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Milan Rufus (1928 - 2009)
Poet, essayist, author of children´s books and translator.

Born 10 December 1928 in Závažná Poruba. Between 1948 and 1952, he studied Slovak and history at Comenius University in Bratislava. After graduation in 1952 he remained at the university to lecture on 19th and 20th century Czech literature until his retirement.
From 1971 to 1972 he taught Slovak language and literature at the University of Naples, Italy.

Milan Rúfus is the most translated Slovak poet into foreign languages. Recipient of many highest awards, Rúfus has been a candidate for the Nobel Prize in literature every year since 1991. Milan Rúfus, who had passively opposed the communist regime by raising the themes of human values, morality, human destiny, and homeland as space for man´s creativity, labor and victory over a bitter fate, became a kind of national conscience for Slovakia and its people.

The Cultural Society of Milan Rúfus Friends

The Cultural Society of Milan Rúfus Friends has existed since 2003 and has had several performances at theatres, cultural centers, embassies, churches and libraries and during 2006 was on tour in Slovakia. Some of the members were active in the theatre company Sätra. The dream was to create a theatre where all generations are welcome, where different nationalities and cultures would meet and inspire each other, where amateurs and professionals would work together, a theatre where you always feel welcome. The members of the group are filled with love to theatre and poetry and the joy of telling. Through Nadja Hammarberg the ensemble learned about Slovak poetry and culture and about the great poet Milan Rufus.

Jozef Leikert

About Jozef Leikert and his work

Jozef Leikert was born October 22, 1955 in the Slovak city Zlaté Moravce. He graduated at Komenius University Philosophy department in Bratislava. During the two legislatures, he was chairman of the largest grouping of Slovak authors, (Association of Writers' organizations in Slovakia). He is currently chairman of the fiction writers club and also in Cultureological Society. Jozef Leikert worked as a journalist for various newspapers and has been editor of the magazine Gama, at the time, one of the largest newspapers in Czechoslovakia. For several years, and still, he works as a researcher at the Slovak Academy of Sciences History Institute. He left the institute for a post as a spokesman of the former Slovak president, later he became the president's personal adviser on cultural affairs. As professor of culturology he heads the Culture Department of Culturological Constantine Philosopher University in Nitra.

Jozef Leikert writes both poetry and prose in fiction genre. His first poetry collection was called In silence (1995), then came out Severance of clocks (1997), The subjugated clay, (1999), Ladders whispers (2000), Impermanence (2005), Touches the soul (2006). In the Czech Republic also came out a poetry book for bibliophiles Vecnost korenov Red and ever (2009), which consists of a single poem, translated into 33 different languages, including the Swedish. Literary selection from his poetry came out in Bulgaria (Otlomki tisina 2001), in the Czech Republic (Zámlky 2001), in Slovakia (Naha cross 2001), in Russia (Za Cas do zatmenija 2002), in Ukraine (Vecorinna 2002), in Poland (Rosa na duszy 2003, 2004, 2005) in Macedonia (Voznemireni krugovi 2004), in Serbia (Iz Dubin stack neba 2006), in Austria (Suche 2008), in the U.S. (salted Snow 2009) and in Germany (Unendlichkeit 2010). Diminishment came out in Hungary (Mulandóság 2006), in Ukraine (Nedovgovicnist 2006), in the Czech Republic (Pominutelnost 2008) and soon it shall come out in the U.S. (Diminishment) and in Italy (Fugacitá). Soul touches came out in Hungary (Lélekérintések 2010) and the Czech Republic (Doteky Duse 2010).

Jozef Leikert debuted with facts literary books. 1989, he published the morning came the night that was followed by And the day came back (1994). Conscience wills (1996), Severance Arnäs return (1997, with M. Macková) As fate (1999, 2003, together with M. Macková), the words behind the scenes (2000, with M. Macková), Black Friday November 17 (2000), The fettered dreams (2003), Vavro Srobárs cultural profile (2005), Pavol Strauss (un)met time (2006), Far away, yet close (2007, 2009), The 55 most beautiful cities and small towns in Slovakia (2007) book was also published in English and German, a politician with a philosopher's soul (2007), Such was Ladislav Mnacko (2008), The 111 people in Slovakia (2009). In the Czech Republic published books in the morning came the night (1989), And the day came back (1993), conscience wills (2001), Black Friday, November 17 (2001), So as fate (2000), The fettered dreams (2002); Such was Ladislav Mnacko (2007) and Far away yet close (2008).

Mr Leikert has received several awards for his literary efforts, both at home in Slovakia and abroad. He lives and works in Bratislava.


	Photos from Nitirianska Galeria exhibition in June-July 2010 with illustrators to Joseph Leikerts poetry.

