Deputy Defence Minister M. Majer: Allied military missions are important part of Slovak National Uprising and deserve recognition and befitting attention
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- Date: 30.06.2021
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Today (30 June 2021), Deputy Defence Minister Marian Majer paid homage to the members of the US Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and the UK Special Operations Executive (SOE) who lost their lives in liberating Slovakia during the Slovak National Uprising (SNP) in WW2. At the memorial dedicated to the American and British soldiers in Polomka, Deputy Defence Minister Marian Majer praised their single-mindedness and dedication to the cause, service to others, and heroism. Also in attendance at the remembrance ceremony were Deputy Chief of Defence Gen Ľubomír Svoboda and representatives of the US and UK Embassies in Slovakia.
In his remarks, Deputy Defence Minister Marian Majer emphasised: “It is immensely important to remember historical milestones and all the courageous people associated with them. Our Allies deployed their military teams into an insurgent Slovakia in support of the Slovak National Uprising in order to carry out special tasks. Aside the Soviet military mission, the US and UK military missions operated in Slovakia as well. Their story deserves our recognition and befitting attention. They are the heroes who helped to take our history and nation forward.”
While cooperating with the 1st Czechoslovak Army, the members of the US Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and the UK Special Operations Executive (SOE) operated in Slovakia from mid-September 1944 to 28 October 1944. They were tasked with providing military, political and economic intelligence and preparing the conditions for the planned mass supplies of weapons for the 1st Czechoslovak Army in Slovakia and deliveries of humanitarian aid to the insurgent troops and civilian population.
Staying in a log cabin in the Slovak mountains just above the village of Polomka, the US and UK military personnel served in difficult conditions and under the permanent threat of capture and death by German occupation troops. Captured on 26 December 1944, they were transported to the Mathausen concentration camp. After tough interrogations, they were executed on 24 January 1945.
In his remarks, Deputy Defence Minister Marian Majer emphasised: “It is immensely important to remember historical milestones and all the courageous people associated with them. Our Allies deployed their military teams into an insurgent Slovakia in support of the Slovak National Uprising in order to carry out special tasks. Aside the Soviet military mission, the US and UK military missions operated in Slovakia as well. Their story deserves our recognition and befitting attention. They are the heroes who helped to take our history and nation forward.”
While cooperating with the 1st Czechoslovak Army, the members of the US Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and the UK Special Operations Executive (SOE) operated in Slovakia from mid-September 1944 to 28 October 1944. They were tasked with providing military, political and economic intelligence and preparing the conditions for the planned mass supplies of weapons for the 1st Czechoslovak Army in Slovakia and deliveries of humanitarian aid to the insurgent troops and civilian population.
Staying in a log cabin in the Slovak mountains just above the village of Polomka, the US and UK military personnel served in difficult conditions and under the permanent threat of capture and death by German occupation troops. Captured on 26 December 1944, they were transported to the Mathausen concentration camp. After tough interrogations, they were executed on 24 January 1945.
