Mocenský zásah proti Strane slobody v roku 1956 – prípad Vincent Pokojný a spol.
The intervention of the regime in the Freedom Party in 1956, the case of Vincent Pokojný and his associates

Summary/Abstract: The Freedom Party (Strana slobody) was one of the two satellite parties, which existed in Slovakia after 1948. It had no political influence and was forced to operate as a “party of activists” with a minimal membership base. Part of its leadership, headed by its chairman Vincent Pokojný, a member of the National Assembly, strove to activate the party and widen its membership base in the mid fifties. Another part of the leadership, represented by the general secretary František Štefánik, disagreed with this and denounced Pokojný and his associates to the leader-ship of the Communist Party of Slovakia, especially Karol Bacílek and Pavol David. At the of 1955 Štefánik gave them some programme documents formulating the approach of the Freedom Party in the event of the collapse of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. At the beginning of 1956, Pokojný was forced to give up his seat in the National Assembly. The State Security Service detained him and accused him of preparing a counter revolution and the restoration of capitalism in Czechoslovakia. In July 1956, the members of Pokojný’s group were convicted in a show trial and given long prison sentences. The longest – 11 years – was given to Pokojný himself. The sentences were reduced after an appeal in September 1956, but remained unjustifiably harsh and unjust. This was also a “warning” to the other satellite political parties not to attempt any activation.

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