Okresný ľudový súd v Žiline

Printed catalogue in the Researchers´ Room of the State archive in Žilina with the seat in Bytča – Okresné a miestne ľudové súdy z územia Žilinského kraja 1945 – 1948. Združený výberový katalóg 1945 – 1948, authors Kamila Chudá and Jana Harantová, 1984. Archival documents can be reproduced with the permission of the archive and in accordance with archive´s Research Rules (Bádateľský poriadok) as well as other internal regulations of the Ministry of Interior. Following Second World War trials with Nazi criminals and their collaborators were organized on the territory of restored Czechoslovakia just like in many other European countries of those days. Three-tier retributive justice system was established in the Slovak part of post-war Czechoslovakia by the Regulation of the Slovak National Council no. 33/1945 on the Punishment of Fascist Criminals, Occupants, Traitors and Collaborators and on the Establishment of People’s Judiciary. District People’s Courts (Okresný ľudový súd), which were established at district seats with the jurisdiction over the territory of specific districts represented the second tier within the system of the retributive judiciary in Slovakia. Within their jurisdiction fall all criminal offenses stipulated by the Regulation No. 33/1945 with the exception of cases under the exclusive jurisdiction of the National Court (which tried only the leading officials of former Slovak Republic (1939-1945)). A 5-member Senates of District People´s Courts, consisting of a Senate president and four members decided cases. The Senate president and his deputy had to be professional judges. Not extensive fonds of the District People´s Court in Žilina contains various case files pertaining the activities and crimes committed during the period of the Hlinka´s Slovak People´s Party (HSĽS) regime in 1938-1945, including the persecution of Jews in Slovakia. It contains documentation of the trials against some local party dignitaries and members who were accused of propagation of the fascism and ruling regime. Several cases refer to the activities of the Special Units of the Hlinka Guard (POHG) and their collaboration with Nazi security bodies during the occupation of Slovakia in 1944-1945, in particular to the violent acts and catching the Jews. One of the five concentrations centers for the deportees in Slovakia was created in Žilina, so various case files provide with information from the trials with locals who were actively participating in the process of deportation, in particular assisting in concentration, searching for the Jews in their households and serving as guard of the transports in the Slovak territory. Accessible.