“LET JEWS GO, BUT BY PROPERLY PREPARED MEANS
MINISTER (Alexander Mach) Some time ago, when I was in the Führer’s Main Tent and had an opportunity to discuss the issue within the wider Board of the Party – the subject being the Jewish issue in our country. They had been informed that we had been unable to solve the issue, to force the Jews to gather in one place. Even the toughest guards, when sent to the camps as guards, were on good terms with the Jews within a mere few days. The situation pained them and they wanted to help the Jews. That is how Slovaks are.
Those were the motivations that came from us, not the Germans, when the discussion touched upon the foundation of the Slovak Republic – that they had imposed it on us, that there was no other way, etc.. We received help from the Germans also on the Jewish issue. We made the major step when we were in the Main Tent with the Führer. We had an opportunity to speak with Himmler. To the question about how many Jews we have, we replied that there are 90,000. They told us that they would need them. That’s how the idea came up. It couldn’t have been swept off the table.
POSLANEC 2 (Karol Mederly) Today we live the times when the Constitutional laws have to be often removed in order for the nation to live. It is, however, important to prepare the matter in this respect in a way for the Slovak peoples to be able to always bear the responsibility, also in face of history. When some country requested those Jews and we want to give them, then the two states have to conclude an international agreement. As soon as the war is over, it has to be dealt with. Else then they all can come here and we don’t want that. I recommend that the Government thinks about it and plans according to international law, whilst preserving the natural law so that families are not split and children aren’t taken away from their parents. Here we would end up in conflict with our conscience. I agree for the Jews to go, but under properly planned scheme.
MINISTER (Alexander Mach) If we don’t send the Jews out, our allies would be likely to demand from us other workers, the Christians. It won’t only be Jews from here to go. Some will also go from Romania. Yet they can’t do it without jeopardising their economic growth. Slovakia is the only state that is able to remove Jewry today without any major adverse effect on economic growth.
I know that such specific matter, when taken all at once, is dreadful. Yet I have to look at it holistically. A soldier, my relative who has spoken with a German soldier, once told me: The German soldier told me that there is no family in Germany which would have no one deceased. So, everyone makes sacrifice and nothing will happen to the Jews.
We have to help ourselves in time. I received soloists from the Slovak National Theatre who said that, when we dismiss three Jewesses, our people won’t know how to sing. One of them allegedly teaches them and the other one … etc.. As far as Christened Jews are concerned …
MP 3 (Ján Vojtaššák) Let them spread that Catholicism of theirs among their fellow believers. In the early days of the Church, Jews were the seed of Christianity. It means that, if they did so out of material reasons, they, too, cannot be taken in regard.
MINISTER (Alexander Mach) One is amazed by what paths the Jews take. Recently, one of the Hlinka Guard commanders called on me, saying that I had received a letter. My mother wrote to me from Meder to remember my children, for the men who came to her, etc. etc.. The matter got investigated. A physician was with my mother and a number of Jews who had escaped from here came. They recognised the children there. Yet one cannot but wonder how did that letter end up on my desk. Then I learned about it by chance. There isn’t even a need to pay much. They find major support even in our compassion. I keep receiving more of such letters and am convinced that other gentlemen keep receiving them, too. A rabbi wrote to the President, using God for the argument, suggesting that we all were created by one God and we will have to answer for our deeds to one God!
MP 3 (Ján Vojtaššák) One God? Yet they refused to recognise the Redeemer and prepared for Him awful and humiliating death on the cross! The Redeemer himself shed tears over the heart of stone of the Jewish peoples and foretold them, as punishment, that they would be scattered throughout the world for nearly 2,000 years in smaller or larger groups among the other nations of the world! Throughout the long history, they have never and nowhere blended with the other nation, but remain isolated like an alien element. They never changed their adverse attitude to Christianity … Even here the influence of Jewry proved damaging. Within a short time, they took over virtually the entire economic and financial life to the detriment of our people. Not merely economically, but also culturally and morally they exerted damaging influence on our people. The Church thus cannot object that the state power takes such measures that would prevent such harmful effect!
PRESIDENT of the CENTRAL ECONOMIC AUTHORITY (Augustín Morávek) The tragedy of all those faces responsible for the solution of the Jewish question is that, by touching the interest of Jews, almost always and everywhere they came to affect at least the ulterior interests of their protectors. Thus, the removal of a given Jew almost always meant at the same time, affecting at least one Christian, touch their vanity, ulterior interests. The end result of all this is the great combination that the Jews are able to skilfully exploit through their clandestine protectors, which logically and intentionally leads to undermining the specialist and systemic work of historic merit.
The Jewish question will be perfectly solved here when it becomes naturally ingrained in every member of our nation that, for the sake of the solution of this issue, no personal considerations can play role, and when the last of Jews crosses the borders of our country. En guarde!“
ALL En guarde!”
Excerpt from play THE WOMAN RABBI, extended version. The scene was performed on stage in the Slovak National Theatre. When writing the script, the playwright drew verbatim from the minutes of the Slovak Parliament, dated 26 March 1942