The Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution. Two words of opposite meaning. On one hand – Velvet as a kind of very soft and delicate material, and on the other hand word erevolution that has been connected to a fight for justice, bloodsheding, revolt and threaty. These opposites reminds us of magnet poles.
Mutual attraction is typical for the word compound „The Velvet Revolution“, too. Two words unseparatable, unchangeable and unique. They are connected to the most important historical happenings of Slovak Nation.
We experienced those days personally and we learnt about them from radio, television or our parents and grandparents had told us about them. Their memories are filled in with own views, opinions, experiences and attitudes. We also have to face different feelings of both poles. There are euphoria and smiling faces to manifest agreement on one side and shaking heads for disagreement on the other side.
It has been twenty years since the Revolutionary time and it has become the top topic for various media, institutions.
People drow out November 1989 memories. We can watch various authentic photos and documents and we can listen to well-known or ordinary people talking about those days.
Mária Sklarčíková, 54 years old short little woman, works as a member of the security service in Trnava, has shared her memories with us.
Interviewer: The Velvet. Revolution. Mrs Sklarčíková, if you say these words what is first that comes to your mind?
M. S.: Year 1989. There is a crowd of happy people, ringing their keys and hoping for better democratic life to come on the square.
Interviewer: Did you believe in a new life? Which one?
M. S.: Everybody believed in new life but everyone believed it in his own way. I don´t think we knew what to expect from the new life in all that euphoria.
Interviewer: Did you join the mass in ringing the keys?
M. S.: No, no, I didn´t. I lived in Piešťany and I followed all the news watching the TV. I didn´t feel the need to join the crowd. I didn´t have the reason to feel happy because I didn´t know whether the revolution would bring anything good.
Interviewer: The state control, restrictions and bans where a man couldn´t do anything anti- republic were typical features for the pre- revolution times. Did you experience any restriction on your own life?
M. S.: I worked on a state plant producing munition in Piešťany. None of my family members had a significant position, we all were ordinary workers. We all had jobs because everyone had to work and employment didn´t exist. So, we had no problems with anyone.
Interviewer: So, were you satisfied with that time situation?
M. S.: Yes, I was. As I said no control and restrictions touched me. I had my work and no complains.
Interviewer: What side did you take then? Were you on the side of the communist regime or on the side of the revolution?
M. S.: I can say I was neutral. I wasn´t interested in the revolution very much. I watched all the happenings on TV. The most important events took part in Prague, anyway.
Interviewer: What about TV programs? Do you remember anything interesting or any „censura“ impact on TV?
M. S.: At that time I could watch a lot of entertaining programs and I like watching them nowdays, 20 years after. I had no idea of any censura. But I will never forget one moment when an actor had to go down the ladder facing the audience because there was a very important politican among them. That was really ridiculous.
Interviewer: What about your relatives, family members and coleagues. HOw did they take those revolutionary days?
M. S.: Whole my family, just like me, they were all neutral. They didn´t take part in those events. But I have very sad remember concerning to my two coleagues...All the actors and students were travelling round the whole Slovakia preaching a fight for our rights, a fight for the fall of totalism and a fight for democracy. People were impressed by their speech. It was really good to listen to them. Big changes fo better. I remember a group of students that came to our factory. They were dressed according to the latest fashion. We all stood in front of our factory and cheered and clapped our hands with happiness. I wasn´t that optimistic. I didn´t believe everything would change so rapidly. It looked like fairy-tale.
My two coleagues didn´t understand me: „Maja, Why aren´t you happy? We are going to have good times finally!“
Pessimism is a part of nature and I didn´t feel that those fashionable young men could fight any better conditions for us. It didn´t seem real for me. And we didn´t have so bad times. What did we miss...?
But this big euphoria fell off my coleauges very soon. I worked in a plant manufacturing munition. After the Revolution the interest for the munition had dicreased, the plant closed and all employees lost their jobs. My two coleagues couldn´t cope with situation and they hanged. They both had their families, little children. It was so sad.
Interviewer: The Revolutionary times were full of happy and sad stories. But it has been twenty years since that time. How do you consider that time now?
M. S.: I think my pessimism was at right place. Think of work. There is a threat that you would loose a job everywhere. Or you can´t find a job because there is a lack of opportunities. I had no idea what unemployment ment before 1989. And as far as politicans are concerned it´s just the same. They promise something and never fulfill their promisses. It has just been like that and it always will be.
Katarína Hrušková