Šmigovský, Ján

Lieutenant Colonel Ján Šmigovský

* 02.05.1903 Brownsville
+ 09.10.1945 Bratislava


Ján Šmigovský was born on 02.05.1903 in Brownsville, USA to Slovak immigrants. In 1905, the entire Šmigovský family returned to Spišské Podhradie, Slovenia, and made their living mainly by farming.



After completing the 6th grade of primary education in Spišské Podhradie, he continued his studies at the gymnasium in Levoča. Due to lack of financial resources, he was forced to quit his studies in Levoča and returned to Spišské Podhradie after completing the fourth grade. Here he continued his studies at the Teacher's Institute, which he completed in 1923 with the matriculation examination. In 1924 he began attending the military academy in Hranice na Morave. After graduating in 1926, he was promoted to the rank of infantry lieutenant and served as an instructor in the non-commissioned officers' school. In 1931 he was promoted to lieutenant and in 1936 to captain. From 1926 to 1939 he served in units stationed in Hranice na Morave, Chomutov, Žilina, Čadca and Ružomberok.

After the establishment of the Slovak state in May 1939 Šmigovský was assigned to the HQ of the Hlinka Guard as a ministry's adjutant, according to the decision of the Ministry of National Defence. In August 1939, however, he left this post at his own request. He then served as a battalion commander, later a regiment commander in Trnava, an instructor for officer training in Bratislava and as a commander of the training camp in Lešt'. In the Slovak Army he was promoted to major on 1 July 1941 and to lieutenant colonel on 13 September 1944, which was the highest rank he attained.

Between 1941 and 1943 he was twice on the Russian front, but the units he commanded did not take part in direct combat, and the members of these units mainly performed guard duty and auxiliary work. In Russia, Šmigovský fell seriously ill with dysentery and malaria and had to return to Slovakia. After recovering from his illness in January 1944 he was appointed commander of the infantry school and the town garrison in Nitra.

Those who are interested in the history of the Slovak state will know about Lieutenant Colonel Šmigovský that the Nitra garrison, which he commanded, did not join the uprising even though he was 29 years old.08.08.1944 he received an order signed by the Chief of General Staff of the ground troops in Banská Bystrica, General Golian. Šmigovský did not join the uprising and remained loyal to the Bratislava government. This move - disobeying orders and loyalty to the Tiso regime - cost Lieutenant Colonel Šmigovský his life after the war.

On 5 September 1944, Minister Haššík appointed him commander of the 1st Infantry Regiment of the Home Guard. The Home Guard mainly carried out the protection of the territories already liberated by the Germans (fortification work, guard duty) and carried out the training of soldiers and officers. It intervened in the direct fighting minimally. It was the Nitra garrison with its approximately 2 000 men that became the basis of the Home Guard. At the time of its greatest boom, the Home Guard had over 40 000 members.
Šmigovský held his commanding post until 3 April 1945, when he resigned it in Holíč with Minister Haššík. Two days later he left for Prague, where his family was evacuated. Šmigovský remained in the Czech Republic until the end of the war. When on 5 May the outbreak broke out. "

On May 17, 1945, Šmigovský decided to report to the military authorities in Slovakia and set out for home. He arrived in Slovakia after 6 days and stopped in Trnava. Here, on 24 May, he was arrested on the street and escorted to Bratislava. From then until his death on 09 October 1945, he was kept in detention.

An indictment was filed against him on 3 September 1945 at the National Court. The actual hearing began on 21 September and ended on 25 September with the verdict of conviction. Smigovsky based the main part of his defence on the fact that he was basically in favour of the insurrection, but he had little choice but to do as little as possible against it within the limits of his position. He cited as supporting arguments that he was only a soldier, he did not care about politics. He always acted as a good Slovak (he always stressed this) and as a soldier his oath was binding on him. When asked why the military oath taken during the Czechoslovak Republic was no longer binding on him, he replied that the Czechoslovak Republic had ceased to exist, so there was no one to keep the oath.
The National Court did not accept this interpretation of Šmigovský's actions. On 25 September 1945, Šmigovský was sentenced to death and confiscation of a quarter of his property for the benefit of the state. A request for clemency was not granted.

The sentence was carried out on 9 October 1945 by shooting.

In modern history, the actions and person of Lieutenant Colonel Jan Šmigovský are evaluated differently. A part of Slovaks praises and identifies with his actions, that as a soldier he remained faithful to the oath of the Slovak state, and a part blames him for being a traitor and a collaborator. I believe that in the future the public's views of Ján Šmigovský's actions and person will continue to differ, but as a controversial personality and soldier he should be remembered especially from a historical context.

beo.sk