28th October

Even thought the first Czechoslovak Republic was established by the ‘rotten bourgeois capitalists’, the date of its foundation, 28^th October was a national holiday that was duly celebrated during communism. After all, bourgeois or not, it was a liberation from Hungarians for the Slovaks, and from the Germans for brothers Czechs. Although the latter were grumbled about for their ‘Pragocentrism’ (directing all things from Prague despite the federation we had on paper) in the pubs, they were not grumbled about officially. That is not done in a socialist federative republic. After the fall of communism, the 28^th October was a day of battling out the nationalist sentiments. We, the so-called ‘Czechoslovakists’ (and believe me, that ain’t a compliment in Slovakia) would gather in front of the Slovak national museum under the statue of a double-tailed lion, symbol of Czechoslovak Federation, today of the Czech Republic. The ‘Hey-Slovaks’ (Slovak nationalists who got their name from a song made popular during the national revival movement that goes “Hey, Slovaks, our Slovak language is still alive, alive is the Slovak nation, it will live forever…etc.”) would gather nearby and yell and sing louder, if not outright throw rocks.

Anyhow, fast forward fifteen or so years, Czechoslovakia split, Slovak nationalists and populists got what they wanted, an independent state. One would think it would be easier to claim that important part of the historical heritage that Czechoslovakia was; rampant nationalism snoring away after a hefty meal of secession. I’d have thought so, too. But two days ago, on the Day of the Republic, other than a one or two minute long shot in the TV there was nada. No mention in any main newspaper, not a word. Who cares that Czechoslovakia was the only democratic state in Central Europe at the time. Who cares that it dragged Slovakia out of poverty and backwardness and pulled it up among the most developed countries of the period between the two world wars. Czechs do have the 28^th as their national holiday. Heck, it was their republic, we mutter. We don’t recognize it. But 1^st September, when the Slovak Parliament passed the Constitution that broke Czechoslovakia apart, that we’ll celebrate. 6^th of January, the day when the three Kings arrived to give Jesus their presents (and Epiphany or whatnot), yes that’s national holiday. Easter, Christmas, and 15 September – Virgin Mary Day, all national holidays. Funniest is the Cyril and Metodius day – Byzantine emissaries who apparently brought Christianity to these lands (little did they know…). Oh forget the Scottish and Irish missionaries that were here long before and after them, forget the fact their impact was at best limited at the time, that they were kicked out because the ruler Svatopluk chose Rome over Constantinople… They are the founders of the first Slovak statehood somehow, although the Great Moravian Empire was not really Slovak and not really a statehood either. And had little to do with the two of them.

Neither the Catholics’ nor the national myth-makers’ holidays would upset me, if only 28^th October remained among the national holidays after the split in 1993. It sure as hell is my own national holiday. I don’t like to be deprived of it by an ignorant government, nor by ignorance of my fellow citizens. I was born in Czechoslovakia and Masaryk was my first President, too. There. Whew, I feel much better already.