The year is 1939. Europe teeters on the brink. The world remembers September 1st as the day World War II began with Hitler's invasion of Poland. Yet, a crucial, often overlooked, detail remains shrouded in the shadows of history: Slovakia, a nascent state barely months old, participated in this aggression. Without a formal declaration of war, Slovak troops joined the Wehrmacht, attacking their northern neighbor with full military force. While this episode receives scant attention in modern-day curricula, it holds a significant and undeniably controversial place in Slovak history.
For decades, the prevailing narrative portrayed Slovak soldiers as unwilling participants, pressured into war by Germany. However, a deeper dive into the personal diaries and official chronicles of the Slovak Army reveals a far more nuanced reality. The experiences of individual soldiers were diverse and often contradictory, ranging from passive resistance and indifference to zealous enthusiasm. This complex tapestry includes both those who later became antifascist heroes, such as Ján Nálepka and Ján Čatloš, and those who willingly participated in the invasion. Their stories, meticulously documented in their personal writings, offer a poignant and often unsettling look into the motivations and moral dilemmas faced by ordinary soldiers caught in the maelstrom of war.
The Slovak Republic's Unique Role
It's crucial to understand the unique position Slovakia held in the invasion of Poland. While the Soviet Union also invaded Poland on September 17th, 1939, as per the secret Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, the Slovak Republic was the only formal ally of Nazi Germany to deploy its armed forces in the initial attack. This distinction highlights the extent of Slovakia's involvement and its strategic significance for the Wehrmacht. The Slovak army, though a secondary force, played a crucial supporting role, primarily in securing the southern flank of the German advance. This involvement allowed the Wehrmacht to concentrate its forces on other strategic objectives.
Mobilization and Initial Confusion
In the days leading up to the invasion, Slovak troops mobilized along the border. This unprecedented mobilization, the largest in Slovak history, involved up to 150,000 men. The military diaries of the period reveal a prevailing atmosphere of tension and confusion. While official propaganda painted a picture of an imminent Polish threat justifying military action, many soldiers, particularly reservists, expressed confusion, apathy, and even passive resistance. Their private accounts vividly depict a population deeply divided in its sentiment towards the impending conflict. The reservists often expressed open reluctance or indifference, a stark contrast to the official narrative. In contrast, some officers exhibited fervent enthusiasm, fueled by the heady atmosphere surrounding the newly declared Slovak State and the promise of reclaiming purportedly lost Slovak territories within Poland.
The Operational Order and the First Days
On September 1st, 1939, at 7:00 AM, the command in Bernolák issued Operational Order No. 1, confirming earlier oral directives. This order, dated 5:00 AM on the same day, officially sanctioned the commencement of hostilities against Poland, outlining the collaborative strategy between the Slovak and German armies. Slovak-German units would advance in two echelons, with the German Reserve Regiment 9 leading the first and Slovak units under Pulanich's command following in the second. The initial objective: Nowy Targ and Kroscienko.
The initial days of the campaign were characterized by swift advances and minimal resistance, resulting in few casualties for the Slovak forces. However, this relative ease quickly evaporated as the Slovak units encountered escalating resistance. Incidents of sabotage, minefields laid by Polish civilians, and sporadic attacks from the retreating Polish army disrupted the initial momentum, resulting in the first Slovak casualties. The initial days' shock and awe quickly gave way to the realities of war. The soldiers faced logistical nightmares, fatigue, and growing disillusionment, as the "rapid return of Slovak territory" narrative began to lose its appeal.
The Battle of Czeremcha: A Turning Point
The small Polish village of Czeremcha, located near the border, became the site of the Slovak Army's most brutal engagement during the entire Polish campaign. On September 11th, 1939, elements of Infantry Regiment No. 21, under the command of Major Ján Černek (who would later become a pivotal figure in the Slovak National Uprising against the very regime he served in 1939), encountered fierce and determined resistance from the Polish Army. The Poles were defending a vital railway junction, critical for the movement of troops and supplies. This encounter starkly contrasted with the relatively unopposed advances of the preceding days. The Slovak soldiers, ill-prepared for organized resistance, were met with a barrage of mortar fire, machine gun fire, and sniping from concealed positions within the village.
