“First of all, the young should heed their faith, because they will face the trial once, not the Communist one though, but when the Last Judgement comes. Moreover, they should never forget how much their ancestors suffered during the reign of Socialism.”
Adam Repka was born on June 9, 1924, and during his life he has experienced reign of four different regimes. After the war he did not react to the Socialist regime with elation mainly because of forced establishment of collective farms. In 1950 he was arrested and sentenced to five-year imprisonment and ten-thousand-crown penalty because of two anti-state leaflets he was given by his friend. They warned against effort of the Communist Party to separate from the Catholic Church and to establish its own church. Other eleven people, mostly ordinary citizens including a postman and some teachers, were arrested and sentenced along with him. Firstly, Adam Repka stayed in the remand in Prešov and later in Bratislava. After the trial he served his sentence in Leopoldov and Jáchymov prisons. In Jáchymov he worked in mine and after six months he moved to well drilling where he worked until his release. Most likely it saved his life, because he had been exposed to radiation in the mine only for a short time. Moreover, he served as a ministrant during secret masses in the prison. Meanwhile, his wife had to look after their two-year-old daughter and three-month-old son alone. During five years he spent in prison, she could visit him only five times. His brother, Ján Repka, whose monastic name was Romuald, served as a Franciscan priest. He was interned in Podolínec monastery where he had to work hard in state property as well as in a state wood. After the year 1968 he was moved to monastery in Trnava. Later he served in Dvorníky, Malacky and Svätý Anton near Banská Štiavnica. He died prematurely of cancer. After being released, Adam Repka had to work in the collective farm, because he was considered to be „ineligible“ for the Socialist regime. He worked there until his retirement. Moreover, he started to play the organ in a church. Meanwhile, his wife gave birth to other five children. The oldest son, inspired by his uncle Ján, studied theology, was ordained a priest, and now he serves in Russia. Two daughters live in Canada and the rest of the children live in Kurima and Bardejov. He wishes the young people to heed their faith and never forget how much their ancestors suffered during the reign of Socialism.