Slovak Researcher Exposes Artists' Collaboration with Nazi Regime During World War II

A Slovak researcher has revealed the extent of artistic collaboration with the Nazi regime during World War II, challenging the traditional view of writers and artists as moral guardians of the nation. Peter Getting's research demonstrates that many cultural figures were 'merely mirrors of the nation' rather than its conscience, reflecting society's broader complicity with fascist authorities. Even 80 years after the end of World War II, Getting argues that the issue of artistic collaboration continues to be suppressed and defended, preventing a full reckoning with Slovakia's wartime cultural history. The findings shed new light on how intellectuals and artists navigated the moral compromises demanded by the Nazi-aligned Slovak State, which existed from 1939 to 1945 under the leadership of Jozef Tiso.