Courage, bravery and resoluteness of the ancestors will never be forgotten. The Slovak National Uprising is celebrated every year in Slovakia to mark the anniversary of the uprising, an armed rebellion that broke out in Slovakia in late August 1944 and continued until October 1944 during World War II. Even though it was unsuccessful after few months, it put Slovakia on the winning side of countries after the war.
The Slovak National Uprising is commemorated annually to maintain the Uprising's heritage for future generations. It is a national holiday in Slovakia. On this day, wreaths are placed on numerous places such the memorial to the Slovak National Uprising in Bratislava, the Memorial of the French Partisans near Strečno or the Memorial of the Slovak National Uprising in Nemecká, commemorating the anniversary of the outbreak of anti-fascist uprising. With high attendance, the anniversary is also celebrated in the historic city of Banská Bystrica where key celebrations run.
With the Uprising, Slovaks refused fascism in the era of the wartime Slovak state occupied by German troops that entered Slovakia on August 29th, 1944. Slovakia has been celebrating the anniversary of Slovak fight for the basic values of a democratic society on August 29 as its national holiday since the end of World War II. There are always many commemorative events taking place around the country. Being the centre of the Uprising, the main part of celebrations is held in Banská Bystrica.
Nationawide celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising with manifold cultural programme will this year take place on Wednesday, August 29th, 2018, at 11.50 a.m. at the Museum of the Slovak National Uprising in the centre of Banská Bystrica. Slovakia's three top constitutional officials, Uprising's direct participants and many foreign delegations and representatives joining the celebrations, ceremony at the Slovak National Uprising's Memorial in Banská Bystrica Region metropolis where the rebellion took place underscores the importance of the Uprising as one of the most important events in the history of the Slovak nation.
Slovak National Uprising Anniversary is always celebrated on August 29th. This day was chosen in 2003 to be a national holiday for Slovakia as it represents a time when all Slovaks came together against an oppressive dictatorship. Solidarity shown in this period of Slovak history is unprecedented. This public holiday commemorates 29 August 1944, which marked the start of an uprising against the pro-Nazi government of the time. Headquartered in central Slovakia, the forces of the uprising consisted of several armoured units as well as part of the Slovak Air Force, making it the only World War II anti-Nazi military resistance movement with its own air forces.
Despite some limited support from the allies, the uprising was crushed by the German forces before the end of October 1944. After the defeat, the remaining forces of the uprising continued guerilla warfare until the end of the war in 1945. Nowadays, surviving veterans and participants are organised in Slovak Union of Anti-Fascist Fighters. Deep gratitude and immortal glory to all of them.