The Battle of Czeremcha is a pivotal event revealing that not all Slovak soldiers were passive participants. Major Černek, despite the relentless enemy fire, successfully led his men to victory. The battle's ferocity cost lives and caused considerable injuries on both sides. The following accounts, extracted from contemporary military diaries, shed light on the scale of the battle and its impact on the participating Slovak soldiers:
Slovak Casualties:
Fallen Soldiers:
- Justin Gereg (1917, Kvašov) – Killed September 2nd, 1939, machine gunner.
- Michal Čižmár (1913, Bracovce) – Killed September 2nd, 1939, support personnel.
- Viliam Morvay (1915, Branč) – Killed September 5th, 1939.
- Juraj Baranec (1915, Dupková) – Killed September 5th, 1939.
- One unnamed soldier perished from an accidental grenade explosion.
Wounded Soldiers: At least six soldiers were wounded, including three officers. Lieutenant Ján Orel suffered four gunshot wounds.
Psychological Casualties: Several soldiers suffered nervous breakdowns; one reservist had to be evacuated due to mental collapse.
Polish Casualties and Prisoners:
- Captured Poles: Slovak soldiers captured between six and twelve Polish soldiers, including officers.
- Civilian Casualties: Several dead Polish soldiers were discovered in Czeremcha, including Captain Berezowski, who was shot while attempting to escape on a bicycle.
The Battle of Czeremcha underscored the brutality of war, directly contradicting the initial propaganda surrounding the campaign. The experience left a lasting impact on the Slovak soldiers involved, with many beginning to question the war's purpose and their role in it. This conflict revealed the spectrum of attitudes amongst Slovak soldiers – from the courageous leadership of Černek to the psychological trauma suffered by others. The event serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of war and the complex moral ambiguities often faced by soldiers.
The Aftermath and Historical Silencing
The subsequent days of the campaign saw continued fighting, though the intensity of Czeremcha was not repeated. The initial Slovak enthusiasm and the promise of rapid territorial gains gradually waned, replaced by growing exhaustion, logistical issues, and a deep sense of questioning among the ranks. Many soldiers began to openly question the war's motives and their own complicity in it.
Ironically, Ján Černek, who displayed exemplary leadership during the Battle of Czeremcha, would later become a key organizer of the Slovak National Uprising (SNP), a rebellion against the Nazi regime he fought alongside just a few years prior. His transformation exemplifies the nuanced nature of Slovak history during this period.
The Slovak narrative of the 1939 Polish campaign remains significantly under-represented. Unlike Poland, where every village that offered resistance is commemorated, Slovakia has largely remained silent about the involvement of its soldiers and the sacrifices they made. The fallen Slovak soldiers lack memorials and their names are largely confined to archival records. Their stories, preserved in their private diaries, serve as a potent reminder of the complexities of history and the importance of remembering – not to glorify war, but to understand the dangers of blind faith in external powers and the silencing of conscience. The diaries unearthed from the archives become powerful historical artifacts, revealing a side of the conflict frequently overlooked or intentionally ignored.
Conclusion: A Nuanced History
The diaries and chronicles of the Slovak Army's participation in the 1939 invasion of Poland provide invaluable insights into a seldom-discussed chapter of Slovak history. They reveal a narrative far more nuanced than simplistic narratives of passive resistance or enthusiastic collaboration. The experiences of Slovak soldiers, ranging from indifference and opposition to fervent support, reflect the complexities of a nation caught between external pressures and internal divisions.
The Battle of Czeremcha stands out as a pivotal event, highlighting the brutal realities of war and challenging the sanitized version often presented in official histories. The actions and experiences of individuals like Ján Černek, a key figure in both the invasion and the subsequent uprising, showcase the multifaceted nature of Slovak involvement in the conflict and the subsequent evolution of its national identity. Their stories, previously hidden within the confines of personal journals, offer a potent reminder of the human cost of war and the importance of fully understanding the complexities of historical events, beyond simplistic narratives of good and evil. The silence surrounding these events necessitates a renewed commitment to uncovering and preserving these vital historical accounts, ensuring a more complete and accurate representation of Slovak involvement in World War II. By acknowledging the full spectrum of experiences and motivations, we can gain a far richer and more profound understanding of this critical period. Only through confronting the complexities of the past can we truly move forward and create a more informed future.