Nice Coins of Ugly States

On 14.3.1939 the Slovak state was established. By the will of Adolf Hitler. Slovakia was then part of Czechoslovakia. Hitler occupied Czechoslovakia. Slovak political representation was given a choice. Declare independence or become an occupied territory as well. Slovak leaders chose "independence".

Independence was only formal. In reality, Slovakia was fully dependent on Hitler's Germany for everything. The choice was between being a victim or an accomplice. The Slovak leaders wanted the best for their people. They chose complicity. I do not condemn them for that.

During the first four years of the Second World War, Slovakia was not much affected. Relative prosperity reigned here. Slovakia was an agrarian country and food was abundant. Prosperity can be illustrated by these circulating silver coins.

10 Slovakian Crowns, Slovakia, 1944, diameter 29 mm, weight 7 g of silver, purity 500/1000

50 Slovakian Crowns, Slovakia, 5th Anniversary of the Slovak State, diameter 34 mm, weight 16.5 g of silver, purity 700/1000

Five months after the issue of this commemorative coin, an anti-Nazi uprising broke out in Slovakia and was defeated. Slovakia was occupied by the German army. Its independence will continue to be only formal.

With the surrender of Germany, the Slovak state will also cease to exist. Czechoslovakia will be restored.

The coin depicts the first and only Slovak President Jozef Tiso (1887-1947), a Catholic priest and politician. His state pursued an anti-Jewish policy and sent 58,000 Jews to be gassed in Germany. He sent the Slovak army against Poland and the Soviet Union. He even declared war on the United States. After the war, he was arrested, tried and executed.

Only his coins remain as a document of that time.

I promised myself to write at least 24 articles by January 25. This is the twelfth.