Liberation80: Kovac: Slavin Memorial Pays Respect to Fallen Soldiers

Bratislava, April 2 (TASR) - The purpose of the Slavin Memorial in Bratislava is to pay respects to soldiers of the multi-national army of the former Soviet Union who laid down their lives during the late WWII liberation of Bratislava and western Slovakia from fascism, TASR was told by Robert Kovac, director of the city-owned company Marianum, which administers the Slavin Memorial. Kovac noted that it doubles as a memorial and military cemetery, but its legacy is often misunderstood, A national cultural monument, the Slavin Memorial was ceremoniously unveiled in 1960 to mark the 15th anniversary of the liberation of Bratislava. "It's an important work of architecture, made in the socialist realism style of the post-war period," said Kovac. "There is a dual purpose use to it, as it serves both as a memorial and a military cemetery. I see the greatest misunderstanding of the Slavin in its legacy becoming part of politics." A public tender for its construction was launched in 1953, with several distinguished architects and sculptors of the era taking part in it. Towering above the capital city's skyline, the Slavin monument was made by sculptor and architect Jan Svetlik as a vertical pillar, tipped with the sculpture of a soldier raising a victory flag. The memorial was built in 1957-60 on the burial grounds of fallen Soviet soldiers. mf/df