Koloman Hamar

* 1922

  • “I have never been a party member. I have never been a politician. Never; not that party, nor the other one. I am not interested in that; I never paid attention to that. There were communists, and when you wanted to have some important role, you insisted on being a proud communist. I was humble; I didn´t need to be a member of their party.”

  • “... ... [That] has been my lifelong rule: to be polite, just, and honest. I haven´t lied. I haven´t thieved, even though I worked with money all the time as a postman: I arranged payments of salaries, household bills. And I’ve never taken a cent. Well, I’ve lived honestly. Is that sufficient for you? I’ve lived an honest life. That has to be enough for you! And if not....”

  • “There was a flask of fire-water--alcohol--and I asked for one. We got in a fight: ‘What do you want? You already have a death certificate. Here you go! You are dead!’ Supposedly. But I ... Ugh, it was a war. Well, are we done yet?”

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    Nová Ves nad Žitavou, dom Kolomana Hamara, 18.09.2015

    (audio)
    délka: 21:17
    nahrávka pořízena v rámci projektu Stories of the 20th century
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I haven´t lied. I haven´t thieved. I have honestly lived

Koloman Hamar - soldier
Koloman Hamar - soldier
zdroj: Archív Kolomana Hamara

Koloman Hamar was born in Nová Ves nad Žitavou, however, he grew up in Gennevilliers, not far from Paris. There, he worked in a shop selling exotic fruit. After the Germans occupied Paris, Koloman was forced to leave France. In 1942, he returned to Slovakia and volunteered to join the army. While in active duty, he was abducted and taken to Crimea. He, again, managed to return to Slovakia, by foot, and then joined the partisans. Alongside them, he took part in the liberating fights for his native village. On February 13, 1945, they crossed the river Hron. By accident, he was declared dead, and later on he even had the chance to read his own death certificate. He was too weak to continue on in the fights near Nitra, so Captain Jozef Trojan took him to the hospital in Baťovany, where he lived to see the end of the War. After the War, he got married and worked as a postman for 40 years. He soon became the Chairman of the Central Organization of the Slovak Union of Anti-Fascist Fighters. His name appears in registration records of the former State Security, for he allegedly worked as an informer with under the name, Ivan. He hasn´t mentioned this fact himself, and claims he doesn´t care about politics. He is even indifferent towards the Velvet Revolution. The most important of all he considers the fact he lived honest, courageous, and hardworking life. He refuses to be marked as a hero.