Antimyths About Slovakia

Dária Fojtíková Fehérová*

Abstract

In 2023, the Slovak Republic celebrated the 30th anniversary of its independence. Politicians have seized this occasion, along with various other celebrations, to portray Slovakia as a self-sufficient and stable nation with a rich history and vibrant traditions. In contrast, artists are delving into the complexities of national identity, exploring Slovakia’s position within Europe, the expanse of its history and the significance of education. This paper introduces three productions of the Slovak National Theatre in Bratislava (Hollyroth, 2007; Kocúrkovo/Gotham City, 2023; Pes na ceste/Dog on the Road, 2024). All of them depict true cultural heroes, patriots, representatives of Slovakia, who became significant Slovak personalities despite the reversed “Kafkaesque” world where they lived. 

Keywords: intellectual hero, patriotism, Kafka, Slovak National Theatre, history of Slovakia

Because of his political and artistic affinity with the Czech Republic, Franz Kafka is closely aligned with Slovakia’s cultural heritage. The first notable indicators of Franz Kafka’s connection to the region are a shared linguistic background, despite his writing primarily in German, the locations where he resided, and his eight-month convalescence in the High Tatras. Nevertheless, for many years, Kafka’s works were barred from theatrical performance, due to their critical engagement with existential questions, bureaucratic inefficiencies, societal injustice and the alienation of the individual. These themes were incongruent with the state’s prescribed vision of a model citizen who was expected to prioritize collective well-being and contribute to the construction of an idealized, progressive state. It was only in 1990, a year after the Velvet Revolution of 1989, that Kafka’s works were first staged. A notable dramatization of The Trial was met with great success, particularly in Prague.

The Metamorphosis and The Castle have been adapted for the stage on numerous occasions, and university theatres have also featured Kafka’s works. However, The Trial remains the most frequently performed from among Kafka’s writings. This may be attributed to its themes of opaque bureaucratic systems and authoritarian governmental power, resonating with Slovakia’s ongoing challenges in its pursuit of a stable democracy. However, the present study does not focus on individual productions by Franz Kafka; instead, it draws inspiration from the very universe he created. While such a setting can be viewed as fictional, its foundations and processes, unfortunately, are firmly rooted in our society. The main character of the productions is a Slovak hero. Lost and rejected by his contemporaries, he aims to discover the truth about himself and his nation, yet constantly encounters limitations and orders dictated to him from above. It is challenging to seek the truth about ourselves when at the same time we are struggling to define our identity, both individually as personalities and collectively as members of a nation. The more deeply creators delve into this issue, the more clearly Slovakia resembles a Kafkaesque universe where individuals can only observe in bewilderment as surreal events unfold around them.

What is Slovakia, and Who Are the Slovaks?

Slovakia is a young country, having declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire to become part of Czechoslovakia in 1918. At the beginning of WWII, after the Munich Agreement, southern Slovak territories with a predominantly Hungarian population were annexed to Hungary, while smaller parts were annexed to Poland. A large portion of the country along the Czech border became part of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, while the rest of Slovakia was granted nominal independence. However, in actuality, the citizens became vassals of Hitler, surrendering the country without resistance. In 1948, Slovakia joined a political union with the Czechs which lasted until 1992, initially as the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, and from 1989 onward as a federation. The peaceful dissolution of this union in 1993 led to the establishment of the independent Slovak Republic.

Even though a type of so-called cultural Slovak language has been used in the Slovak region since the sixteenth century, the official languages were initially Latin and Czech. The first official version of the Slovak language was codified in 1843, and since then has provided a basis for the development of modern Slovak. However, contemporary Slovak in its current form was officially established during the period spanning the years 1959–1968, when six volumes of the first Slovak Dictionary were published. Today, a significant number of Hungarians reside in Slovakia, where the Hungarian language is commonly used in schools, official bureaus and the post offices. Additionally, thanks to television programs and various Czech TV channels broadcast in Slovakia without translation, many children continue to view Czech as a natural part of their linguistic environment.

