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Alojz Lenkavský (1932)

Photo: Alojz Lenkavský

Biography

“Don’t trust the communist even if he is buried 15 meters under the ground, he could kick you anyway!”

Alojz Lenkavský was born on May 28, 1932, in Spišská Belá. He was raised to be a good Catholic. As a young boy he became a member of Christian chorus called Svornosť in Spišská Belá. Here he met his friends and later on they built a strong relationship. When communists took over the government, he witnessed many arrests of priests, so together with his friends he decided to found a branch of the White Legion (anti-state group) in Spišská Belá. The prime concern of this brand new group was to point at the way how communists treated church representatives and show it to people. Thus members of the group decided to distribute leaflets in Spišská Belá and its neighbourhood. The State Security revealed their group, so their planes were thwarted. Alojz Lenkavský was arrested on November 5, 1950, and a few days later he was also imprisoned. During his custody, he experienced investigation methods that the State Security used and he was forced to confess to various crimes he had never committed. On the main hearing that was held on June 12, 1951, Alojz Lenkavský was sentenced to death. Later, on February 22, 1952, the Court of Appeal revised it, so he was sentenced to fifteen years of imprisonment. He served his sentence in various places of former Czechoslovakia (Košice, Leopoldov, military camp in Příbram, hospital in Pankrác or Jáchymov mines).

“Well, then Good if They Beat You…”

“They brought me into that room and began to treat me more harshly, they started with beating. But the man who was there, probably the “ŠtBák” [State Security member] wasn´t much up to beating and therefore he called another one, who asked me: “So, will you talk?” And I answered: “I have nothing to talk about, I haven´t done anything wrong.” “Well, if you won´t, then try to recall!” And he battered me again. When the other man came after beating me he asked: “Do they treat you well over here?” I said: “No, they are beating me.” “Yeah, are they beating you? Well, then good if they beat you.” He went behind the door; the other ŠtBák exchanged him and kept asking: “So, do they beat you?” And I didn´t say a word since I was completely beaten. I stared at him for a while, but I said nothing.”

Methods of Torture

“They used to put pencils in between the fingers [in order to dislocate them], beat me on my heels, let me take of my shoes and put me on a cold concrete so that my feet wouldn´t swell… That´s what they used to do.”

Investigation in Košice

“Well, at the Košice State Security department it proceeded in different ways. Truncheons on my head, of course, on my arms, taking of the shoes, then the concrete, sticks in between the thumbs, striking the thumbs and a hand… They also used to put pins under one´s nails… This is what they used to do and had special people trained just for this.”

As I Only Walked, It Was Fine…”

“In Bratislava I couldn´t stand that walking. As I only walked, it was fine, but as soon as I began to count, I realized that I´m probably becoming crazy. So I said to myself with such a strong will: “You can´t count. You will just stand, you mustn´t walk.” Because, I say, that was the beginning. There were many cases that people got insane as in the prison weird inhuman voices could be heard. We could hear it in Bratislava prison. It was like it can be heard only in the jungle… And they dragged the insane people away.”

The story and videoclips of this witness were put together and published thanks to the financial support of EU within the programme Europe for Citizens – Active European Remembrance.

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