The 69th anniversary of uprising against Nazis is celebrated on August 29

August 29 has been pronounced a state holiday in Slovakia, commemorating the Slovak National Uprising (SNP). SNP was an armed insurrection organised by the Slovak resistance movement during the Second World War. The uprising started in Banská Bystrica on August 29, 1944, and even though it largely suppressed just two months later, small groups of rebels continued the fight against the occupying German army until the end of the war.

August 29 has been pronounced a state holiday in Slovakia, commemorating the Slovak National Uprising (SNP). SNP was an armed insurrection organised by the Slovak resistance movement during the Second World War. The uprising started in Banská Bystrica on August 29, 1944, and even though it largely suppressed just two months later, small groups of rebels continued the fight against the occupying German army until the end of the war.

This year’s biggest commemorations were held in Banská Bystrica and Zvolen. At the former, the Romanian President Traian Basescu makes a speech, along with Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič. In Zvolen, both presidents visit the military cemetery, where more than 10,000 Romanian soldiers are buried, the TASR newswire wrote.

In Bratislava’s SNP Square, a commemorative event will be held called Začnite s Vysťahovaním – Start the Displacement. “The event will symbolically start at 20:00, i.e. by the time when in 1944, General Ján Golián gave by his order Začnite s Vysťahovaním signal to launch the Slovak National Uprising,” Róbert Mihály of the initiative Bratislava bez náckov (Bratislava without Nazis) informed the SITA newswire. “We also plan festive shots to be fired, to remind the passers-by that many people did not hesitate, in hard times, to sacrifice their lives for the freedom of us all.” The movie Vlčie Diery - Wolves’s Lairs by Paľo Bielik will be screened and on one of the buildings, a crossed-out swastika will be projected. Photos of SNP participant will also commemorate wartime heroes.

On August 30, cultural events will continue, with an exhibition of the works of young artists and a concert called Umením proti fašizmu, Art against Fascism, complete with reading of poetry and short stories and film screening, SITA wrote. Again, the event will start at 20:00, this time on Židovská Street, organised by Bratislava bez Náckov and the Verejné galérie – Public Galleries project.

(Source: Slovak Spectator, TASR, SITA)
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.

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