Authors

Adam Hudek¹; Vladimír Naxera²;  ¹ Institute of History, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia;  ² University of West Bohemia, Czechia

Discussion

The legacy and commemoration of the Slovak National Uprising have been a symbolic battlefield in Slovak politics since the end of World War II. This paper examines how the competing narratives within this battlefield are reshaping in contemporary Slovak politics, particularly in relation to the country’s pro-Russian tendencies. We analyze how political elites, notably Prime Minister Robert Fico and his SMER party, as well as his coalition partners, have instrumentalized the memory of the 1944 anti-fascist uprising to legitimize their positions on current political and geopolitical issues, including opposition to EU sanctions against Russia. Through the field research of the SNU annual celebrations in Banská Bystrica, the analysis of political speeches, media representation of this event, and the evolution of official narratives since 2004, the paper traces the transformation of the SNU’s meaning—from a symbol of democratic resistance and European orientation to a tool for promoting nationalist, sovereigntist, and pro-Russian interpretations. The SNU’s commemorations, once a unifying civic ritual, have increasingly reflected the polarization of Slovak society, especially following the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. In contemporary Slovakia, the reinterpretation of the SNU functions not only as a means of legitimizing anti-Western sentiment but also as a mechanism of identity-building for a government dependent on far-right and pro-Russian voters. As we argue in this regard, democratic historical symbols of the SNU have been reshaped and co-opted by political leaders to support their illiberal agendas. In doing so, we contribute to the broader debate on the importance of the politics of history in times of geopolitical divide and societal polarization.