Starting on Friday, various Slovak towns are beginning to commemorate the Slovak National Uprising against the Nazi occupants that broke out during World War II on August 29, 1944.
On Friday, the antifascist festival The Uprising Continues starts in Bratislava. The festival aims to pay homage to those who fought the fascist ideology in the past and to promote the values of anti-racism, anti-fascism, solidarity and the peaceful coexistence of all people in the present. The Uprising Continues is a six-day festival, offering a variety of events and featuring discussions, workshops, exhibitions, audio-visual installations and film screenings with anti-fascist themes. The festival's main event is a concert on Tuesday, August 29.
The towns of Žilina, Martin, and Sabinov are also hosting commemorative events on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, the gatherings will continue in various other places in Slovakia. In most cases, the commemoration consists of wreath-laying ceremonies. This usually takes place at memorials dedicated to those who fought in the Slovak National Uprising, or to various army officers involved in the insurrection. Hikes following the paths of the partisans are also common.
Some cities are also hosting festivals which offer cultural events similar to the one in Bratislava. The biggest one is to be held in Banská Bystrica, central Slovakia. This place is historically important for the Slovak National Uprising, as the insurrection took place mostly in central Slovakia. The events commemorating the uprising in Banská Bystrica will begin on Monday evening with a concert by the Slovak State Opera. Afterwards, the celebrations will culminate on Tuesday, August 29.
The Slovak National Uprising was an armed insurrection organized by the Slovak resistance movement. Its aim was to resist German troops that had occupied Slovak territory and to overthrow the collaborationist Slovak government. The uprising ended unsuccessfully after two months. According to the historian Milan Zemko from the Slovak Academy of Science, the event played a big role in considering Slovakia a victorious country after the war.
