Doc. PhDr., CSc. Augustín Maťovčík

"I decided to study Slovak or something similar, and I applied to Comenius University. Unfortunately, the situation in the village was such that there was one communist who did not give us good reviews. And he gave me such an opinion that despite the fact that I had straight As, I was not accepted to university. And I was supposed to go teach, I also had a decree to the village of Oravské Veselé. But one of my classmates, a football player, studied in Bratislava, and he told me that there were additional job interviews for the Pedagogical University. So instead of teaching, I went to Bratislava on September 1 for new exams, where I was examined and accepted by Professor Černušák, a well-known Olympian. So I passed the exams, came home, packed my things and went to Bratislava, where I didn't have accommodation, where I had nothing. "

"There was a bridge that crossed the river, and it was guarded by the Germans. German soldiers lived upstairs in our house - they were young men. But there was also a mountain nearby. Partisans also went there for provisions, food and some clothes at night. So back there, we helped the partisans a bit, the Germans were in the front. Fortunately, it ended well, although our house was shelled by the Germans during the retreat in 1945, but nothing happened. Nothing happened to our family because of the partisans or the Germans, and we had neither problem nor injuries. But I remember the war as a little boy. "