The so-called “great history” is written on the pages of history books: the turning points and important names of major commanders or political leaders. The rise of fascist ideologies and the events of the Second World War, along with the Slovak National Uprising affected the lives of countless ordinary people. It was not just about men marching with guns in their hands, waiting for an uncertain tomorrow; many women also joined the anti-fascist resistance movement—mainly in supporting roles. However, in rare cases, they could be found on the battlefield. Without their contribution the resistance movement would have barely functioned, but it is very rare to come across a report of their fate in literature. Nevertheless, any story of those who contributed to the defeat of fascism, even a forgotten one, is incredibly valuable. This postage stamp helps us commemorate three women who joined the anti-fascist resistance movement.
Chaviva Reik, first from the left, commander of the Amsterdam Airborne Unit, provided intelligence information to the Allies upon her arrival in Slovakia and organized the evacuation of American pilots and Jewish residents who were in danger. She trained the local partisan unit and retreated with them to the mountains. After she was captured and interrogated, she was executed together with her fellow fighters in Kremnička on the 20th of November. She was only thirty years old.
Dalma Špitzerová, the Slovak actress and drama teacher, left the Slovak State at her father’s insistence. Although she could not speak Hungarian, thanks to a lucky coincidence, she met her older sisters in Budapest. They had gone there a little earlier than she did. After her cover was blown, she was interned in a camp in Nováky. After the camp was liberated, she joined the Uprising and worked in the press department of the partisan movement. Just a couple of weeks before liberation, her brother and both parents were killed by the Nazis. She lived to be ninety-five years old.
Marína Paulíniová, a Slovak journalist, diplomat and health worker, had to leave Slovakia at the age of eight due to poor economic conditions. Despite this, she never resented her homeland and as a vice-president of the exiled Czechoslovak Red Cross, she helped to provide material aid to the prisoners of war in German camps. She was instrumental in securing post-war aid for Czechoslovakia and the purchase of medicines in Switzerland. She tragically died on her way back to her homeland when her plane crashed on the 5th of October 1945. The newspapers at that time wrote about her and described her as a modern-day Milan Rastislav Štefánik.
Lukáš Volentier
