YEARS OFFREEDOM

He founded The Public Against Violence1 in Veľký Krtíš

“A few days after the Prague manifestation, “People were afraid not only then, but also a group of about 300 people went through long afterwards. Especially older people and Veľký Krtíš with an appeal to do something. in the villages. Fear persisted until the fi rst But it was not organized at all and it fell silent free elections. They were afraid of sanction. again. Demonstrations began about 27 Novem- Paradoxically, later, when freedom has come, ber, then I got involved. I am not that one who they were also afraid to organize. They were needs to be the centre of attention, but enthu- disgusted and tired of the years when the Com- siastic young boys spoke from the stands. They munist power tried to organize them. There was had no experiences, so I tried to organize them a certain aversion from entering to the political a bit. It was after a General strike, when we met parties or movements. People knew a lot about with local representatives of the Communist each other. Many grasping people, also with Party and the Regional committee (abbrevia- ‘StB’2 background, tried to cross the fl oor, and tion: ONV).” so the distrust ruled between people. I tried to (1951) Bohuslav Beňo tell them, that people have to make the change The General strike was successful, but even by themselves and make decision what and who He participated in student’s demonstra- tions against the occupation of Czecho- though Bohuslav saw the problematic back- they really want. They must do so in particular slovakia. In 1968. He maintained contacts ground and mentality of the people distorted in the fi rst free elections. There was a change with the dissent during normalization. In by the years of communism. they didn’t expect, they didn’t know what will 1989 he joined the revolutionary move- happen next. Suddenly they were to make their ment. He ran in the fi rst free elections for own decisions.” VPN (Public Against Violence). 1 Public Against Violence (Slovak: Verejnosť proti násiliu, VPN) was a political movement established in Bratislava, Slovakia in November 1989. For a complete story of Bohuslav Beňo, It was the Slovak counterpart of the Czech Civic Forum (Czech: Občanské fórum, OF). Public Against Violence was founded during the Velvet Revolution, which overthrew the Communist Party rule in Czechoslovakia. please visit: www.memoryofnations.eu 2 Between 1948 and 1989 the State Security (Slovak: Štátna bezpečnosť, ŠtB) represented a repressive tool to suppress basic human rights and freedom in order to maintain the power of the Czechoslovak Communist Party. As a political police force of the Communist Party it participated in the persecutions, arrests and interrogations of alleged or real opponents of the totalitarian regime. With the approval of the party offi cials it also organised kidnappings of citizens from abroad and assassinations. YEARS OFFREEDOM

We brought humanitarian aid from Prešov

In December 1989, before Christmas he and his Saturday or Sunday. He took the forints and co-workers organized aid for Romania. leis from safe and gave it to us. People who I have never met before came and offered help “One friend walked through the Prešov with as a drivers or camera operators, we had two a megaphone and informed people about the camera operators. There is also two hours long organization of the collection. It started to get documentary movie about our venture. Second bigger and bigger. The result was that nobody Day of Christmas we went to Romania. I still did such a in Czechoslovakia. Czechoslovakia have tears in my eyes when I think of it. Automobile Transport Company (ČSAD) gave us six trucks and tank of diesel oil. People were We went through Hungary and at the border we buying up groceries and filled the trucks. Bish- met Knights of Malta from Germany. They were op who was a member of association of Catho- there on four vans. It was the first aid provided lic Clergy ‘Pacem in Terris’1 brought us a few to Romania from abroad. They did not want to bottles of altar wine. I got one and a half truck let us go because there was a shooting in Roma- of potatoes from ‘JRD’2. We also received van nia. We had to get permission to enter. Then we of medical supplies and medicaments worth finally unloaded the trucks.” 200 thousand crowns from hospital. Director Anton Bartunek (1945) of the State Bank of Czechoslovakia came on

Pharmacist, historian of pharmacy and medicine, writer, one of the activists of the Velvet Revolution in Prešov.

