Slovak Jews protest efforts to glorify pre-WWII nationalist leader - Haaretz

Subscribe to Print Edition

Thu., October 04, 2007 ,

Israel Time: 11:47 (EST+7)

web haaretz.com

Back to Homepage

Print Edition

Diplomacy

Defense

Arts & Leisure

Real Estate

Jewish World

National

Advertising

Magazine

Week's End

Business

Opinion

Rosner's Domain

Anglo File

Books

Travel

del.icio.us

Digg It! new

Last update - 11:40 04/10/2007

Slovak Jews protest efforts to glorify pre-WWII nationalist leader

By The Associated Press

Slovak Jewish communities rejected Wednesday what they called efforts by Slovak nationalists to glorify a controversial pre-World War II leader.

The Slovak parliament is debating a proposal by the nationalist Slovak National Party to honor Andrej Hlinka, a Catholic priest and leader of the Slovak People's Party before the war, for his contribution to the creation of the independent Slovak state.

The vote is expected later this month.

	Advertisement

But the Association of Slovakia's Jewish Communities condemned the glorification of Hlinka and the bill, which would declare him the father of the nation in a statement Wednesday.

Andrej Hlinka rejected the democratic principles of Czechoslovakia and spoke with admiration about politicians such as Adolf Hitler and (Italy's fascist dictator) Benito Mussolini, the statement said.

The Jewish community in Slovakia considers the name of Andrej Hlinka a symbol of Slovak fascism in the years of 1939-45, it said.

Slovakia was a Nazi puppet state during World War II. It sent over 70,000 of its Jews to Nazi concentration camps, where most of them perished.

Hlinka has been criticized for anti-Semitic and nationalistic views. During the 1930s he spoke in favor of broad Slovak autonomy within Czechoslovakia. He died on Aug 16, 1938, before the war began.

After the fall of the Austro-Hungarian empire in 1918, Slovakia became part of Czechoslovakia, which split peacefully into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993.

More Jewish World news and features

Bookmark to del.icio.us


	Sidewalk or cafe
	Israel's cities seem content to let eating establishments pour out onto the street.


	My favorite cafe
	Authors weigh in on their favorite spots to while the day away.




1.	Zionist hysteria	18:42	\|	Marcel	03/10/07

2.	#1 anti-zionist hysteria	19:18	\|	Reuben Jacobs	03/10/07

3.	To Marcel	19:28	\|	Marion Hossa	03/10/07

4.	There is a difference between "nationalist" and "anti-semite"	19:32	\|	DK	03/10/07

5.	What are doing a Jewish Comunity in slovakia ?	19:55	\|	The Dumbite Kid	03/10/07

6.	to Marcel	19:57	\|	rootlesscosmo	03/10/07

7.	What if israeli arabs...	20:23	\|	Marcel	03/10/07

8.	to 6	20:43	\|	Marcel	03/10/07

9.	Let the community dictate what happens in Israel	20:53	\|	GOLEM I!	03/10/07

10.	Marcel	21:14	\|	mich	03/10/07

11.	Hlinka was and is the Slovakian Nazi symbol	22:06	\|	Jossi	03/10/07

12.	marcel the ignorant	22:28	\|	Reuben Jacobs	03/10/07

13.	to Marcel...again	22:59	\|	rootlesscosmo	03/10/07

14.	what else is new?	23:10	\|	sweis Melbourne	03/10/07

15.	Bravo rootlesscosmo	23:21	\|	GZLives	03/10/07

16.	To Yossi	23:36	\|	Otto Rand	03/10/07

17.	marcel	02:24	\|	larry from maine	04/10/07

18.	Hlinka and his record	04:02	\|	leucippe	04/10/07

19.	Hlinka Guard	04:05	\|	Leucippe	04/10/07

20.	#19 To Leucippe	06:18	\|	hipolito dormal	04/10/07

21.	Yossi, 11	09:46	\|	Jozef,	04/10/07

22.	#1 Marcel - you`ve got your facts wrong	11:25	\|	* BEN JABO	04/10/07

Today Online


	Bradley Burston: Yes, Sen. McCain, America is a Christian nation
	Responses: 438


	Report: PA sources say no final deal prior to Israeli elections
	Responses: 225


	Rosner: Timetable is true stumbling block for Israel, Palestinians
	Responses: 27


	Editorial: Occupation becoming more like political apartheid
	Responses: 190


	Ruth Gavison: Right of return can't torpedo peace prospects
	Responses: 89


	Dafna Golan: A 9-year-old is threatening the Jewish majority
	Responses: 132

Rosner's Domain

Israel-Palestine: Forget the right of return, the real problem is timetable

* Guest: Why there's no need to condemn John McCain for the "Christian Nation"?

* American Jews are in great danger. Here's the proof

* WTR: Who's to blame for the Taliban?

More Headlines
07:46 Hamas: Three Executive Force members wounded in Gaza blast


10:02 U.S. policy paper calls for division of J'lem, no right of return


10:48 Report: Ahmadinejad says Iran's mission is to stop Israeli hegemony


07:40 Holocaust survivors paid $8 billion, urge more litigation


07:49 Report: PA sources say no final peace deal before Israeli elections


10:28 Police arrest 3 suspects after arson attempt on Tel Aviv restaurant


10:56 Chelsea best Valencia in Grant's first Champions League match


21:57 Bush hails N. Korea nuclear accord as possible model for Iran


16:08 Gaza banks say may shut down by Jan. over financial clampdown


11:40 Slovak Jews protest efforts to glorify pre-WWII nationalist leader