Childhood in war

The Slovak uprising

In August 1944, there was a common feeling in the camp: something was in the air. According to rumors, an uprising lead by the Communist party and “progressive forces" against the fascist regime was on its way. As the Russian army was near the borders of east Slovakia, there was a presumption that once the uprising begins, the Russians would right away assist and support it.

As a post-factum statement, one can say that the uprising saved the Slovaks’ face. Despite their collaboration with the Germans, they changed their spots and presented themselves as rebels against the fascist regime. At the end of the war, they benefited largely from the uprising.

One morning, dad said to each one of us separately: “By eleven o’clock, walk over to the fence, cross it and go to the town of Sered, to the --- family.” The address we got was of a merchant of timber we knew, and it was to be the meeting place for the whole family. We were ordered to walk slowly together, and refrain from any remarkable motion. Shmuel and I crossed the fence. We walked fearfully in a certain distance from each other. Upon our arrival in the merchant’s home, he and his family welcomed us. Our parents arrived by the evening. Suddenly, an armed man ran into the house. We could hardly grasp what was happening. Later on we heard that he was a French partisan who ran away from the Germans.

On the following day, the Slovak uprising began.

Before we continue the story of our family, let us elaborate on the background to the uprising.

The majority of the Slovak people were Catholics, but there was also a significant minority of Evangelicals. The latter were not as nationalistic as the former, and even their anti-Semitism was of a lesser degree.

As to the Allies, they fostered groups of resistance and underground in all countries under fascist rule. That was the case with Slovakia, too. Within those groups, the communists took the lion’s share. The Communist Party existed in Czechoslovakia since the early 1920’s, alongside with the party of Social Democrats. With passing time, most of its members became part of the system, while others were opposed it. A new, genuine leadership came into being. That was the one, which headed the anti-government resistance.

At a certain stage of the uprising, the Russians provided some support, primarily by officer ranks and in the areas of instruction and weapons. Almost no rank and file soldiers came on their behalf.

A Czechoslovak unit took part in the war within the Soviet red army. In the western front, there was a Czechoslovak air squadron, which served within Britain’s Royal Air Force.

By 1944, the German army was already in retreat. France was liberated, and so were most parts of Western Europe, as well as parts of Hungary. The Allies were making good progress on all fronts. All in all, the political and military circumstances were effective preconditions for an uprising in Slovakia.

Two days after the outbreak of the uprising, the Germans burst into Slovakia, in order to crush the uprising.

At that time, the Sered camp was dismantled. Members of the Hlinka Guard ran quickly away, and the Jewish population left the camp in all directions.

Our parents decided that we must leave Sered and go to Piešťany, where grandma and uncle Arpad still lived. Dad was looking for an automobile, but the only car available was a taxi. As we were sitting in the cab on the way to Piešťany, we encountered convoys of German troops going the other direction. Being aware of the dangers, we feared the worst: to be caught by the bloodthirsty Germans.