Štefan Ružovič

“There were several places, where when it was raining, the border guards were helpless. Just a piece of iron was enough to be thrown on the small gratings filled up with electricity. But one had to know how to do it. It sparked, the lights turned off, electrical fuses were ditched and app. for 15 minutes it was safe to run about a kilometer long line; we used to call this stretch from the rock up to the former wooden bridge, which was built by Soviet captives. So this way was sometimes used for escaping to Austria. And when it wasn´t otherwise possible, we would lean a board against the fence in the garden. We used to organize that. One had to run up that board and as he got to the top, it overbalanced and he managed to get to the Morava River. And not even dogs or anyone swimming was able to chase after him. Actually, there the river had its shallowest point.”

“New prisoners suffered for that. They put up resistance. It was not worth there, though. Immediately there were brought two dogs, wolfhounds, released into the cell and the man just had to try to endure. His only option was to curl up into the corner; to huddle and cover his head and face. That was the best defense. There was one prisoner named Škobit. He got his kidney bit out by one of those dogs. His name was Škobit. I was jailed with this guy in solitary confinement.”

“On December 6, 1952, on St. Nicolas Day I was arrested by the State Security at the station in Devínska Nová Ves, which was back then taken by border guards as well as civilians, by the secret State Security under the command of a chief of the arresting foursome, colonel or captain Jureňka. They covered my eyes, threw me into the car, put handcuffs on, whilst one hand I had tied to the backrest and the other one to the State Security member.”

“I waited for the old Soukaný behind his gate. Of course, I had a revolver with me. When he opened the gate, one of our members named Mislovič used a torch to light into his eyes. I propped my gun on his chest and told him to hand us in papers he had in his briefcase at once. And so he did. There was a list of 32 families, which were supposed to be moved out from Devínska Nová Ves. Where? We had no clue… So I told him he would find this list in his mailbox the following evening; that we would only make a copy of it. At the same time I warned him, that in case he might have wanted to report it to the police, the one who held the torch back then, would come again and there would be no further morning dawn for him anymore…”