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The Slovak-American
International Cultural
Foundation, Inc.

Why was the Slovak-American International Cultural Foundation founded? Marie and Lou Bolchazy, whose generosity made possible the launching of the Foundation, have stories to tell.

Marie's Story:
Lou's stories about his boyhood in Slovakia move me deeply. We have been married for thirty-four years and I never tire of hearing about his early life. He was born in 1937 in Michalovce, Slovakia, near the Ukranian border, and does not remember a time before the Nazi occupation of his homeland. He remembers vividly the bombing raids and hand-to-hand combat. Twice his family was forced to evacuate, once from their home in Michalovce to western Slovakia and then from there back to Michalovce. During the war, family meals often consisted of potatoes, sauerkraut, and tea. At the end of WWII, the Slovak people were looking forward to welcoming their "emancipators," the Russians, but, of course, they were greatly disappointed. Their country once again was occupied by a foreign power. The struggle for survival continued, and Lou's family (like many others) still often didn't have enough to eat. Lou's father Eugene was an American citizen (he was born in New Jersey) and decided to get his family to the United States. In this he was lucky - he and his family were entitled to American passports. In 1948, a wonderful Slovak-American woman named Mary Onuska heard about his plight and sent enough money for him to come to the States. After one year in the States, Eugene had saved enough money to bring his family to join him. Just as Mary Onuska helped Lou and his family, now it is our turn to help Slovaks and Slovakia. We are thankful that our good fortune permits us to continue a legacy of faithfulness.

MARIE'S VITA

Lou's Story:
Publishing books in Latin, Greek, and English about the ancient world and editing scholarly journals have been both my vocation and my avocation since 1977. In the past ten years, I also have developed another love: providing Slovak books both in Slovak and in English-language translations for North America. I have been donating my time to help Slovak publishers in opening the world market for Slovak books, scholarship, and art, and in the business aspects of publishing. Books and art are Slovakia's best ambassadors to the world. Marie and I started the Foundation to continue this effort on a bigger and more professional level. We wish to fill a vacuum in America by introducing America to Slovak scholarship and art, by facilitating the exchange of scholars between Slovakia and the United States, by promoting friendly relationships between America and Slovakia, the last buffer between the West and the East, and by putting quality books about Slovakia on the bookshelves of the world's libraries. We want the Foundation's theater of operations to be in academic halls, rather than on the athletic fields, and the world of art, rather than the world of crafts. While both athletics and crafts are to be pursued, we wish to join forces with other Slovak-Americans whose professional skills and orientation can help fill an important vacuum in bringing Slovak literature, scholarship, and art to the world.

LOU'S VITA

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