For a complete story of Anton Bartunek, please visit: www.memoryofnations.eu 1 Association of Catholic Clergy Pacem in Terris (Czech: Sdružení katolických duchovních Pacem in terris, Slovak: Združenie katolíckych ducho- vných Pacem in terris), abbreviated SKD PiT or simply PiT, was a regime-sponsored organisation of Catholic clergy in Communist Czechoslovakia between 1971 and 1989.

2 Uniform agricultural cooperative, abbreviated JRD (Slovak: Jednotné poľnohospodárske družstvo). YEARS OFFREEDOM

Civic courage and civic views began to develop

During the outbreak of the Velvet revolution Civic courage gained and people expressed Josef has house approval in Kalinčiakovo their own views and attitudes. It was a large (town district of Levice). He heard about the movement at that time. Many people came violent crackdown against students in Prague because they were curious and for the fi rst time of 17 November 1989 from an offi cial broadcast had the opportunity to express themselves or of Czechoslovak television. Reportedly nothing to participate in joint work. happened and only “anti-socialist” elements Josef Hladík (1951) and confused students are organized in the The later nationalist passions that broke out in squares. Only Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Slovakia were perceived by Joseph as a native Originally from Břeclav, he moved to (RFE/RL) reported mass spontaneous demon- of Moravia in a very personal way. He left the Levice in 1972, where he get married. He strations in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Coordination centre of VPN in Levice in 1992 provided a building of infrastructure for Josef was convinced of his involvement in the and after the break-up of Czechoslovakia he re- complex of ‚Mochovce‘, the nuclear power emerging protest movement and participated turned with his family to Moravia. The moods plant. Later he was head of the Department in several demonstrations on the square in were explicitly anti-Czech and anti-Hungarian of Personnel and Social Development at the plant. After 1990 he worked as a direc- Levice. The fi rst demonstrations, despite the in those times. But he has never conceived tor of the district administration of tourism moods of belonging, were poorly sounded, hatred for Slovakia and trusts the young gen- in Mochovce. He was one of the actors of insuffi ciently organized and few citizens at- eration. the Velvet Revolution in Levice. After the tended. Czechoslovakia break-up he went with his “If the young generation retains their basic family back to Moravia. After the meetings, the participants met in the awareness and pride in their homeland and ba- Youth Club. The fi rst meetings of VPN (Public sic political knowledge, they will have a chance For a complete story of Josef Hladík, Against Violence) supporters started here. to move our countries further.” please visit: www.memoryofnations.eu YEARS OFFREEDOM

We had a feeling that there are more of us. Those who want change.

In 1986, at the plenary meeting of visual artists, He worked with a VPN coordination centre, but they elected Mr. Cipár as the chairman of the he never wanted to go into politics. Association. As the fi rst non-party member ever, even though they had previously rejected “As a member of the VPN Coordination six candidates - party members. There were Committee, I had to decide who would be the many people with similar opinions in the com- Minister of Culture. It was incomprehensible to mittee. They opened space for independence me, almost comical. I felt incompetent. Political and freedom of creation. They were therefore tendencies that draw in those who want to be prepared for the events of 17 November. close to the source are becoming part of the political body. This is what you feel and see in “On Sunday morning we talked by phone and people who tend to the political body, willing to then we met at my place. Eleven people, nine gain benefi ts and positions.” fi ne artists, one writer and a fi lmmaker. We convened an assembly of the Artists’ Forum. The next day we established the ‘Public Against Miroslav Cipár (1935) Violence’ in the small theatre hall.”

Illustrator, graphic artist, fi ne artist, peda- gogue, trademark creator, one of the activ- ists of the Velvet Revolution in Bratislava.

For a complete story of Miroslav Cipár, please visit: www.memoryofnations.eu YEARS OFFREEDOM

Be part of social change, at least once in a life. Then you will believe that you can infl uence things.

