Ľubor Guniš

* 1951

  • "I remember two situations where they drove an armored personnel carrier through the main crossroads in Považská Bystrica. An egg was thrown and shattered on the open hatch of the carrier, almost hitting one officer. He drew his pistol and began aiming. The tank stopped and turned the barrel, people scattered in the side streets. I took pictures. There have also been cases where people were killed or injured while taking pictures. One early evening, it was already dark, we hid behind a wall, there was also a post office at the main crossroads, and we were throwing quite heavy stones from behind the wall. At that time some trucks were leaving there, the windows were plastic because the stone bounced right off, and I saw it fly, but fortunately they did not stop, did not shoot, instead they stepped on the gas and tried to escape. "

  • "On July 21, I was at an unauthorized meeting organized by Čarnogurský. For that, he also went to prison, still in '89 and together with Hana Ponická. It was in the neighboring village of Predmier, where there was the only statue of Štefánik in Slovakia. Čarnogurský and the Civil Liberties Movement organized this meeting on the occasion of 109th anniversary of Štefánik's birth. We were already being monitored there and when leaving, I turned around and we were passing behind the church, I was looking straight into the camera as I am now. ŠtB probably filmed us from the balcony of the local municipal office. "

  • "I lived there as 17 years old, so the entry of troops was a big break for me. Since then I didn't like would be too soft, while I hated too strong a word, for having to stay living in it. Since then, I tried to participate in the passive resistance, albeit in a way I have collaborated, unlike the dissidents, since I was in ROH. As a teacher, the membership in the Union of Czechoslovak Friendship was compulsory. But every day I listened to Free Europe, the Voice of America. However, I did not dare to join this dissent completely because of my family. I asked myself if I had the right to involve children, family. I didn't do it until the summer revolution in '89. "

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Had I been a year older, I would not have returned from Germany

Lubor Gunis comes from Povazsak Bystrica, was born on April 21 1951 in Martin. He grew up in family of teachers and clerks as the middle child, he had two brothers. His mother, Brigita Gunis, nee Eserova, was of German origin and her parents came from the lower Saxony.Lubor was also because of that deliberating about emmigration to Germany. He attended primary school and gymnasium in Povazska Bystrica. Between 1965 and 1975 he studied at Economical University in Bratislava, Department of National Economy Planning. After completing his studies he became highschool teacher of economic subjects and in 1988 started to work as economist in the Perfa factory in Bytca. The events of November 1989 caught him in Povazska Bystric, where he actively participated in the protests. Soon after the culmination of the general strike he participated in creating the Public agains violence (VPN) organisation. In July 1989, he became a signatory of The Civil Liberties Movement and also held the position of Head of the District Office in Považská Bystrica. In November 1991, however, he was positively lustrated and resigned. Ľubor claimed that he was not a conscious collaborator of the StB, which was confirmed in 1994 by the Regional Court in Banská Bystrica. He currently lives in Považská Bystrica with his family.