Against this sociolinguistic backdrop, Slovak patriotism has recently been the focus of numerous forms of political discussion. Spectacular national celebrations and the promotion of folkloric traditions encourage people to accept the comment made by the Minister of Culture at one of her first official public appearances: “We tolerate other national cultures, but our culture is not the mixture of other cultures.”[1] In other words, the culture of the Slovak nation should be Slovak, Slovak and no other. But the more we delve into our history, the more difficult it becomes to believe in the idea of a powerful, self-sufficient country. Hence, this paper seeks to review anti-myths about Slovakia and to challenge various commonly held misconceptions by turning them on their head. The discussion highlights the superficiality of our intellectual foundations while, simultaneously, affirming that the basis for our national pride is both robust and enduring.

Contradiction of “Sense and Sensibility”

A few Slovak creators repeatedly return to the search for our identity, seeking to define what it is and how it has been shaped. What the following three productions have in common is the fact that their author is a strong intellectual personality (in the first two cases a priest), whose intellectual depth we have not been able to appreciate until now. The three productions of the Slovak National Theatre, based on texts by these authors, have prompted a form of demythologization which includes the deconstruction of national myths and an honest appraisal of our history, thereby resulting in a highly critical view of the Slovaks as a nation.

Slovakia never had a king, a ruler or a personality that we could look up to as a sociocultural or political leader. Thus, it is not surprising that the theme of the missing national knight has been treated in several productions by director Rastislav Ballek. One notable production was Hollyroth: Robert Roth Sings Ján Hollý, directed by Rastislav Ballek in 2007. This work explores the life of the Catholic priest Ján Hollý (1785–1849), whose extensive contributions played a significant role in sociopolitical movements to recognize the Slovak language and promote Slovakian autonomy. He was the only one who wrote in a linguistic variety that could have become our official language.[2] During his university years, he translated Greek and Latin heroic poems and is himself the author of the epic poem Svatopluk, based on Homer and Virgil.

The production Hollyroth was based on his correspondence, in which he confesses the hardships he experienced during his priestly ministry. While he was translating and writing his epics, cultivating the spirit of himself and the future Slovaks, he did not tend to his bodily needs. He often led his horse out of the water to serve mass in the same clothes, despite falling ill multiple times. A passionate lover of nature, he frequently wrote about the natural world; tragically, his favorite grove was cut down, and both his rectory and home were destroyed by fire. He endured lifelong consequences from the burns he sustained, and he also lost his sight later in life. Despite the miserable financial and physical conditions of his life, he was an intellectual legend, and many scholars visited him to discuss issues related to Slovak patriotism, as Slovakia was still a part of Austro-Hungarian Empire at the time.

Hollyroth: Robert Roth Sings Ján Hollý. Photo: Ctibor Bachratý

The first half of the text presented by the Slovak National Theatre was drawn from Hollý’s letters, while the second half was a condensed version of the epic poem Svatopluk. Written in a language that blends Czech, Slovak and archaic expressions, the poem’s complex style is challenging for modern readers, with its precise and chant-like rhythm.

Gotham City. Gregor Hološka, Róbert Roth, Jakub Rybárik. Photo: Braňo Konečný

The character of an intellectually gifted priest was conveyed by the director through several excerpts from Shakespearean plays as a parallel to the author, whose language is incomprehensible today even though his work is very much alive. The production featured a DJ who adapted to the actor’s real-time actions, with the music and performance/singing closely coordinated throughout the performance. This monodrama depicted a picture of a Slovak hero who has still not been appreciated in the popular consciousness. Although it is a part of the compulsory school curriculum, the students learn about him as someone distant, not understanding the importance of what Hollý put in place for our future.

Another work by Rastislav Ballek, also at the Slovak National Theatre, was staged fifteen years later. For this performance the author was an evangelical priest, Ján Chalupka (1791–1871). His life was defined not so much by physical challenges as much as by misfortune in love and misunderstandings of the intellect. Ján Chalupka was a distinguished scholar and polyglot, having studied at several German universities and mastering numerous languages, including Latin, German, Hungarian, French, Greek, Hebrew, English, Italian and Serbian. He is considered a key figure in the Slovak national revival movement.

