Marián Sklenka

“We used to perform theatre plays in Jastrabá, because we moved from Pitelová to Jastrabá. Then I had to go to the guardhouse. There were all kinds of people in the recruiting station, and they asked me, ‘What were you doing?’ I said, ‘We used to act in plays.’ – ‘That is great, so we assign you to the army theatre ensemble!’ However, there was one communist named Weiss and he showed them the paper – Attempt to cross the borders. This way I ended up in PTP. But I was glad, because I found there many great friends. We got along together very well.”

“There was one conference, where we – the editors – used to be invited. I always wanted to be everywhere, be well informed and there one man gave me a picture, ‘Mr. Editor, don’t be afraid! Just write it! I am supporting your articles! Just show the communists!’ I agreed and I also published the photograph with Andrej Hlinka being carried by students on their shoulders in front of the tribune. There were the celebrations of Pribina’s millennium or so. Thus I published this picture in Roľnícke noviny. God, what a turmoil it caused! Poor Dubček was just returning from Moscow, I think, and those fleabags waited him on the airport just to show him the newspaper. He said, ‘Calm down and do nothing.’ There was one Slovak general in Prague banging with his soldierly hat on the table in Parliament, ‘Again, we have here the fascists, Hlinkas’ people!’ Then the managing editor called me, ‘Maroš, what an idiot you are! What have you done?!’”