“We went to Bratislava for the fi rst demonstra- coordinated MNI activities in all cities. She tions in Hviezdoslavovo námestie (Hviezdoslav remembers very well how people who did not Square). I remember I was amazed that there participate in revolutionary events regularly was a revolution in the streets and squares in came to Mozart’s house. They were convinced Bratislava, while nothing was happening in of their abilities and openly expressed their Dunajská Streda.” interest in the various vacancies. They were Ilona Németh (1963) interested even in ministerial positions. They She contacted her friends from Dunajská Stre- got those positions in many cases. Artist, curator, university professor. Head da, who were active in Hungarian Independent of the ‘IN’ Studio at the Department of Initiative (MNI) and Public Against Violence Intermedia and Multimedia at the Acade- (VPN) and co-organized demonstrations. my of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava. Once VPN settled in Mozart’s house, the offi ce Co-founder of the ‘Erté’ Studio and unoffi - cial festivals of alternative and experimen- was assigned to the Hungarian Independent tal art in Nové Zámky. One of the activists Initiative too. Ilona started working there of the Velvet Revolution in Dunajská from the fi rst days. Headquarters in Bratislava Streda, co-founder of the fi rst independent Hungarian magazine ‘Nap’ which was pub- lished together with VPN magazine.

For a complete story of Ilona Németh, please visit: www.memoryofnations.eu YEARS OFFREEDOM

The Public Against Violence Coordination Centre was in our apartment.

“Before things started happening here in Violence (VPN) there. And since we had no Michalovce, I was in Bratislava for a short time. head offi ce, I suggested our apartment. The At that time the fi rst meetings were already VPN coordination centre was in my apartment. held. People were jingling with keys there and That’s why my wife Jarka asked me: ‘When I took part in one of them. I came home from somebody will call, what should I say: The Bratislava full of energy but in Michalovce it Pastirčák’ Apartment, the Church of the Breth- seemed like it did not concern us somehow. ren1, or the VPN Coordination Centre?’ Daniel Pastirčák (1959) Only a handful of people attended the fi rst meeting. Matej Hospodár appealed for a gener- We made our fi rst statement during the week- Preacher of the Church of the Brethren, al strike, but they have been watching us all the end before the general strike, but we needed to journalist and writer. Author of several time because the Communist Party was seated get it to the media. Till today I cannot believe it, book publications and collections of po- in a building directly on the square. Then it all but eventually a cameraman from Košice televi- ems. He organized an exhibition of alter- arose spontaneously and unorganized. After sion found us and the statement was broadcast- native art in Prešov during high school, for meeting a small group of people met in a tav- ed. Finally, thousands of people participated in what he was expelled from his studies. He fi nally graduated in Bratislava. He gradu- ern and we founded the Public Against the general strike.” ated from the Evangelical Lutheran Theo- logical Faculty of the Comenius University in Bratislava. He was one of the founders of VPN in Michalovce during the Velvet Revolution.

For a complete story of Daniel Pastirčák, please visit: www.memoryofnations.eu

1 Church of Brethren (Slovak: Cirkev bratská) is evangelical free church in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The church is member of International Federation of Free Evangelical Churches. YEARS OFFREEDOM

it all started with a general strike.

“It all started with a general strike on Novem- basically all the workers came. Of course, there ber 27th. Slovakia awoke. I remember that the were also people from the District Committee evangelical priest called me on the 25th or of the Communist Party. So even the communist 26th evening, that they are gathering at the party members didn’t know what was going to parish and the Catholics are gathering at the happen. Among them were people whom I knew Catholic parish, and the general strike is being before as peers, and I knew their opinions. But prepared. We met with Evangelic priest, what because it was convenient to be in the Commu- to do next.” nist Party, so they were in the services of the party. I saw many of these party members there, They agreed that everything must be done but they stayed a bit away.” without incidents and provocations. A group Ján Bencúr (1950) of about twelve people should coordinate the The next day about 60 people met in the Youth general strike. They cooperated with group of Club in Dolýy Kubín. Discussions about how to Biologist, worked as manager of Orava students who were taking care of the stage and proceed further began. Program declaration of Castle, Horná Orava Protected Landscape sound. Public Against Violence (VPN) of 25 Novem- Area1 manager and the head of the Home- ber 1989 was established as a fundamental doc- land Studies Department at the Orava Cas- tle. He was one of the activists of the Velvet “When we met, we were curious about how many ument contained 12 brief points, among others Revolution in Dolný Kubín. In 1991 he be- people will be there, although it was a general free elections, the abolition of the leading role came deputy Minister of the Interior. Later strike, no one knew how many people were of the Communist Party and others. Finally, he was a member of the municipal council coming. People from all factories and organiza- a group of about fi fteen to seventeen people in Dolný Kubín and in 2002 he became the tions came. All factories opened their door and was created. Ján was one of them. deputy mayor.

