Dušan Slobodník
Encyclopedia
Dušan Slobodník was a Slovak
literary theoretician, translator and politician
. He was the Minister of Culture of Slovakia from 1992 to 1994, in Vladimír Mečiar
's first government. By the radical far right
in Slovakia
, Slobodník is remembered as the "synonym for Slovakia's fight against Hungarian expansion".
. In February and March 1945 (at the time of the First Slovak Republic), as a member of the semi-obligatory organisation Hlinka Youth, he is said to have participated in a training course led by the German secret service in Sekule
.
At the end of World War II
, before he could pass the matura
, he was abducted by the Soviet SMERSH
into a Russian gulag
, where he spent the years 1945 - 1954 (he was supposed to spend 15 years there, but was released after Stalin's death on an amnesty).
Back in Slovakia, he passed his matura
and started to study Slovak language and literature in Bratislava
. He was excluded by the Communists from the school for being "politically unreliable". He was rehablitated in 1960 and finished his studies in Prague
.
He was an employee of the Slovak Academy of Sciences
from 1962 and after the Velvet Revolution
(in 1990) became the director of its Institute of World Literature.
) for his party and from 1994 - 1998 the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the parliament.
In 1992, he was involved in the legal case Feldek vs. Slobodník (see Ľubomír Feldek
for details).
's Foundation
) into Slovak. He described his experience in the Russian gulag in the book Paragraf:Polárny kruh (Section:Polar Circle; 1991). He specialised in modern world literature. Theoretical problems are dealt with e.g. in the book Vedecké a literárne poznanie (Scientific and Literary Knowledge; 1988), and in the monographs Genéza a poetika science fiction (Genesis and Poetics of Science Fiction; 1981) and Teória a prax básnického prekladu (Theory and Practice of Poetical Translation; 1990).
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
literary theoretician, translator and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was the Minister of Culture of Slovakia from 1992 to 1994, in Vladimír Mečiar
Vladimír Meciar
Vladimír Mečiar is a Slovak politician who was Prime Minister of Slovakia from 1990 to 1991, from 1992 to 1994, and from 1994 to 1998. He is the leader of the People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia...
's first government. By the radical far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, Slobodník is remembered as the "synonym for Slovakia's fight against Hungarian expansion".
Early life
He attended the elementary school and high school in ZvolenZvolen
Zvolen |Slatina]] rivers, close to Banská Bystrica. With its ancient castle, the town has a historical center, which represents the seat of an okres .-History:...
. In February and March 1945 (at the time of the First Slovak Republic), as a member of the semi-obligatory organisation Hlinka Youth, he is said to have participated in a training course led by the German secret service in Sekule
Sekule
Sekule is a village and municipality in Senica District in the Trnava Region of western Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 153 metres and covers an area of 23.492km². It has a population of about 1,633 people....
.
At the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, before he could pass the matura
Matura
Matura or a similar term is the common name for the high-school leaving exam or "maturity exam" in various countries, including Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia,...
, he was abducted by the Soviet SMERSH
SMERSH
SMERSH was the counter-intelligence agency in the Red Army formed in late 1942 or even earlier, but officially founded on April 14, 1943. The name SMERSH was coined by Joseph Stalin...
into a Russian gulag
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
, where he spent the years 1945 - 1954 (he was supposed to spend 15 years there, but was released after Stalin's death on an amnesty).
Back in Slovakia, he passed his matura
Matura
Matura or a similar term is the common name for the high-school leaving exam or "maturity exam" in various countries, including Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia,...
and started to study Slovak language and literature in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
. He was excluded by the Communists from the school for being "politically unreliable". He was rehablitated in 1960 and finished his studies in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
.
He was an employee of the Slovak Academy of Sciences
Slovak Academy of Sciences
The Slovak Academy of Sciences SAV is the main scientific and research institution in Slovakia fostering basic and strategic basic research...
from 1962 and after the Velvet Revolution
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
(in 1990) became the director of its Institute of World Literature.
Political career
As a member of the HZDS party, which won the elections in 1992, he was Slovakia's Minister of Culture from 1992 to 1994. Afterwards (1994 - 2001), he was deputy to the parliament (National Council of the Slovak RepublicNational Council of the Slovak Republic
The National Council of the Slovak Republic , abbreviated to NR SR, is the national parliament of Slovakia. It is unicameral, and consists of 150 MPs, who are elected by universal suffrage under proportional representation every four years....
) for his party and from 1994 - 1998 the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the parliament.
In 1992, he was involved in the legal case Feldek vs. Slobodník (see Ľubomír Feldek
Lubomír Feldek
Ľubomír Feldek is a Slovak poet, writer, playwright, and translator. He is married to Oľga Feldeková....
for details).
Work
He translated modern Russian, English and French literature (e.g. Isaac AsimovIsaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
's Foundation
Foundation (novel)
Foundation is the first book in Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy . Foundation is a collection of five short stories, which were first published together as a book by Gnome Press in 1951...
) into Slovak. He described his experience in the Russian gulag in the book Paragraf:Polárny kruh (Section:Polar Circle; 1991). He specialised in modern world literature. Theoretical problems are dealt with e.g. in the book Vedecké a literárne poznanie (Scientific and Literary Knowledge; 1988), and in the monographs Genéza a poetika science fiction (Genesis and Poetics of Science Fiction; 1981) and Teória a prax básnického prekladu (Theory and Practice of Poetical Translation; 1990).