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After school I started working at a waterworks construction project in Sala. I wasn't there long. My professor who I did my thesis with convinced me to go work for Vahostav [The company VAHOSTAV Zilina was founded in 1954 by the then Ministry of Construction of the Czech Republic. Its mission was the building of dams and hydro stations on the central and upper Vah River – Editor's note]. Vahostav was beginning a new waterworks project in Zilina. I went there as a head technician. They were supposed to issue me an apartment in town. The director at the time, who's still alive, told me to make myself at home in Zilina, as they were going to be building more dams there. He claimed that there was work there for the next 40 years. But this director left to go to Bratislava, and forgot about me. That's when bad times for me started. It was at the beginning of the 1960s. They called me up for army service. I was at Bor U Tachova, near Pilsen. I worked as the construction manager for a tank shooting range. I practically wasn't even a soldier, I just wore a uniform and ate with the others. From Vahostav I later transferred to Hydrostav [Hydrostav: a construction company. Provides comprehensive construction services – Editor's note].
I started my army service in 1959. I felt very good there. It was the first time that I went skiing every Saturday and Sunday. I was building a tank firing range in the border region, seven kilometers from the border in the neutral zone. There were Soviet advisors there, and a Czechoslovak-Chinese friendship regiment. We often ate rice, which didn't hurt. My division was in Pilsen, where my commanding officer was. His name was Lieutenant-Colonel Strasik, later Colonel. He was a very fair guy, and I would submit my reports to him. He used to go to the Ministry of Defense, and when he'd return, he'd invite me to the best hotel in Pilsen, because I always did my work perfectly. When I was in Pilsen, I'd go swimming practically every day, with the local Dukla team. They accepted me without any problems, because there were many guys from Piestany there. For example Mato Majercak, an older guy from an aquatic company in a battalion in Pilsen. He'd lived in the same street in Piestany as our family. Mato had apprenticed under my father. He even put together a report for me which was part of my officer's exams. I reached the rank of First Lieutenant. That was in 1960. I built a tank firing range, as well as a control tower.
I started my army service in 1959. I felt very good there. It was the first time that I went skiing every Saturday and Sunday. I was building a tank firing range in the border region, seven kilometers from the border in the neutral zone. There were Soviet advisors there, and a Czechoslovak-Chinese friendship regiment. We often ate rice, which didn't hurt. My division was in Pilsen, where my commanding officer was. His name was Lieutenant-Colonel Strasik, later Colonel. He was a very fair guy, and I would submit my reports to him. He used to go to the Ministry of Defense, and when he'd return, he'd invite me to the best hotel in Pilsen, because I always did my work perfectly. When I was in Pilsen, I'd go swimming practically every day, with the local Dukla team. They accepted me without any problems, because there were many guys from Piestany there. For example Mato Majercak, an older guy from an aquatic company in a battalion in Pilsen. He'd lived in the same street in Piestany as our family. Mato had apprenticed under my father. He even put together a report for me which was part of my officer's exams. I reached the rank of First Lieutenant. That was in 1960. I built a tank firing range, as well as a control tower.
Location
Slovakia
Interview
Ladislav Urban