For a complete story of Ján Bencúr, please visit: www.memoryofnations.eu

1 Horná Orava Protected Landscape Area (Slovak: Chránená krajinná oblasť Horná Orava) is one of the 14 protected landscape areas in Slovakia. It is situated in the Námestovo and Tvrdošín districts, within the Orava region. YEARS OFFREEDOM

the offi cers showed us the way to the balcony without resistance

About the brutal intervention against students “I put the Declaration of Human Rights and the by security forces in Prague on 17 November, Constitution of the Slovak republic into my brief- he heard from foreign broadcasting. He worked case and went to join the protesters. We saw some- near Zvolen and stopped by at a student one look at us from time to time from behind the meeting at The Technical University in Zvolen, blinds in the offi ce. Later we heard that there were initially the University of Forestry and Wood Communist envoys from the National Committee Technology in Zvolen. in Liptovský Mikuláš at that time, who came there Ján Benčík (1948) to appeal to offi cials to try to prevent any further “The Rector of the University brought some action. When they saw what was happening, some before 1989, he worked as a technician in communist representatives of local organiza- of them escaped through the back door. The crowd the Assembly company in Bratislava. He tions there, who tried to explain to students demanded that the Slovak fl ag be hung on the was one of the activists of the Velvet Rev- that nothing was happening.” building, whereupon one of them went to the bal- olution and co-founder of Public Against cony and declared that the fl ag is not available. Violence (VPN) in Ružomberok, where he He took promotional materials from the stu- But some guy, I don’t know the name, but he was worked as an editor of journal ‘Ružomber- dents and returned to Ružomberok, where the a worker, he had his own fl ag, and when he ran to ský hlas’ (English: Voice of Ružomberok). Later he worked as a primary school teach- evangelical parishioners helped him to copy the building with the intention of hanging it there, er and as a sales and marketing manager it. Some students came to Ružomberok and I didn’t hesitate to follow him. The offi cers showed in a publishing company. He is currently glued posters on walls of offi cials’ buildings us the way to the balcony without resistance. Lat- retired. He still devotes himself to civic ac- and frightened offi cers put them down imme- er, several of us spoke on the same balcony and I tivism. He is also a blogger. He was award- diately. This little poster war was eventually reiterated the request that Milan Kňažko previ- ed the White Crow Award for his work. won by the students. The excited city residents ously made, to repeal Article 4 of the Constitution. then gathered on Monday, November 27, in I also mentioned the Universal Declaration of Hu- For a complete story of Ján Benčík, please front of the municipal authority, on Monday man Rights, which was not signed by the ČSSR1 as visit: www.memoryofnations.eu 27 November. one of the eight countries in the world.”

1 The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (Slovak: Československá socialistická republika, ČSSR) was the name of Czechoslovakia from 1948 to 23 April 1990, when the country was under communist rule. YEARS OFFREEDOM