In 1830, Chalupka premiered his play Kocúrkovo (Krähwinkel), commonly regarded as the foundation of Slovak amateur theatre. Alongside his work as a playwright, he also contributed to Slovak literature through prose, religious hymns and academic essays.

During his first teaching post, Chalupka fell in love with Babetta von Wieland, a woman from a wealthy family. However, due to his modest means as a priest, her parents forbade the marriage. Although he later moved to a different town and married as expected, he and Babetta continued to exchange letters. Even as he approached the end of his life, he kept Babetta in his thoughts, asking for her portrait on his deathbed. Babetta, on the other hand, never married.

Gotham City. Robert Roth and Anežka Petrová. Photo: Braňo Konečný

Kocúrkovo,[3] directed by Rastislav Ballek in 2023, was a contribution to the 30th anniversary of the independent Slovak Republic.[4] The language of the play is a combination of Slovak, Czech, Hungarian and some Latin as well; the characters, a father, a mother and two children, are lazy people who resist working, choosing instead to help themselves advance with bribes and intrigue. A future teacher arrives in town, initially portrayed as the embodiment of the true Slovakian. However, in this adaptation, the director allows the teacher to descend into madness; he falls in love not with a genuine Slovak girl but, rather, with an idealized persona. Upon witnessing the environment in which he is meant to teach, he becomes increasingly unhinged.

The character of Ján Chalupka is portrayed primarily by the actor Robert Roth (the same as in Hollyroth), who changes his identity throughout the entire production. In the beginning, he is an entertainer, a stage actor who entertains the nation on television instead of presenting high art on the stage. Gradually he changes back into his priestly robes, and at the end of his life he looks back on his beloved Babetta, who reads her letters to him. This part of the play serves to personify not only their unfulfilled relationship but also the idea of Slovakia as an eternally waiting bride who has become a dusty old spinster through the process of waiting.

The third contribution to the theme of depicting our country is Dog on the Road. It is based on the prose work by the award-winning author and translator Pavel Vilikovský (1941–2020) and was staged at the Slovak National Theatre in 2024, directed by Dušan David Pařízek. It is a paradox that the Slovak National Theatre has called on Pařízek, a Czech director based in Germany, to reflect on Slovak recent history.

Although written in 2010, this text remains remarkably relevant today. Its international resonance stems from the inherent nature of its subject matter. The novel takes place abroad and revolves around a Slovak writer who introduces Slovak literature to his Austrian peers. The title Dog on the Road is not meant to be a metaphor for the desperate stray creature that runs from side to side, sniffing and marking its territory. Rather, his work explores the themes of home, nation and patriotism, which Vilikovský conveys through the protagonist’s journey back home across Austria. This journey is marked by a romantic encounter with an Austrian-American woman of Slovak descent and draws parallels with the Austrian writer Thomas Bernhard, whose critiques of his homeland are often uncompromising. The director, Pařízek, divided the role of the narrator and the protagonist, a Slovak writer on a journey across Austria, among four different actors. They are united, yet they each represent a particular characteristic of the protagonist.

Dog on the Road. Ľuboš Kostelný, Alexander Bárta, Richard Stanke, Robert Roth. Photo: Róbert Tappert

The actors blur the boundary between stage and audience, actively engaging viewers by shining flashlights on their faces and speaking directly to them. This bold intrusion echoes Peter Handke’s Offending the Audience. One actor daringly reprimands not only the audience but also the citizens of Slovakia, directing pointed criticism toward the political leadership. Some of the dialogues are strictly self-contained, creating the illusion of a realistic situation taking place in the here and now, in front of the spectators’ eyes. At the same time, self-irony enters the dialogues, as actors comment to and wink sympathetically at the audience, telling them that it is only a play, a demonstration of a real-life situation and, most importantly, a call for a common reflection on several themes. The most prominent themes explored are patriotism and nationalism, particularly regarding the complexities of Slovak identity, what it means to be Slovak and how national heritage shapes an individual’s identity within a specific country. While the work displays a sharp sense of irony, it is evident from its depth that both the author and the actors have a profound affection for their homeland.

