Ján Šebák

“I went to the cinema with my girlfriend, who was already in there. However, after I saw that Russian film, I felt like if swarm of wasps attacked me, I began to grumble and of course, the organizers – head and director of the cinema – dragged me out of the cinema and both of them battered me helter-skelter. I had to go to the doctor, who gave me a paper, which I filed at the court. My uncle told me to press charges. My dad wasn't such a fighting spirit, he was very humble man. I contacted a lawyer Ochrimovič, who was a very good advocate and I thought we would have taught the communists a lesson. But no way! That was a huge mistake. On the contrary, it was me that got a harsh lesson by the communists. Even the advocate was sure we would teach them. The trial was completely about something else and I happened to be in the position of the accused one. Only one of my witnesses lasted. They all were afraid and so they didn't even attend the trial. Unfortunately, this guy was my namesake! There were about 30 of us in the hall, but whatever I said was totally invalid.”

“I enlisted in PTP in August 1952. We had to gather in Považská Bystrica at the district military headquarters, where the training began. In the evening we were set off by an armed escort to a train to Žilina. For the whole time we didn't know where we were going. Nobody told us. At night they loaded us to the trains, there were many of us, and we didn't know anything. I didn't even know I was assigned to the Auxiliary Technical Battalions, I didn't assume something like that existed. I wasn't interested in politics since I couldn't stand that communism. I was more interested in the West and the things happening there. We were traveling overnight and we finally arrived to Most. No one knew what to expect. Some said we were about to join the sappers, however, our sappers were called pickaxe and shovel! Even worse thing was, that they gave us German togs! One shoe was bigger, another one too tight. Just move and shut up!”