socialism enslaved women because it gave them no choice

During the revolution, Zuzana felt lonely. She “If women were not employed, the family would knew interesting women, intellectuals, but she not have suffi cient income to live. But their work has never saw them to have a public speech is often unnecessary - when I go to a store, I see on the stands. She encouraged them to get in- shelves full of clothes that nobody buys. Everyone Zuzana Bartošová (1946) volved. Now she thinks they stayed in a shadow is waiting for imported goods from abroad. I see Art historian, focusing mainly on modern to create background to their husbands, who women who wake their children up in the dark to visual arts and the work of the authors of were revolutionizing. In their house sometimes take them to kindergarten or nursery. Then they the unoffi cial Slovak art scene of the 70s the phone rang long after midnight. She was stand 8 hours behind the machines and the results and 80s of the 20th century, which she de- answering the phone and trying to answer of their work are poor. I consider it an enslavement voted to also during the normalization. Lat- truthfully to people who were talking about and I do not believe that women are opposed to er she wrote a book about it. She was one of how socialism hurt them and asked what to what is happening in society. I do not know any the activists of the Velvet Revolution. At the do. Her husband Ladislav (Agnes) Snopko was member of the Czechoslovak Women’s Union in beginning of the nineties she was the di- still at the meeting of members of the Public my neighbourhood and it is this association that rector of the Slovak National Gallery, then Against Violence Coordination Centre (VPN). creates the opinion that women are against.” lectured at the University of Trnava. Since 1998 she has been a research fellow at the Institute of Art History of the Slovak Acad- Zuzana had a speech at one of the protest One of the organizers of the meeting cut the emy of Sciences (abbreviation: SAV). She demonstrations on the square of the Slovak last line of the speech about the Czechoslovak is also curator of the collection of the First National Uprising in Bratislava. The theory Women’s Union. She respected it. This was before Slovak Investment Group1 and since 2005 about Czechoslovak women who were against the constitutional article on the leading role of the also the head of the Contemporary Slovak regime change which threatens their peaceful Communist Party was abolished. She did not want Fine Arts Foundation in Bratislava. lives started to rumour. Zuzana spoke at the to exacerbate the situation. She read the speech grandstand saying that socialism had enslaved at the grandstand. Snowed. She was afraid of that For a complete story of Zuzana Bartošová, women because it had not given them a choice. height. Milan Kňažko therefore held her hand. please visit: www.memoryofnations.eu 1 The First Slovak Investment Group was one of the fi rst independent (non-state) fi rms to collect art after the Velvet Revolution 1989. Established in 1992. The First Slovak Investment Group´s collection focuses on twentieth-century Slovak fi ne art. The core of the collection consists of works from the relatively free 1960s as well as the period of “normalisation,” and includes also works created beyond the framework of the offi cial doctrine of socialist realism. YEARS OFFREEDOM

humanitarian aid for Timisoara from Nové Zámky

In late December 1989, there was a violent and They found out that on that day the army bloody revolution against Nicolae Ceauşescu’s joined the demonstrators. The hospital they ar- repressive totalitarian regime in Romania. rived was invaded the day before by the ‘Securi- Hungarian television broadcasted events in tate’1. They continued shooting at the wounded Ondrej Berta (1948) Timisoara, where a large Hungarian minority who were brought here after the massacres in At the end of the seventies he worked in the lives. Ceauşescu intervened hard against the the square a few days before: “They killed even Centre of Culture and Further Education as demonstrators there. Television reported doz- those who were injured.” an expert in methodology of photography ens of dead. and fi lm. After an appeal to become a mem- All the shops in the city were broken and ber of the Communist Party, he changed his A protest demonstration against this cruel robbed. There was no normal life. They spent job. At the end of the eighties he was head of intervention took place in Nové Zámky. Public the Christmas night on December 24 hiding in the Promotion Department of the Research Against Violence (VPN) and Hungarian warehouses. In the morning, under the control Institute for Tooling (VUNAR), where he Independent Initiative (MNI) spontaneously of the army, the locals began unloading trucks. helped to copy Christian Samizdat. He was organized a humanitarian aid for Timisoara on A Securitate member suddenly began shooting one of the activists of the Velvet Revolution 23 December. They sent there a few trucks with at them from a nearby crane. The soldiers shot in Nové Zámky. Participant and documen- tarist of humanitarian convoy to Timisoara. food, clothing and medical supplies. Ondrej him in front of their eyes. When they went back At the beginning of nineties, a co-opted had a video camera so he was given the task of home the armoured vehicle accompanied them. member of the municipal council and later accompanying trucks and documenting where Luckily, they left town safely, but due to the a secretary of the city council. After the mu- those things get in Romania. persistent danger they had to leave Romania nicipal elections in November 1990, he quit by the shortest route through Yugoslavia. all functions and started his own business. “We arrived there in the evening. It was uncer- tainty. We didn’t know where to go. We came to On December 25th, when they crossed the For a complete story of Ondrej Berta, please the hospital, there were tanks waiting for us. We Komárno Bridge they heard about execution of visit: www.memoryofnations.eu didn’t know what to expect.” Ceauşescu and his wife Elena.

