In Slovakia, as well as in Poland, there was a lack of women’s voices during the official celebration of the 20th anniversary of democratic changes last year. It was the reason why Ingrid Hrubaničová, a Slovakian actress and writer, who had been touched by the absence of women decided to publish an Open Letter to Potential Women of November in the main daily newspaper “SME”. She appealed to those women who participated in the Velvet Revolution asking them to speak about their experiences during the memorable events in November 1989. She also encouraged the female journalists to fill the gap and efface “white spots” of history and to present female engagement in the democratic changes.
In the response to her letter, a feminist organization ASPEKT undertook an initiative to collect women’s memories and to publish them on its website. In cooperation with ASPEKT, our partner organization, we prepared a selection of the most interesting stories. There are memories of women who were personally involved in the events of November 1989, as well as of those who were only observers participating in the demonstrations in the SNP Square in Bratislava. The presented selection of memories provides an example of sp-called oral history where the focus is on personal experiences recalled by the female witnesses of history. It reminds of unforgettable atmosphere of November 1989 and great hopes for change.
Ingrid Hrubaničová, An Open Letter to Potential Women of November
Magda Vášáryová, You Are Not Scared, He Told Me
Zuzana Szatmáry, The Revolution Belongs to Those Who Finish It
Zora Bútorová, I Would See My Husband Only from behind the Statues in the Square
Oľga Gyárfášová, What I Did on November 17 and a Few Additional Thoughts
Daša Matejčíková, I Savored the Velvet Revolution Also on Behalf of My Father. We Would Copy Pamphlets Right In Front Police’s Noses
Ľuba Trubíniková, What I Did in November 1989?
Vlasta Kunovská, I’m Proud and Happy That I Experienced It
Oľga Pietruchová, My November from behind the Iron Curtain
Marta Botíková, There Were Some Silent Currents of Memory in Slovakia...
Iveta Škripková, You Want Me to Confess to Who I Was Twenty Years Ago?
Mária Štefánková, What Was I Doing in the Year Eighty-nine?
Šarlota Pufflerová, What I Was Doing in November 1989, i.e. During the Velvet Revolution and After
Iveta Čarná, November on a Maternity Leave