Defence Minister J. Naď pays homage to Slovak National Uprising heroes in Dargov and Košice

Author:
Photo:
Date: 28.08.2020
Share: Zdieľať na Facebook

The legacy and heroism of those participating in the Slovak national liberation struggle in WW2 was today remembered by Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď at the Victory Memorial in Dargov and at the Major Ľudovít Kukorelli Memorial in Košice during commemorations to mark tomorrow’s 76th anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising (SNP).

Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď said: “In the Slovak and European histories of the anti-Nazi resistance movements, the Slovak National Uprising is recorded as an undeniable timeless historical fact – an inseparable part of our national liberation struggle for a democratic and peaceful Europe.” As he reminded us, thanks to the SNP events, the Slovak Nation fought to win the decisive pre-requisites for its own new democratic statehood, whilst at the same time laying the foundation of a new national and state idea, built on the principles of anti-Nazism, democracy and humanism.

The 76th SNP anniversary will also be remembered by State Secretary of the SVK Ministry of Defence Marian Majer during a commemorative event at the French Partisans Memorial on top of Zvonica Hill near Strečno today.

The Slovak National Uprising, centred in Banská Bystrica, broke out on 29 August 1944. In the first days of the Uprising, commanders of the 1st Czechoslovak Army in Slovakia had only 18,000 soldiers and officers under their command. There were two subsequent mobilisations, enabling increases in the manpower. After the first one, which started on 5 September 1944, the Army’s total strength went up to 47,000 soldiers, and after the second one, which was declared on 26 September 1944, it went up to 60,000 soldiers. In addition, approx. 12,000 partisans, 70% of whom were Slovaks, fought alongside the 1st Czechoslovak Army in Slovakia’s insurgent areas.

PHOTO GALLERY Vzdať hold hrdinom SNP prišiel do Dargova a Košíc aj minister obrany J. Naď