Zdenko Ouzký

"Someone shouted: beware. As we stood on the street, we ran into the cellar. Father went last and was trying to close the door. But he didn't manage it, because the air pressure tore them down with the frame and my father and blew them through the cellar. Cloud of dust. We couldn't see each other. Are we alive, are we dead? Crying. We had a building above the entrance. We were covered in dust. People had to help us and dig us out. When they freed us, we've seen a huge crater- a pit as big as a room. They used heavy, big bombs."

"One day father's friend came on a bike. He said: 'Jozko, you were in the village for an interview yesterday about moving out. You said you got a wife from Devin. You are not a civil servant, but a tradesman. When you give money for the national treasure, they'll let you live here. 'My father took a bike in the morning and went to the office. He came back. Mama put the earrings down and both put the rings in an envelope. My father went to take it to the National Treasure. He was given a paper - Slovak citizenship - and a ring with a sign: "Thank you. Slovak State".