By: Dr Janez Juhant
The Hungarian social critic Bela Hamvas wrote challenging words about the European spirit at the beginning of the 20th century: “Young men who considered themselves serious, especially in Eastern Europe, without exception became victims of the epidemic of Marxism and Freudianism.” Here they were Edvard Kocbek, Aleš Stanovnik, and others. Janez Gradišnik wrote that Kocbek’s Reflections on Spain “seemed somewhat biased to him for a long time” and “only part of the truth”.
Lambert Ehrlich answered “Mr. Kocbek” extensively in Slovenec newspaper. He pointed out that in Spain it is a conflict between fascism and communism, not communism and the Church, and the victims of the conflict are the Catholics and the Church. According to Gradišnik, the sharpening of attitudes around Kocbek’s Reflection also had deeper roots. It was about solving complex social issues, especially labour issues. Today, we are returning to the beginning, if ministers repeat communist phrases about the equality of all, which means supporting those who do not work and taking from those who create (more), successfully do business, and work responsibly. Thus, rescue at the expense of others creates privileges, distributes jobs and state aid according to political affiliation and loyalty to the left-wing government, and supports idle fun on Metelkova Street and elsewhere. Naively calculating Catholics and Democrats believed in the “salvation doctrine” of Communism at the time – and, given the outcome of the election, many still do today. The “young men” were not capable of admitting their mistakes, and neither were their successors, instead they clothed them in sounding and pleasing propaganda formulas of equality for all, which can only come at the expense of the socially responsible. Let’s not forget: the communists robbed such people of property and took many lives. In our country, left-wing leading politicians and their godfathers do not recognise these errors, which is why the National Assembly did not adopt the Declaration of the EC Parliament on European Consciousness and Totalitarianism.
There are few bright exceptions who condemned the criminal regime, among them Leszek Kolakowsky and Boris Pahor; with the help of the latter, Edvard Kocbek also did this at the end of his life. Post-war liquidators Simo Dubajić and Zdenko Zavadlav also admitted the mistake without corresponding consequences. The latter wrote at the end of his life that he was bullied and threatened “if he were to convert”, but added that “no normal person can be indifferent after all these actions, and neither am I. It is human to tell the truth, apologise, and regret all the horrors.” Even Dubajić, who talks about the massacre of 40,000 people in Kočevski Rog alone, is not indifferent and spoke openly about the young people who, doused in alcohol, carried out a bloody massacre. He especially pointed out that before the murder, they tortured the victims, took it out on them; the women stood out, most cruelly Milka Planinc. Even today, unfortunately, the obvious crimes that took away the lives and hopes of so many are not recognised in order to prevent them in the future. The reason is that many irresponsibly and without regard for the survival of others maintain only their own comfort and privileges. What should we think of the SD party, which is unable to recognise the consequences of the post-war confiscation of the property of the innocent, and of the Slovenian courts, which judge without these historical insights and their consequences for the victims of Nazism and Communism? Thus, even democratic institutions are once again killing victims who have already been killed by dictators. But neither the biased verdict of a democratic court nor the political agenda of the immortal soul of communism, which is a lie, can erase the truth spoken by Janez Janša.
Great people, who are able to recognise human limitations, act responsibly and have acted responsibly, which ensures a respectful attitude towards every human being. They search for the truth about a person in a humble dialogue with others, so that no one will take advantage of them again. Confronting each victim is the only path to humanity. Today, more critical people therefore talk about empathy, about empathising with another, especially a suffering and affected person. This requires resistance to any violent takeover and control of people, which is the temptation of those in power and which is now very clearly being done by the current left-wing government. A person who does not listen to others can quickly abuse power. That is why sane people (Kolakowski, Dubajić) said goodbye to Marxism and took refuge in Christianity, which encourages recognition of human limitations and delusions. It is difficult to be good “if you do not acknowledge God”, wrote Dostoevsky in The Adolescent. Only Christian humanism sets limits for man and provides a basis for human coexistence and demands that we respect each other, says Kolakowski. Humanism, which regards another human being as a mere negator of its foundations or subjugates him, cannot survive. Oppressing others is not life, it is living in a bad conscience because of wrongs done to others. Former and current dictators do not like others, but that is why their rule is doomed to collapse and society to collapse. The African wisdom of ubuntu, like Christianity, teaches us to consider and respect others, because only together will we be able to live and survive. So, let’s not give in to bullies, let’s stay awake and resist evil!
August 23rd was a reminder for people to be aware of their limits and accept others, about whom there is little social commitment, but so much beautiful propaganda. If people think they are gods, they commit indecent acts that ruin everything. So only faith in God sets limits to human greed and violence against others!