Bratislava, 29 August 2022 (TDI): The Slovak National Uprising Anniversary is celebrated annually on August 29 to commemorate the National Uprising in Slovakia, which began on August 29, 1944, during World War II. The uprising was a revolt that broke out in Slovakia in late August 1944 and lasted until October 1944.
Groups including the Communist Party, Slovak nationalists, and a group of Slovak army officers planned the rebellion. Their common goal was to overthrow the pro-Nazi government of Jozef Tiso.
#OTD 7️⃣8️⃣ yrs ago Slovak National Uprising started. Heroism of its participants put our nation on the right side of history. 🇸🇰 continues to promote their legacy by rejecting agression & violation of human rights today.
— Ivan Korcok (@IvanKorcok) August 29, 2022
Precursor
The saga truly began after the Munich Agreement. The agreement was proposed and signed by the European powers. The agreement allowed Nazi Germany to annex Sudetenland, a German-speaking territory of Czechoslovakia. The Munich Agreement was the hallmark of the policy of appeasement.
The agreement was an attempt to avoid war by meeting Hitler’s demands. Consequently, the territory was ceded to Germany against the will of the local population.
The Rebellion
Ultimately, On 28 August 1944, German troops invaded Slovakia to suppress the country’s Partisans. So far there had been limited and irregular guerrilla resistance operations across Slovakia.
However, the uprising erupted after the invasion and was a planned military operation. The Slovak army and partisan units proved to be much more formidable than the Germans had estimated. More than 2,000 Jews also participated in the revolt.
Regardless of the limited support from the allies, the uprising was crushed by the German forces before the end of October 1944. After the defeat, the remaining forces of the uprising continued with small guerrilla actions until the end of the war.
Also read: Slovakia on international Justice day
Annual Anniversary
29th August was the day chosen in 2003 to be a national holiday for Slovakia as it represents a time when all Slovaks came together against an oppressive dictatorship.
The day was chosen to commemorate those from the Democratic Party, the Czech Social Democratic Party, and the Communist Party of Slovakia. who took part in the Slovak resistance movement against rule from Nazi Germany.