1 The Securitate (pronounced [sekuri’tate], Romanian for Security), the secret police agency of the Socialist Republic of Romania. YEARS OFFREEDOM

those who joined showed great courage.

Revolutionary events of November 1989 was proscribed in the past. He was not there caught Vladimir during the upcoming theatre at that time and we did not want to cause premiere in ‘S’ Studio in Bratislava. On 16 any further problems to him. We fi nished the November there was a dress rehearsal of the performance. Porubjak then wrote a statement performance of the play written by Hungarian that Slovak theatre artists join the protest. We dramatis György Schwajda called ‘Help’ direct- came to Trnava on Monday morning with that ed by Juraj Nvota. document and told to management that we are entering a strike. We cancelled Monday´s per- “Oľga Dubovská, an editor who came to see formance. Instead we tried to have a dialogue the performance, told us that there is a demon- with the audience. stration of students demanding the dialogue in front of the Pioneer´s Palace (now ‘Grassalk- Most of us wanted to refl ect on the situation ovich’ palace - the residence of the president of and point out that change is needed. But we Slovakia). During the premiere day (November could not imagine the fall of the regime. We 18, 1989) our colleagues from the Prague theatre considered it as an analogy of re-eff ort for ‘Na zábradlí’ called us and described the events socialism with a human face1. That’s why of previous day in Prague. As a protest act, they I admired the people who came to the theatre Vladimír Oktavec (1951) cancelled the performances. the fi rst night. There was a strike instead of the Actor, one of the main organisers of the performance. There were also those who left, but protests of the Velvet Revolution in Trna- Theatre dramaturge Martin Porubjak was about two-thirds of the audience spontaneously va, until 1992 artistic director of the ‘Ján against the regime, He initiated the immediate joined the strike and signed the initiative. Even Palárik’ Theatre in Trnava. cancelation of the premiere. He wanted to join though no one knew what is going to happen. the protests. Director of theatre Milan Lasica They showed great courage.” For a complete story of Vladimír Otkavec, please visit: www.memoryofnations.eu

1 Socialism with a human face (Czech: socialismus s lidskou tváří, Slovak: socializmus s ľudskou tvárou) was a political programme announced by Alexander Dubček and his colleagues agreed at the Presidium of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia in April 1968, after he became chairman of the Party in January 1968. YEARS OFFREEDOM

how the state authorities could allow such an aggressive intervention against students.

“In that time, it was still believed that Martin up one by one on the interior windowsill. Each of Šmíd was killed. It provoked open anger against them read only one sentence, to split the burden the regime and strong emotions of many people. of guilt. We saw the terrible fear of what might How they could order to army to intervene happen. If only one of them would read it, they against students. Frustration reached its peak. would arrest him, and the revolution would be On Monday, twentieth we went to school know- over. Some of the students already knew if some- ing we are going to strike like Praguers. We will thing is to change, the masses needs to join the write something; we won’t just let it go. We just protests and not just a few critics. Then Dean of didn’t know how. Only after years we realized the University Jozef Vladár instructed to open that the Velvet Revolution began just then.” the Assembly Hall. Apparently, people from the university directorate were afraid that the Students came to the building of Comenius students would gather outside and start mani- University in ‘Šafárik’ Square on Monday, No- festing like in Prague. tak nás upratali do auly. vember 20. Lectures were cancelled and the in- University dignitaries sat on the podium and Jana Plulíková (1966) formation about meeting in the Assembly Hall we were sitting down like rabble. They turned Translator and interpreter. Since 2004 she were rumoured by ‘Chinese whispers’1 (Slovak on the sound, a microphone was standing in has been working in the European Parlia- version: ‘Tichá pošta’ alebo ‘Telefón’). front of the stage on the side. And suddenly the ment in Brussels. In 1989 she was part of students spontaneously began to refl ect the the student movement of the Velvet Rev- “We came to the Assembly Hall in the building recent events, especially in terms of ‘how the olution. of the Faculty of Law at ‘Šafárik’ Square, but it state authorities could allow such an aggressive was locked. We stayed in a lobby totally over- intervention against students who were telling For a complete story of Jana Plulíková, crowded. Those who wrote the statement leaped a truth’.” please visit: www.memoryofnations.eu

