Emil Konfala

* 1929

PTP (Auxiliary Technical Battalions), Relative of a political prisoner, Witnesses of local events connected to WWII, Svědci lokálních událostí z éry komunismu
25. 2. 1948 - Communist coup d‘état in ČSR, 1944 - 1945 - The liberation of Czechoslovakia
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    Memory of a Jewish family

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    duration: 01:19
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    “Then the persecution of Jews began and I was close to tears when I saw those poor old people being taken by the Hlinka's Guard. One old lady was squat in a gypsum form, in which she had to sleep when lying down. I cried when I saw how awfully and harshly they treated them. The guards were heartless when taking the Jews. Me being a little boy, felt very sorry for all of that, since the people were nice and honest, helping out those who didn't have money and giving them on dept for even a half year!”

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    Climbing ladders from the pit to catch a train

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    duration: 01:01
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    “I got a note from home that my brother was getting married, so I went to ask my commander to give me permission to leave for the wedding. He signed me a leaving note for three days. Since there was no other way, I had to climb the ladders from the pit, that were 1012 meters (3320 feet) long. The coal was mined on the pulley that used to go up and down. However, it was only carrying people in the morning and after the work shift. Thus I had to climb up afoot and I was completely wet until I got to the surface, since the water dropped everywhere. The ladders were all around the pit in case of an accident, so I climbed them to get out.”

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    Why was he in the PTP

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    duration: 00:45
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    “My brother was married in Krivá and the Secret Police came there and wanted to take the village dean. My brother slapped the policeman when he began to drag the dean from a parish house. For this act, he was arrested for one year in Ružomberok and when my time to be drafted came, I was considered as politically unreliable. The reason was stated in the report, although I didn't know about it as I was enlisted in Libava and then in Pardubice, that my family was very religious and my brother had been arrested due to the Catholic Action.”

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    Oravský Podzámok – Dolná Lehota, 23.09.2017

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    duration: 01:22:16
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I shall die in what I was born

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photo: Archív pamätníka
photo: Archív pamätníka
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Emil Konfala was born on December 9, 1929 in Dolná Lehota in Orava region (today’s part of Oravský Podzámok). He came from a poor Christian family and was the youngest of six children. He attended the elementary school in his native village and afterwards he worked in Industria wood factory. In 1950, as a politically unreliable person he had to enlist in the correctional Auxiliary Technical Battalions (PTP). After the return into civilian life, he began working in a carpenter’s workshop in Dolný Kubín and later her got a job as a maintenance worker in Kovohuta Instebné. In 1954 he got married with Oľga, née Matláková. He has been retired since 1989 and lives in Dolná Lehota.

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