Slovakia enjoyed a public holiday today in commemoration of the Slovak National Uprising (SNP), regarded as one of the poignant moments in Slovak history as a resistance movement fought against the Nazis in the run-up to the end of World War II. To the present day, various streets and squares across the country bear the name of SNP or 29 August.
Excerpt from Wikipedia:
The Slovak National Uprising (Slovak: Slovenské národné povstanie, abbreviated SNP) or 1944 Uprising was an armed insurrection organized by the Slovak resistance movement during World War II. It was launched on 29 August 1944 from Banská Bystrica in an attempt to overthrow the collaborationist Slovak State of Jozef Tiso. Although the rebel forces were defeated by Nazi Germany, guerrilla warfare continued until the Soviet Army occupied Slovakia in 1945.
In the post-war period, many political entities attempted to “hijack” the uprising to their credit. The Stalinist regime in Czechoslovakia presented the Uprising as an event initiated and governed by Communist forces.[1] Slovak ultranationalists, on the other hand, claim that the uprising was a plot against the Slovak nation, as one of its main objectives was to oust the regime of the puppet Slovak state and reestablish Czechoslovakia, in which Slovaks were dominated by Czechs. In fact, many factions fought in the uprising, including large rebel units of the Slovak Army, nationalist and Communist partisans, and international forces. Given this factionalization, the Uprising did not have unambiguous popular support. Yet, the participants and supporters of the Uprising represented every religion, class, age, and anti-Nazi political faction of the Slovak nation.
While the SNU was a series of terrible cock-ups, Soviet apathy and deliberate obstruction to the provision of supplies and support, the partisan’s refusal to take orders from the National Army and general infighting played a major part in the uprisings “failure”.
However, the actions of the “few” should not be belittled. Their actions tied up at least 5 German divisions including three of the most infamous SS Divs. who could have been giving the Red Army a hard time.
The thing that saddens me about this National Holiday is that so little is done to commerate those who fought and died and how certain groups seem to be omitted from the official history. The combatants from over 30 other countries that took part in the fighting, the 2000 Jews and the unknown number of Roma who took up arms rather be herded into cattle wagons and the “free CZK” forces that had fought alongside the Allies since 1939 that elected to return home to help in the fight.
Instead of a day of National reflection and unity it is considered by the majority as another day off work to enjoy hedonistic activities. Still a day at the aqua-park or a grill party with loads of beer must be more palatable than acknowledging that many of the real heros of the SNU came from the despised minorities.
Perhaps if we all just forgot the dead in these wars, rather than commerate them dayin/yearout, perhaps it would make going to war less palatable …???
Do you really think people other than patronising Government officials are truly grateful for them dying, or loosing limbs ???
Of course a day at the aqua-park or a grill party with loads of beer must be more palatable than acknowledging that war is stupid and people are stupid .
When an well equipped occupying force famous for violent suppression of resistance is in your town, to risk everything, upto and including your life and the lives of your family, to do what you think is the right thing, takes a massive amount of courage. Those guys were heros. That they were let down by their leadership and so called allies like Stalin does not detract one iota from what they did. In comparision the British guys fighting were brave and they knew their families were safe on the island. I don’t think many would have swapped places with the Slovak partisans.
Eh Hero`s ??? Lets not rewrite history here please ?
First you as a ( Slowvak) bat on the Nazi side for 6/7 years, pay to send your own people ie. unwanted Jews, Gentiles, Gays and the poor retarded to the gas chamber …then when you see the huge Red Army marching on your town …you start to bat for the other side, except they dont actually want you to play with them? So you play on your own, get lost in your OWN mountains and the side who you first batted bowls you out …..in no time. Hardly the Slowvak version of the Alamo, Rorke’s Drift, or the charge of the Light Brigade ???
Sounds more like stupid cretins, rather than any hero`s ….not wanting to typecast an entire race of Aryan people of course ?
Interesting they show a pic of the pride flag. That is quite glorious in itself!
Yea, yea, yea….another holiday to celebrate a Glorious Defeat ….
…` a poignant moments in Slovak history` , says it all really about these people .