1 Game in which a message is passed on, in a whisper, by each of a number of people, so that the fi nal version of the message is often radically changed from the original. YEARS OFFREEDOM

that star will shine one more time and then goes out.

Peter often travelled to Prague for work. On activity. After several other meetings they November 19, 1989 he stood at a demonstration founded on 26 November the Košice Civic in Prague. Forum in the studio of artist Zbyněk Prokop. The next day they opened the Contact Centre “On the one of the Prague palaces on the ‘Wenc- of Civic Forum in the exhibition hall of Slovak eslas’ Square (Czech: Václavské náměstí) a red Artists Union where people expressed their star shone. The crowd chanted: ‘Turn off the support by signatures. They also participated star!’ And it happened in about 10-15 minutes. in the organization of the general strike. Someone turned it off and then I remembered my aunt from Budapest, who used to say that “That was amazing, people came and chanted. Peter Neuwirth (1954) that star will shine one more time and then go Till today I have not experienced such an out. I was relieved. I’m telling myself, now is the atmosphere.” He comes from a family whose members right moment, something needs to be done im- were persecuted by the communist re- mediately. I took all available statements and Although the activists from Košice in No- gime. After Compulsory military service posters and the next morning I headed straight vember maintained contact with the Public he worked for ‘East Slovakian Iron Works’ (today U. S. Steel) in Košice. He was sup- to Marcel Strýk’s apartment in Košice where Against Violence (VPN) in Bratislava, most ported by a good friend, philosopher and a group of his friends were already sitting, and of them were closer to the Czech opposition dissident, Marcel Strýk. He was one of the we agreed to establish the Civic Forum.” and they considered the Civic Forum (OF) activists of the Velvet Revolution in Košice. a revolutionary leader. When the co-optations He was mainly in charge of the organiza- Meanwhile students from Košice also became and fi rst elections came, the Košice OF has tional part of the movement. actively involved and the fi rst demonstrations registered as a VPN, to have same candidates took place in the city. Fine artists formed in the elections. They also cooperated with the For a complete story of Peter Neuwirth, a signifi cant part of the revolutionary activists Hungarian Independent Initiative (MNI) and please visit: www.memoryofnations.eu in Košice. They negotiated with Slovak Artists The Roma Civic Initiative (Slovak: Rómska Union (ZSVU) to provide space for political občianska iniciatíva, abbreviation: ROI). YEARS OFFREEDOM

right from the start, the State Security members came among us. We could neither identify them nor defend ourselves.

Most of the conservationists became co-founders established the Green Party – the only political of VPN. Ľubica was actively involved in the copy- party with nationwide impact. Its program ing of materials and the collecting of signatures. mainly concerned the environment. The pro- At some point she had to decide to give up her ject did not turn out so successful. scientifi c career and join the Public Against Vio- lence (VPN). in June 1989 she defended her dis- “We inspired a little by the surrounding coun- sertation and at the beginning of November she tries, e.g. Germany where was also unsuccessful was preparing for a one-year stay in the USA. Green Party at that time. We thought that there should be a right-wing party, left-wing party and “I applied for the visa in November 1989. All the Greens should be a separate party.” (1959) Ľubica Lacinová Scientists attending internships went through some interviews on February and apparently all But also, people whose past I had no idea University Professor, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre of Biosciences at the had to sign something. In my case they did not about, became a member of the party. Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV). During make it.” the eighties she devoted herself to scien- “We had the principle no communist will be- tifi c work, photography, and then began to Finally, she decided to go to the United States come our candidate, but right from the start, the work for a conservation organization ‘Tree in March 1990 and did not involve in VPN State Security members joined the party. They of Life’ (Slovak: ‘Strom života’). activities. caused many damages there. We found out it later, when the ‘Lustration’ screening of people For a complete story of Ľubica Lacinová, In December 1989 she joined the group of who went there began. We could neither identify please visit: www.memoryofnations.eu conservationists who had not left their jobs and them nor defend ourselves.” YEARS OFFREEDOM

around 5,000 people gathered in Rimavská Sobota. We didn’t expect that.

