BIELESZ, Adam: The Trial of Eugen Hollý, commander of the Hlinka Guard Emergency Divisions in Malacky

The trial of Eugen Hollý serves as an example to illustrate the specifics of the implementation of the Slovak National Council Decree No. 33/1945 in the context of the activities of district people's courts. Documents from the court file reveal the relationships among local elites and their dynamics at the end of World War II and immediately after the restoration of Czechoslovakia. Despite some inaccuracies in the testimonies, the materials allow the reconstruction of Hollý's career in the Hlinka Slovak People's Party (HSĽS) and the Hlinka Guard (HG). Testimonies from both the defence and prosecution witnesses, as well as Hollý himself, suggest a certain duality and raise questions since despite his continued loyalty to the Slovak Republic's regime, Eugen Hollý frequently helped imprisoned individuals from the opposing political camp. This aspect was one of the main reasons for his acquittal.