No authoritative system needed them. However, they did not abandon the Sokol principles
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Jela Sovová was born on December 1, 1944 in Trenčín to Vladimír Chovan and Ľudmila. Father Vladimír Chovan was with his brother Július at the time in the mountains during the SNP as a member of the University Guard Section. Their task was to protect SNP generals Ján Golian and Rudolf Viest. The inmates were members of the Trenčín Sokol, which was abolished during the war and their Sokol club was occupied by Hlinka’s guard. After the war, Sokol activities were resumed for a while, but after the communist coup, it was liquidated again. The Communists also nationalized the Chovan bookstore, which Jelina’s grandmother acquired as a newsagent even after the World War First. Sokol and his representatives became uncomfortable for their democratic ideas, which were in direct conflict with both totalitarianism of the 20th century. Jela grew up in the stimulating environment of former “falcons” (members of Sokol) who met in her father’s bookstore. As a child, she remembers Mrs. Golianová and her son Ivan, whom her father helped get to school in Trenčín. The Chovan family lived through a period of social freedomless in silence and did not get involved in politics. Jela studied physical education and the Slovak language and devoted herself to the training of athletes. In terms of the ideals of Sokol’s versatility, she did not agree with the leadership of performance-oriented athletes at the time. After the Velvet Revolution, Jela and her father helped restore the Sokol of Trenčín. Today, Sokol has more than 300 active members in Trenčín and Jela conducts exercises for young children.