“My friend Ďuro Kepka started to paint posters right under the grandstand. We had statements to invite people to the General Strike. In the from the Civic Forum (OF), Public Against evening we walked around the city to hang them Violence (VPN) and the Student movement that up everywhere. Policemen did nothing to us, but needed to be read. Suddenly there was no one they were waiting until we stick the posters, to willing to read them. That’s when Peťo Lebovič tear them down. told me to read them because I had experience as an event- moderator. I realized that someone At that time, I worked in the Cultural Centre. will have to speak fi rst. It was a risk because the All employees invited for a meeting where we Public Security1 building was directly opposite got such a subtle threat, to do not take a part the grandstand and they looked at us from all in the strike. But no one could forbid us to have the windows. Nevertheless, I decided to go there. a lunch break. It was on the former square of I introduced myself and read the statements. the victorious February now known as Market Then more and more people were joined. During Marian Lacko (1962) Square (Trhové námestie). With my colleague, the fi rst meetings in the square there were also

Fine and theatre artist. Founder of ‘LE- Ľubo Šárik, we deliberately timed our lunch people who just crossed the fl oor basically from TAVY’ the summer art camps. Pedagogue to catch the strike. we saw crowds of people evening to morning. The communists became and Director of the Elementary Art School coming. There were about 5,000 people. We revolutionaries. The worst thing was that we in Rimavská Sobota. He was one of the didn’t expect that. I went to look closer to the had no time or ability and we didn’t even know activists of the Velvet Revolution in grandstand where were my friends Jano Galdík, how to reveal those people. We couldn’t identify Rimavská Sobota. Peter Lebovič. There were about twelve of us who belongs there and who don’t.”

For a complete story of Marian Lacko, please visit: www.memoryofnations.eu

1 Public Security (Czech: Veřejná bezpečnost (VB), Slovak: Verejná bezpečnosť (VB)) was the regular police force of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (ČSSR), created in 1945. YEARS Organizer OFFREEDOM

Special Thanks To those Post Bellum is a non-governmental organi- For the public we organize Stories of the 20th who made 30 years sation that seeks out and records witnesses’ Century competition, we also organize exhibi- memories of a key moments of modern Slovak tions and discussions. We publish the quarterly of freedom (1989–2019) history. We document the memories of wit- Stories of the 20th Century magazine and we possible. nesses of the important historical phenomena also published our fi rst book ‘Meeting survi- of the 20th century which have been forgotten vors of the shoah’. or should have been forgotten and access it to The traveling exhibition everyone. Exhibition 30 years of freedom (1989–2019) was created thanks to: through short memories present stories of Each year (17. 11.) at the National Theatre in fi fteen people who were actively involved in Prague we present the Memory of Nations the revolutionary events in 1989. Stories on the Awards to people who showed in their lives four watchtowers describe moments capturing that honour, freedom, and human dignity are the fall of the communist regime and an im- not empty words. portant change in our society. At that time, the most important was cooperation and belong- Since 2015 we have been organizing unique ing, which manifested itself in all regions. TES O TA F A S M D E E R T I I C N A all-day educational experiential workshops at U Slovak schools. The workshops use elements The author of the illustrations on this panel

EMBASSY of drama and experiential education. The is Matúš Maťátko (1984), He specialize in workshops were nominated for the Orange large-format graphics, illustrations, sculptures Foundation Award 2016 in Education, Genera- and paintings. For more of his artwork, please tion 3.0 Award. visit @matatko.matus