Milan Ballek

“It was in 1949 when priests were being imprisoned already. There was also Fr. Bishop Vojtaššák who already assumed he would be interned as they monitored him constantly. Once in November something extraordinary happened, though. An Auxiliary Bishop, named Geberič, came dressed in white like an angel and we didn´t know what was going on. Then also Bishop Vojtaššák came, because a secret ordaining of a new bishop was supposed to take place there. It was our rector Dr. Jozef Barnaš [cor. Štefan – note ed.], who was about to be ordained in our chapel of Zápoľský. Well known professor Hanus was in charge of this event. It was magnificent! However, for sure the ŠtB found out about all of this, what mostly aggravated the situation of Fr. Bishop Vojtaššák. At the end of May, even before we could finish the school year, they announced us that the seminary was being closed.”

“We, the soldiers were taken to Ostrava to one soccer field. They told us the miners were rebelling and that we were about to fight against them. We refused it immediately. As we said we wouldn´t do that, they ordered us to guard some building of the Communist Party. We could be there as guards and fortunately, we weren´t forced to join any fights. Although, it was a real luck, back in 1953.”