Slovak partisans were fighters inirregular military groups participating in the Slovak resistance movement, including againstNazi Germany andcollaborationism duringWorld War II.
Slovak partisans were an anti-fascist militia formed immediately following the creation of the First Slovak Republic in 1939, to fight against Nazis and their collaborators. Men and women both fought in the ranks of partisan units, as well as Jews and Christians alike. Slovak partisans had mixed loyalties as many were deeply nationalistic and wanted to maintain an independent Slovak Republic free of fascism, while many others were socialists who forged strong links with the Soviet Union and Soviet partisans. Slovak partisans mainly carried out acts of sabotage. Their largest anti-Nazi military engagement was theSlovak National Uprising in 1944, in which Slovak partisans were aided by theSlovak Army andSoviet partisans.Ján Golian andRudolf Viest, generals in the Slovak Army, led the uprising, which was eventually crushed by the Germans and their Hungarian, Slovak and Ukrainian collaborators. The most famous Slovak partisan brigade was theM.R.Stefanik brigade led by the Slovak partisan heroViliam Žingor.[1][2] With 1300 members, it was the largest partisan brigade, and was fiercely nationalistic yet religiously tolerant, with over 300Jewish members. After the war this brigade, and its leader, fell into disfavour amongCzechoslovak Communist politicians, who accusedGustáv Husák of being a traitor to the Slovak nation and people. Zingor was eventually executed by Husák and the communist government on December 18, 1950. TheJanosik brigade was another partisan brigade, which fought in theTatra Mountains andOrava.
Slovak Jewish partisans made outstanding accomplishments as members of all-Jewish groups. The most famous Slovak Jewish partisan unit was theNováky Brigade, formed from the inmates ofNovaky concentration camp. The Novaky brigade benefited from its strategic locale, as the camp was in a region populated by miners and farmers who had no sympathy for the pro-Nazi government. With the help of these friendly locals, the Novaky brigade made contacts with other partisans, and arranged to receive aid and weapons in the event of an armed uprising. In honour of their service to their country, 166 Jewish partisans were awarded theOrder of the Slovak Uprising.
There were many famous Slovak partisans but none more famous than the famousJán Nálepka, andViliam Žingor.
![In Memoriam Viola Valachova [sk] partisan](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aViola_Valachov%25C3%25A1_table.jpg)
