Oľga Iváková

* 1955

  • “Yet when being in Tvrdošín, I met those who did our house search. We met on a bus when they were traveling somewhere. They were ashamed of that. It was evident they didn´t even want to look into my eyes. But, I greeted them politely and went on. However, one could notice it wasn´t pleasant for them to meet me again. For sure, they had compunctions about what they used to do.”

  • Oľga Iváková (OI): “They rang that we had to open since they were from the State Security. They said we had to open the gate, as they were going to do a house search. So, it lasted until one or two o´clock at night. They searched through everything. In other houses, they also took some money, but they didn´t take any from us: we had them hidden in a small box where we kept records of meals and such.” Interviewer (I): “So more people came that night?” OI: “There were two of them.” I: “And did they identify themselves as being from the State Security?” OI: “Yes, and we even had to look for someone impartial. Thus, we asked our neighbor to come. I was quite surprised that they also forgot their white glove by us.” I: “Wearing it so there was no evidence left behind them?” OI: “Yes.” I: “So, did they seize anything from that flat?” OI: “They just took some books we had, but not many. And some tapes.”

  • “I didn´t talk much. Then, also in Dolný Kubín, I asked one sir what to do and how. He gave me advice not to sign anything, talk as little as possible and not to reveal any names. Then, I really tried to follow that.”

  • Iváková: “Well, one did not suffer from some physical torture in that jail, but we really had hard times there.” Interviewer: “The most difficult was that uncertainty, I guess?” Iváková:“Yes, the uncertainty was emotionally hard, that we had to be there, that one didn´t know what was going to happen with him. If we were going to be taken and driven somewhere or not; if we were going to be shot down or not, and the like.”

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    Okoličné - Liptovský Mikuláš, 19.11.2016

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I will always be there for those who need me

Sr. Oľga Iváková - 1990s
Sr. Oľga Iváková - 1990s
zdroj: z archívu pamätníčky

Sr. Oľga Iváková was born on March 18th, 1955, in Liptovské Sliače. She spent her childhood in a Christian family, and so after graduating elementary school she set off to have a religious life. In 1970, Oľga entered the Congregation of School Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi in Znojmo. While there, she graduated from a Secondary Medical School and worked at a Social Care Institute for Mentally Disabled Children in Břežany, near Znojmo. Since 1979, Oľga has worked at the Department of Paediatrics in Žilina Hospital. She then moved to a newly founded Social Care Institute for Disabled Boys in Tvrdošín. Except carrying out her profession, she actively participated in religious life of the Franciscan congregation in secret. On March 27th, 1983, Oľga was detained and interrogated within the „Operation Vír (Eddy)“ aimed against members of the secret Franciscan order. On April 1st, 1983 she was arrested and placed into the Žilina remand centre. There she endured 40 days of imprisonment and interrogations. Oľga was only released, along with many others, because of strong international pressure and protests against persecutions of religious people. In later years, she worked at the Department of Paediatrics in Ružomberok Hospital until 1990 when she found work at an orphanage in Ružomberok. Oľga also had a short stint in a religious house in Ľubochňa. In 2005, Sr. Oľga Iváková moved to a religious house in Okoličné, where she currently lives.