Dog on the Road. Alexandre Bárta. Photo: Róbert Tappert

Three productions, two of which premiered in the last two seasons and are still in the repertory, tell us their own truth about Slovakia. The truth that intellectual endeavors are often underestimated leads to the conclusion that even the most thoughtful individuals ultimately succumb to societal expectations and responsibilities. Nevertheless, there are still representatives of the nation who, despite multiple defeats and concessions, shape the identity of Slovakia and constantly point not only to the sometimes sad picture of our country but also to the fact that there are individuals who love it and have the ability to change it. This stance is even more important today, when Slovak cultural institutions are facing personal and ideological bullying from the Ministry of Culture and new laws are introduced that restrict democratic decisions about financing of culture and give power to nationalist representatives from the Ministry. The Kafkaesque universe is back in full force.

NOTE: This article is a part of my research that has been supported by public funding from the Slovak Arts Council.


Endnotes

[1] Martina Šimkovičová, Slovak Minister of culture, made this claim on 6th November 2024 during her first press conference as the head of the ministry. This statement was already ironized many times, but it reflects the opinion of most of the Slovak population.

[2] It was the Bernolák codification in 1787, based on the actual language spoken by educated people in western Slovakia. Ján Hollý wrote exclusively in this newly standardized literary language. In 1843 he was visited by a group of Slovak Enlighteners who asked Hollý, as a living legend, to support the newly developed and soon codified form of Slovak language, a variant of which we still use today.

[3] The Slovak National Theatre translates it as Gotham City as a reference to the crime-ridden city where Batman rules. Kocúrkovo is a fictional city in Slovakia, but thanks to Chalupka it became a general name for any city, place or situation defined by laziness, stupidity, narrow-mindedness, backwardness, pettiness, in other words, a system that doesn’t work.

[4] The 30th anniversary of the Slovak Republic was celebrated in 2023. Only a few theatres commemorated it and the fact that the Slovak National Theatre chose this play prompted several negative reactions. The play is considered to be a part of the cultural heritage, but is looked upon as a sweet, funny, ironic picture of a fictional world of which we are not a part. However, Rastislav Ballek directed it as a contemporary play and managed to address some crucial problems of our society today. As a result, the audience’s reactions tend to be polarized: they either love it or strongly dislike it.

Bibliography

Ballek, Rastislav. Hollyroth, directed by Rastislav Ballekm 2009, Slovak National Theatre.

Chalupka, Ján, and Peter Pavlac. Kocúrkovo (Gotham City), directed by Rastislav Ballek, 2023, Slovak National Theatre.

Vilikovský, Pavel. Dušan D. Pařízek: Pes na ceste (Dog on the Road), directed by Dušan D. Pařízek, 2024, Slovak National Theatre. 


*Dária Fojtíková Fehérová (PhD) earned her degree in Theatre Science from the University of Performing Arts in Bratislava. She also completed a complementary pedagogical program specializing in creative drama for children, along with postgraduate studies in Aesthetics at Comenius University, Bratislava. As a theatre critic and historian, she actively engages in professional events, conferences, and festivals both domestically and internationally, focusing on contemporary Slovak drama and emerging staging trends. Currently, she leads the Theatre Research Center at the Theatre Institute in Bratislava. Since 2009, she has been involved with the Nová dráma/New Drama Festival. She frequently contributes to theatre magazines and academic journals and has authored and co-authored several theatre anthologies.

Copyright © 2024 Dária Fojtíková Fehérová
Critical Stages/Scènes critiques, #30, Dec. 2024
e-ISSN: 2409-7411

Creative Commons Attribution International License

This work is licensed under the
Creative Commons Attribution International License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.