“Our priest always said: Don´t be worried about the school, you´ll get in”
Although her parents weren´t members of labour movement, she attended a local gymnazium and even managed to graduate at university. Not even today she isn’t sure if it was the hand of destiny or the inconspicious family friend behind. Story about the opportunity to study in the communist regime was narrated by Jana Harvanová.
What is your first childhood memory regarding the political regime?
We lived in a north-Slovakian village, my father worked as a machinist in a factory of Matador Púchov, my mother was a post woman. That is why we weren´t encountering any particular problems with the regime as disidents were, for instance. So, my first memory of political athmosfere points to the moment when my brother was contrived at the western borderline – on the Šumava region – for compulsory military service. Therefore, one day two men in long black coats, as you´re used to see in action movies, came to our house to verify whether the family isn´t connected to any unwanted ally. The arrival of two strangers initiated immediately the rumour in the small silent village. Their questions surprised the whole family – the men were excellently informed about every single detail of our life. They knew my mother was exchanging letters with her Australian friend, what they conceived suspicious, they even knew what she wrote in her letters. We were examined, if we´re not enemies of the political regime. The Australian friend didn´t represent any dangerous subject, so my brother could be moved to the western borderline.
How, in your opinion, could they come to all the particulars of your life?
Former National Security (ŠtB) verified all the mail from abroad for sure. As long as we didn´t collide with such a situation, we didn´t think much of that. However, all the correspondence went certainly through the examination.
Let´s take a look on your opportunities to study those days. Do you think you were handicaped because your parents weren´t politically active?
Of course, the children of partyman were in favour of the teachers and enjoyed better treating. However, it was kind of natural because of their higher position in social latter. All of us, though, had to become pioneers and had to participate on the mandatory parades on May, 1st. In the final outcome, the children didn´t mind to engage in such undertakings, it was like a pastime activity for us. What´s interesting, I remember that all the most attractive performances or other undertakings took place on the day or time of some religious holiday or ceremony. The communists intended to take people away from church and especially the young ones. They handed out candies on Sunday morning; the TV broadcasted the best movies of western production on December, 31st, at the time of holy mass.
So you didn’t perceive your non-party background as a substantial disadvantage?
Not really, I had still blue-collar background. This fact stayed in balance with the non-party family I came from. Furthermore, nobody from my family had the need to step forward to some higher role in career.
Do you think communists were successful in tempting people from the church?
People, who want to go to church, go there. When I wanted to attend some trip with the pioneer unit, I had to get up earlier and go for the earlier mass, so I could do both. People have always choice, it´s up to them, what they want to take part in. Despite of that, the communist lured away many catholics for sure.
How about your further studies on the high school? Didn´t you feel any pressure or even penalization because you´re not from the communist family?
I would descibe the situation not like different treating of the partyman and the others. The most important was the fact whether you´re a blue-collar or white-collar. If your birth certificate said “father - doctor”, your chances were a lot lower than information like “father - blacksmith”. In my case there occurred a lucky paradox. Because my parents got along very well with the local priest, who was imprisoned in the 1950s in Ilava together with Gustáv Husák by coincidence. That´s why he disposed of broad contacts. As a kid, I didn´t understand it much, later my parents explained the cross connection of my studies and the good relations with the priest. He always said to me: “Don´t be worried about whether you´ll be taken into the school or not. You just send the application and don´t be afraid of not getting in.” After some time, my parents initiate me into the circumstances. Thanks to his acquaintance with Husák, he was able to contact people on the right positions, to arrange many things. This priest, I am talking about, was hiding a Jewish family during the Second World War. The family fled to the States after the war and became very well-off and educated. Moreover, with contacts in diplomatic circles. Consequently, the priest was in a quite good situation, as he could help others through his contacts on various sides.
Was this factor vital in the opportunities of yours to study?
It´s hard to say whether it had an effect on my acceptance for the gymnazium or for the university. One thing is certain, though, I passed all the exams successfully. There was no squeeze at study programms I was interested in (I signed for chemistry engineering) and the technical faculties at university didn´t usually demand the party background of students´ families (such as law, for example). I can´t review in what deal it helped.
Do you know if the priest helped more families in this way?
As a catholic rector, it was in his interest to support the religious education at schools and religious upbringing in families. He didn´t want to see “his” families being persecuted just for the faith. Therefore, he tried to help the ones who had the ability to continue further studies.
How the university life reflected the political environment?
The worst situation began for the best students, who were strongly motivated to join the party. I wasn’t one of them, so fortunately I didn’t confront much with the political pressure. Of course, on the university we had to attend some political courses, such as international labor movement or political economy. However, it was considered a formal exam, even by professors. Although this chair of the university had the best equipment, the highest level of finance and the most professors, they knew by themselves the tests about the politics were meaningless. But, answering your question, no. I didn’t feel any particular pressure or worse treating as a non-member of communism party.
Do you thing the professors weren’t convinced communists?
Obviously, they weren’t. I even used to see our teachers going to church every Sunday. Although they weren’t able to attend masses in the village they lived in, they usually find different place to express their faith. They couldn’t start teaching without the promise they’d lead the children in the communism interest.
Despite of everything you said, I know, that your god-mother was principal of nursery school. How did she manage to get the job even though she was a strong catholic?
She worked as principal her whole life. Suddenly, at the end of 1970s, an enactment went in effect, and she has to undergo the night school of marxism-leninism, so she doesn´t have a bad influence on children, as it stated. Even though it now seems mindless and shallow, she was worried those days. Not passing this exam would have meant the loss of her job and the concerns about finding new work after many years spent at the same place of work. As she was nervous, by instinct she did the blessing – the cross on her chest. Quite a tremendous behavior! Fortunately the examiner understood it and didn´t initiate any troubles of that. Evenmore, she was given the recommendation to teach the three-year-olds in the message of marxism-leninism. For now this example may be an evidence of how full of irony the life in communism was. Even the examiners, the “yes-sayers” of the regime, accepted this comical accident.
Author: Martina Harvanová