Alfonz Petreje

“Germans entered the room, where we slept, and they lodged themselves. Their commander was dividing them, choosing the rooms; they brought straw and slept on the floor. I slept with my father, but he had to get up early in the morning. One of those soldiers lay to my bed instead of him. I don't even know what crossed my mind that I turned towards the wall and kicked him, so that he fell down. He got so mad that he drew his bayonet and pounced on me. By coincidence my father returned and opened the door. It was such luck, because otherwise I can't even think of what could have that soldier done to me.”

“As I mentioned before, my parents owned a small pub, shop, and about 17 acres of land in a small village. Once an officer of the district committee of the Communist Party of Slovakia came to our house and asked my father to use the pub for their meeting. It was summer and some young men came and wanted beer. After a longer consideration I decided I couldn't have done any wrong if I tapped few glasses of beer. However, the district comrade didn't like what I had done. I heard him say: 'We shall get even with him, Bánovce, that's the nest of Tiso!'”