The New England Chapter of the Carpatho-Rusyn Society will host an interesting lecture and slide presentation by noted historian, BILL TARKULICH, about the famous BATTLE OF THE DUKLA PASS.
The Battle of Dukla Pass occurred at the end of the Second World War in eastern Czechoslovakia. Many residents of southwestern Connecticut who are of Slovak, Carpatho-Rusyn or Czech descent will be interested in learning more about this event that took place in their parents’ homelands.
As the Russian and First Czechoslovak Armies moved across Poland in 1944, they planned a quick diversion to aid the SNP-(Slovensko Narodne Povstanie / Slovak National Uprising) via the Dukla Pass. This diversion became one of the bloodiest conflagrations in Slovak history with casualties over 138,000. The combatants were Russian, Czechoslovak, and German. The lands were remote, wooded and sparsely populated.
The Dukla Pass cuts through the Carpathian Mountains in Northeastern Slovakia- as a historic strategic pass way from Poland into the Hungarian Plains. The fighting occurred in a region populated by Rusyn villages. At one point more than 6O% of the First Czechoslovak Army were Rusyns. Special guest John Kulhan, a decorated member of the (Free) Czechoslovak Army Corps and one of the few remaining combatants will be in attendance.
This very stirring lecture will take place at the Church Auditorium of St. John the Baptist Church Carpatho Russian Church at 364 Mill Hill Ave. Bridgeport Ct. at 1:30 PM on May 5, 2007. Admission is free! Refreshments served! Donations gratefully accepted!