Re: Hungarian university to open in 2004, News briefs. March 17 - 23, Vol 9, No 10
Slovak school books mention the Hungarians only as oppressors; they tell a mixture of distorted half truths and downright lies. The sad thing is that even the Hungarian kids in Slovakia have to use these Slovak history books in school. In the Hungarian schools as well, which are provided by the Slovak state. This contributes to the assimilation of Hungarians in Slovakia, [because it] teaches the kids that they should feel guilty to be Hungarian. This is not the past, it's happening now.
It's a damn shame that history falsification is still part of everyday life in Slovakia. But it's not going to be easy to change the way people think, since several generations grew up with these lies during the 20th century. These problems need to be dealt with on the EU level after enlargement. Culture and history are considered important in the EU, which means that this institutionalised history falsification in Slovakia will have to stop.
Konrád
