
(?) past ?  Mr Feldek, a brillant poet, whose virtuosity made
him acceptable for all regimes. No Mr Slobodnik, but Mr Feldek
was during the communist regime awarded by 40 (forty) financial
prizes and awards. Besides it a lot of grands guarranted this
fighter for right and democracy a life standard, which was not
usual in our country. When the disidents were looking for jobs
and some rent to conduct a day-for-day life, Mr Feldek's conduct
of life was an aristocratic one - thanks to his good contacts
with the political establishment of Slovakia of that time... All
his tallent he concentrated to express his sorrow about the
death of Mr Breshnyev. I believe, he didn't mislead by his
verses.  It was a final act of a period of the history, which
should be reserved for people of other moral, dreams and
philosophy.  Mr Feldek realized very soon, that the ongoing time
wouldn't be a time for people like him.

But that's his personal problem. Middle Europe is going to be
changed. The deviding of Czecho-Slovakia into two separated
republics, i.e. political and economical subjects is creating a
competitive situation. The Czech are trying to get a good
starting position. The campaign against Slovaks is organized for
getting some advantages at the international political scene as
well as at the international market. Unfortunately the mind of
some individuals, like Mr Feldek, is a very narrow one, slavish.
They aren't able to imagine that this little nation could have
its own state and could improve its ability to live in the
international community as an even partner of other European
nations. The compensate this misbelieve and mistrust in the
inborne power of a nation in joining themselves to some Czech
intellectuals, making for them the dirty job: in killing the
image of an ongoing state.

However, sooner or later our neightbours and other cooperating
partners will have the possibility to make their own impression
about the education, creativity or know-how of our people.

I can imagin my words sound like a propaganda speech shouted
from barrikades. But we are fighting now for very simple things,
basic values, to which you have got used a long time before.
Our problems are for you probably the problems of an another
world. But we try to solve them. Succeeding in this attempt
we'll get able to join you.

Don't believe people who are trying to disturb this effort.

Thanks.


Jan


--
Jan Szelepcsenyi                        	Telephone: + 42 7 220863
janszel@posen.mff.uniba.cs              	Address  : ul. A. Mraza 4
                                                	   821 03 Bratislava
							   Czechoslovakia
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU