Minister Gajdoš pays homage to the victims of the burnt village of Kalište
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- Date: 23.06.2018
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Minister Gajdoš today (23 June) paid homage to the victims of the village of Kalište that was burnt down by Nazis at the end of World War II. The commemoration ceremony, which came part of the 13th Meeting of Generations, organised by the Slovak Anti-Nazi Fighters Union, was also attended by Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini.
In his statement on the WWII victims of Nazism in contrast to todayʼs proponents of extremism, SVK Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš said: “As in the case of millions of soldiers who fought and died on the war fronts, the civilian victims – the residents of towns and villages who defied forcible suppression and occupation, or just wanted to save their bare lives, fell in this terrible war. Today, for all of us they act as an eternal reminder of what tragic consequences the idea of a nation’s superiority and world rule may lead to.” As he further stressed, freedom and life in peace must never be taken for granted. “Sadly, even 73 years on after the end of the bloodiest conflict in the history of mankind there are still people amongst us who would like to see the return of the regime that was so unhealthy for society. They indulge in the ideas of Fascism and Nazism, dream about the dominion of the white race, and look down on their fellow citizens who may be different from them on grounds of their origin and the colour of the skin. We must never allow ourselves to be driven to another senseless war,” he added.
Kalište, located in Banská Bystrica County, had 209 villagers at the beginning of WWII. They were involved actively in the anti-Nazi resistance movement and supported partisans operating across the Low Tatra Mountains by providing material, medical supplies and intelligence support. As the front line edged closer to the region, Nazi troops mounted a series of attacks on the village, which were successfully fended off by partisans. However, on their last raid on the village on 18 March 1945, Nazis succeeded in breaking into the village, killing 14 villagers – either shooting them dead or burning them to death. In addition, they burned 42 houses down. Kalište has never been restored since the end of WWII. Today it is a national heritage site.
In his statement on the WWII victims of Nazism in contrast to todayʼs proponents of extremism, SVK Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš said: “As in the case of millions of soldiers who fought and died on the war fronts, the civilian victims – the residents of towns and villages who defied forcible suppression and occupation, or just wanted to save their bare lives, fell in this terrible war. Today, for all of us they act as an eternal reminder of what tragic consequences the idea of a nation’s superiority and world rule may lead to.” As he further stressed, freedom and life in peace must never be taken for granted. “Sadly, even 73 years on after the end of the bloodiest conflict in the history of mankind there are still people amongst us who would like to see the return of the regime that was so unhealthy for society. They indulge in the ideas of Fascism and Nazism, dream about the dominion of the white race, and look down on their fellow citizens who may be different from them on grounds of their origin and the colour of the skin. We must never allow ourselves to be driven to another senseless war,” he added.
Kalište, located in Banská Bystrica County, had 209 villagers at the beginning of WWII. They were involved actively in the anti-Nazi resistance movement and supported partisans operating across the Low Tatra Mountains by providing material, medical supplies and intelligence support. As the front line edged closer to the region, Nazi troops mounted a series of attacks on the village, which were successfully fended off by partisans. However, on their last raid on the village on 18 March 1945, Nazis succeeded in breaking into the village, killing 14 villagers – either shooting them dead or burning them to death. In addition, they burned 42 houses down. Kalište has never been restored since the end of WWII. Today it is a national heritage site.
