M.Eng. Jozef Havran

“I had a classmate whose father was a shopkeeper. He owned the biggest store in Žarnovica, where also Germans used to go shopping. Once we had visited him, we made up horrible game. We wrote on little papers: ʻDeath to German occupants!ʼ and we threw them out of the attic window. It was such bullshit to do, since if anyone gave those to Germans, they would probably liquidate the shopkeeper. What a huge childish imprudence! I guess that was also a reason why my parents forbade me to visit my friend Ľudovít.”

“My father had difficulties with supplying, with milk as well as with firewood. We didn´t have water. There wasn´t a water main at all. Occasionally we tried to help out and we used to go for wood with sledge, however, on the bridge there was a German guard. When they saw us walking down the forest through scattered trees, they began shooting at us. We hid in one dingle, where we just prayed. At last one man helped us to walk through the other side into the village.”