Anton Hykisch

Born. 23.2.1932 in Slovakia. Writer, politician and diplomat. One of the the foremost writers of the „Generation 1956”, who, during the Communist period, published novels, short stories and essays dealing with every-day life and tried to restore for literature its ethical foundations. In 1959 all the copies of his first novel on university students were destroyed in the paper mill by the communist censorship authority. Among his later works are a love story of a young girl in Sixties Nada (1964), a generation-novel of a Socialist manager longing to travel into the free world Námestie v Mähringu (The square in Mähring, 1965). After the Soviet invasion to former Czecho-Slovakia in August 1968 Hykisch lost his job and some years he was under ban to publish anything. Later he turned to huge historical novels and he became very successful. Cas majstrov (Time of Masters, 1977) two volumes from medieval times, panoramatic picture of Reformation and Osman invasion to Central Europe, focused into figure of Master M.S. anonymous late Gothic painter. Milujte královnú (Adore the Queen, 1984) a biography of Empress Maria Theresa of the age of Enlightenment in Europe. Both novels were widely translated into Czech, Hungarian, Russian, German, Polish.

As a result of the fall of communism, he was elected as a deputy to the Slovak Parliament (1990) and appointed the first Ambassador of Slovakia to Canada (1993-1997). He published a study of globalisation Nebojme sa sveta. Sprievodca globálnym myslením (Let us not fear the world. A guide to global thinking, 2001, two books of essays and the book of memoires from the years in the Slovak Parliament Ako chutí politika (The taste of politics, 2004). Returning from diplomatic service he was a lecturer of political sciences and diplomacy at Trnavska University. He continued his literary activities. He wrote short stories, fantasies and SF inspired by Buddhism and cultures of ancient India and China. New novels: Spomen si na cára (Remember the Tsar, 2007) deals with the curious personality of Ferdinand Coburg of German origin, king of Bulgaria in the first decade of the 20th century, later living in exile in Slovakia. A concluding book is an autobiographical novel Rozkoše dávnych cias (Pleasures of yesteryear, 2009). This 460 pages book reveals in flashbacks destinies of young believer and his parents in crucial points of Slovak history: WW2, Stalinist regime, reform year 1968 and the fall of communism.:

Membership: Slovak PEN Centre (former president 2004-2006) Pan-European Union of Slovakia (vice-president), World Future Society (USA).

Rozkoše dávnnyck ĈIAS
Pleasures of the yesteryear

Novel 2009

roman

Anton Hykisch presents his novel "Pleasures of the yesteryear" in Stockholm and Gotenborg
october 2010.

videoclip

Extract from Anton Hykisch production

A Free Royal Town (english)

A near adventure in the rain (english)

Flowers for Australia (english)

Gandhis frestelse (swedish)

Murderers (english)

Jan Zapolsky, A central European (english)

Pleasures of the yesteryear (english)

Remember the Tsar - Operation "Eleonora" (english)

Pokušenie Gándhího (slovak)

Vrahovia (slovak)

About the Fujara flute

Fujara is an absolutely unique hand made overtone fipple flute and one cannot find similar anywhere but in Slovakia.

The fujara is a large folk shepherd's flute of unique design. It is technically a contrabass instrument in the tabor pipe class. Typically 150 to 170 cm long, tuned in G (A and F are other possiblities). It has three tone holes located on the lower part of the main body. The sound is produced by a fipple on the upper end of the main body of the fujara. The air is led to the fipple by a smaller parallel pipe, called a Slovak: vzduchovod, meaning air channel.

Even though on almost all fujaras the fundamental frequency can be played, the normal playing technique is based on overblowing the instrument.
Because of its size, the overtones enable the ability to play a diatonic scale using only the three tone holes.

Traditionally, the fujara was played for recreation. Today though, the fujara has moved from the fields to the stage.

The fujara was included in the UNESCO list of Masterpieces of the oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, on November 25, 2005.

If there is a possibility, we in the Society of Milan Rúfus friends welcome the fujarasoud as a complement or even an improvement of our poetryreading.

In our video you can see and hear Marian Plavec play the instrument. show the video

WHAT IS A POEM

To place it on a table just like bread
or water. Or
between two fingers salt. That´s a poem.

And at the same time not to walk flat-footed.
Even less so on tiptoes. To have time. From the depths
to draw up a bucket and not to build a shop
on a fresh spring, or even a shrine.

until trout head up the river Jordan,
not to buy a rod and to know that a river
does not contain just fish.

That there is more to it than that,
just as the poem is greater than the word.

Not a stone.
A statue. Lot´s wife-
that´s a poem.

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Milan Rufus (1928 - 2009) Poet, essayist, author of children´s books and translator.