The issue is a reminder of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Slovak Republic, whose motif is the Honour Guard of the President of the Slovak Republic. It is a unit of the armed forces representing the highest Slovak constitutional official, who is, at the same time, the supreme commander of the Armed Forces the Slovak Republic.
The Castle and Honour Guard Regiment was founded after the establishment of the independent Slovak Republic. A battalion of the regiment performed the duties of the presidential honour guard. The Castle Guard Battalion was first responsible for Bratislava Castle, then the Primate’s Palace, and from 1996 for the Presidential Palace. A separate unit, the Honour Guard of the President of the Slovak Republic, was founded on 1st August 2001.
The Honour Guard of the President is a symbol and attribute of Slovak statehood. Its history dates back to the beginnings of the constitution of the first Czechoslovak Republic. However, personal guards have existed throughout the centuries. In addition to the uniform, which is based on the classic military cut introduced in the former Czechoslovak Army, its members have guarded the Presidential Palace since 2003, dressed in historical uniforms modelled after the Slovak volunteers of 1848. Specifically, they were created according to the uniform of the national revivalist Janko Francisci. He was portrayed in this uniform by Peter Michal Bohúň. This work, by an important Slovak painter, is depicted on a Czechoslovak postage stamp from 1968.
The historical uniform of the soldiers of the honour guard, with grey trousers, is based on the colours of the Slovak tricolour and complemented by a hat with a white feather and decorative ornamentation. These ornaments are created using cord, based on motifs found within Slovak folk costumes. Its exclusivity is underlined by the rich gilding and brown fur on the winter caps and hems of the upper doublet. The wearer’s rank is marked on the doublet with red epaulettes using appropriate insignia. The uniform was designed by Ľubica Jarjabková and Helena Jurikovičová.
Peter Osuský
