إلحاد_متطرف
تشيكوسلوفاكيا
After the action "K", the second action took place during the night from 3rd to 4thof May 1950, designated as "K2". This one targeted the remaining male monasteries that become subject of another occupation. The two interventions affected in total 1180 people from 15 Orders living in 76 monasteries. After these two events the relocated monks in Slovakia were concentrated in following monasteries: Monastery of the martyrs (now Močenok) Hronský Beňadik, Podolinec-Kostolná and Báč. The strict regime in concentrating monasteries was governed virtually by prison rules. In addition to forced-labor (sticking bags, picking rose-hips, carpentry and tailoring, work in agriculture) there was reserved dedicated time for political re-education. Communication with the outside world was completely eliminated or limited to a very minimum. The most stringent regime was in the monastery in Podolínec where there was the greatest number of men put together. The building was guarded by armed guards with dogs, and guard duty members were narrowly selected from the Leopoldov (famous state prison) and other prisons. At the monastery building the barbed wires were gradually installed and windows got equipped with lattice bars. The watch tower was built in the courtyard and surrounding area of monastery was illuminated by night lights. Monks who violated the prescribed codes of behaviour got punished by being put to solitary confinement localized in the basement. After the completion of actions 'K' the attention turned onto the women's religious orders. The action targeting the destruction of monasteries of nuns was given the name "R" (rehoľníčky, nuns in Slovak). In their case, the procedure was supposed to be applied in more moderate way, with assuming their "voluntary" removal from monasteries and only if they would resist, the help of security services would be called to take action. The action "R" itself was initiated on the 29th of August in 1950 at 8.00 a.m. in the morning. In the course of this action however there were about 15 locations in Slovakia where citizens who disagreed with the destruction of religious communities gathered together. In several places people occupied the monasteries and did not allow for displacement of nuns to take place, while there were also sharp confrontations and attacks on present governmental officials. In these monasteries the action had to be repeated at night with the assistance of the Police Corps, communist militias and state security service. In total, there was 1962 people displaced and 137 women religious objects occupied and acquired during the action "R" on 28–31 August in 1950. Nuns were brought together in 16 concentrating monasteries. Another more than 1,600 nuns, however, had to remain working in hospitals because the state system could not find an adequate substitute for them. After the occupation of the monasteries there were many libraries destroyed due to rough treatment by state authorities; valuable manuscripts, prints, paintings and furniture was stolen as well. The buildings acquired were handed over to various regional and local state administrative offices, sport clubs, orphanages etc. Communist state power perceived the Orders as the dangerous ideological enemy, who has considerable influence over the masses. But the action was also about the properties, real estates and other assets managed by religious orders. The report addressed to the political secretariat of the Central Communist Committee, that evaluated obtained material assets, described the result of action as the largest property transfer from the time of confiscation of the properties of displaced Germans, seizure of private enterprises by state and land reform. In other words, it was the third largest extent of “legalized” theft since 1945. However, the most painful result of the intervention was the sorrowful fate of thousands of religious men and women, who became for decades the citizen group subject of persecution by state. According to the study: Letz, Robert: Persecution of Christians in Slovakia in 1948–1989. In: Miklosko, F. – Smolíková, G. – Smolik, P.: Crimes of Communism in Slovakia 1948–1989 (1). Presov: Publishing Michael Vasek, 2001, p. 128–142 Further reading: