Emil Sedlačko

* 1945

  • "In August, there was no man who would say that I was glad that the Russians were here, there was no such person. Everyone was shocked and simply cheered for resistance to the occupation. And as normalization came, people suddenly started to change sides. Why? There were three-member comrades' commissions, which in companies, factories and schools, but only formed from teachers, did with them the so-called inspections, and it was the three-member commissions that decided the fate of the people. The first question - what is your relationship to the Soviet Union? The second - you consider the Soviet troops (something around the stay of them). Every single employee, whether in a cooperative, in companies, in factories, in offices - approached this three-member commission one by one and had to answer these two questions. I don't understand that until today. Because it changed the lives of those people so much that they suddenly changed sides. Me not, I wasn't there."

  • "It simply came to our notice then. That - I will return to that - that I had no life goal - because they destroyed everything important for me. When someone wanted to do something and did well, they were not rewarded. There was no brace, an injection, like great, wonderful, we go on, the person is also happy. That he works well or so, or that he exercises his abilities. There some people didn't understand that, but they were members of the party and had great functions. My boss was like that - a party member like a beast, but no work behind him. I don't know what else I should [mention]. Even when I'm talking about it, I'm sad. "37:05 - 38:09

  • "It wasn't just the work of one-two-three-five people the way we were. It was emotional, I wondered, they patted our backs like boys you did well and so on. The high school boys were great. And suddenly, when the Central Committee met, that was a very difficult time, when President Ludvík Svoboda said that they would be here permanently as 'temporarily', the whole nation remained disappointed. And I didn't understand one thing, maybe not yet - how many people suddenly turned over their coats. "19:30 - 20:36

  • Full recordings
  • 1

    Trenčín, 15.01.2020

    (audio)
    duration: 01:57:58
    media recorded in project Stories of the 20th century
  • 2

    Trenčín, 22.01.2020

    (audio)
    duration: 01:37:15
    media recorded in project Stories of the 20th century
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Freedom of decision and a clear conscience are all for me

Witness Emil Sedlačko in his youth
Witness Emil Sedlačko in his youth
photo: súkromný archív Emila Sedlačka

Emil Sedlačko was born on April 11, 1945 in Trenčianske Teplice. He spent his childhood in the High Tatras, where his parents hid from the onset of communism in 1948. He graduated as a builder and completed basic military service as the son of uncomfortable citizens in the ironworks in Ostrava. He spent his working life in Trenčín, where he lives to this day. As a young man, he was very active in ČSM, organizing events and beat events. In July 1968 he was a member of the Slovak expedition to the World Youth Festival in Sofia, but due to the deteriorating political situation, they did not get there. In August 1968, he protested very loudly against the entry of occupying forces into our territory. He was arrested, interrogated and imprisoned several times for his disapproval and activities. He had to endure menial jobs and hardships not only in his work but also in his personal life. In November 1989, he co-founded the Independent Slovak Trade Unions and was their first chairman. After the onset of swordsmanship in 1995, he was lured into the HZDS, but he did not enter and became uncomfortable again. An active retiree, he graduated from the University of the Third Age, organizes exhibitions and discussions to remind younger generations that freedom is not a matter of course. Emil Sedlačko has a wife Margita, a daughter Zuzana and granddaughters Michael and Romanka.