Tímea Veres: The Political Come-back of Tuka
The author deals with Vojtech Tuka’s political comeback after his imprisonment. Tuka is a controversial figure of the Slovak history. He was considered irredentist, feeling with Hungarians, but at the same time Slovak patriot, martyr, and the father of Slovak independence, too.
In his study published on January 1, 1928 titled Vacuum iuris, he raised the examination of Czech and Slovak national political relationship. The Czech government, referring to their seditious divisive activity, and/or that they made a military treason (spied for Hungary), begun a lawsuit against it. On October 6, 1929 he was sentenced for 15 years imprisonment. The Czechoslovak Secret Services had a significant role in condemnation of Tuka that provided evidence against him, that could not be used during the lawsuit, but the key witnesses were made to testify.
It is bewildering that he could come back to politics, even if we know that the Germans were on his side, and the chaotic political situation before the Second World War played an important role, too.
The issue of Tuka’s amnesty arose at the central government many times, and/or within the Slovak People’s Party, although both parties wanted to use it in the most convenient time. After more unsuccessful tryings meeting of interest was reached by the Presidential elections in 1935.
Edvard Beneš could not be certain in his victory until the time when the Slovak People’s Parties of Hlinka type were behind him, and/or the agrarians waiting for the decisions of the People’s Party. One of the conditions of the People’s Party was providing Tuka with amnesty that Beneš connected with a confession.
Tuka wrote his confession at the Pankrác prison in Prague, and sent it to Beneš, who was the Minister of Foreign Affairs at that time, in April 1935. In the document, he confessed his anti-state, subversive activity, although he rejected military betrayal.
After Beneš became President, he did not forget his promise, although Tuka’s amnesty had an influential opponent. The Minister of Justice, who was of Slovak origin, Ivan Dérer, did not want to free Tuka, and at the same time he wanted to resist the impact of the press made by the People’s Party.
In May 1937 Dérer, in mediation of Beneš, was willing to discuss on amnesty. Its meaning was that Tuka can spend the remaining time of his punishment on conditional release, living at a flat assigned for him, under constant supervision.
In June 1937 Tuka was transferred from the Pankrác in Prague to the Bory in Plzeò. He worked as the prison’s librarian, according to other sources he was also employed as typist at the district court. The period spent in Plzeò was peaceful, his wife was enabled to be with him and it was allowed to him to provide scientific work. Although, the peaceful period soon ended. On September 29, 1938, under the Munich decision the German territorial requirements toward Czechoslovakia were agreed. Thus, the way to the declaration of Slovakia’s autonomy was clear and Tuka’s return to Slovakia, as well.