Tag Archives: Lokomotiva Košice

Family • Photo Restoration • 58 • Taci

October 6, 2016 Gabriel Dusil Leave a comment

Diary • 31st December 1993

• I arrived in Košice on the morning of December 23rd. The train ride was ten hours, and not relaxing in the least. I initially bought a second class ticket, but ended up exchanging it for first class after seeing the uncomfortable seating arrangements. Even in first class our cabin soon filled to its six person capacity. Sleeping in a sitting position was terrible, but eventually people disembarked, allowing room to stretch out. On my arrival Richard and Csaba Kende greeted me at the train station. I stayed at Csaba’s, with the exception of two nights spent at Rišo and Terka’s.

• On the day of my arrival I was honored to attend Rišo’s grading for his second degree judo black belt. I took a few pictures. Most notable was the chronicle of judoka, posted at the entrance of the dojo, showing the first black belts. At the top of the list were:

Ing. Robert Dusil, Germany
Ing. Karol Dusil, Canada
MVDr. Vaclav Dusil, Canada, in memoriam

As I looked at my dad and uncle’s names, I felt proud. I was reminded at that moment of what they contributed to the history judo, in this small town.

• My week in Košice got me thinking of how it must have been for my parents when I was born. I began to realise the impact of their decision to leave their homeland in 1969. The fear and anxiety during those days, hoping that where they were headed was better than where they came from. As Csaba explained it, ten judoka left the dojo for the West. But from those who left, the club’s greatest loss has been the Dusil’s. How could they have all known they were making the right decision?

• I could have stayed in Canada, and continued to shut my eyes to the significance that Košice represents. But I chose to return to my parent’s homeland and learn. My week in Košice has also taught me the economic consequences of the socialist regime of the Eastern Block. We left twenty-four years ago because of politics, and my parents unwillingness to subject themselves to communist servitude. Now I’ve come full circle and moved back to my roots, to start a new life in Prague. The Czech Republic is now a free market, so my future resides in capitalist system. On top of that I get to learn about international business, culture, and etiquette. I intend to learn for my future and entreprenéurial destiny.

• So have I made the right decision? Will I prosper in Eastern Europe? Will I exceed, or at the very least, match the success of my parents? Will I become a stronger person? Will I be happy? These questions I will continually ask myself as I search for my identity.

• Taci

If you missed the other Taci posts, you can link to them here:

• Digital Photo Restoration

• 5 minutes 30 seconds

43.Apr - Hukvaldy · Vaclav Dusil (carriage) — 43.Apr – Hukvaldy · Vaclav Dusil (carriage)

43.Sep.5 - Hukvaldy · Vaclav Dusil (birthday) — 43.Sep.5 – Hukvaldy · Vaclav Dusil (birthday)

44.Sep.5 - Hukvaldy · Vaclav Dusil (birthday) — 44.Sep.5 – Hukvaldy · Vaclav Dusil (birthday)

59.Jul - Poruba · Karol, Vaclav Dusil sr., Vaclav jr. Dusil (tour) — 59.Jul – Poruba · Karol, Vaclav Dusil sr., Vaclav jr. Dusil (tour)

44.Sep.5 - Hukvaldy · Vaclav Dusil, Maria & Robert Dusil (birthday) — 44.Sep.5 – Hukvaldy · Vaclav Dusil, Maria & Robert Dusil (birthday)

56 - Košice · Vaclav Dusil (portrait, 42,Sep.5-81.Jun.11) — 56 – Košice · Vaclav Dusil (portrait, 42,Sep.5-81.Jun.11)

Gabriel Dusil

Family • Photo Restoration • 47 • Taci • Košice Judo

July 21, 2016 Gabriel Dusil Leave a comment

• On the 26th of September 2015, the Slovak Judo Association held an event to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Judo in Košice. Twelve members were honored, who were instrumental in building the foundations of Košice Judo over six decades. This is my speech I prepared for the event.

• English Translation

I would like to thank Judo Košice for honoring my father, Vaclav Dusil.

From childhood I admired my father, and I have admired him my whole life.

My father studied veterinary medicine in Košice and was the only student to graduate with honors. Together with my mother they established a successful veterinary practice, that exists to this day.

Before emigrating to Canada, my father won many awards in Judo and received his second degree black belt. He was a national champion in Slovakia, and in the 60’s became head coach of Lokomotiva Košice. My father was very popular among judoka, his fellow colleagues in university, in business and especially among friends and family.

He married the best wife and the best mother in the world. To have a better future for his family, we immigrated to Canada to begin a new chapter.

Not only was Vaclav the best father in the world, but also the best man I ever knew.

Thank you once again for your honoring my father, Vaclav Dusil.

• Slovak Original

Začiatkom môjho príspevku by som sa rád poďakoval Judo Košice za špeciálnu cenu pre môjho otca, Vaclava Dusila.

Môj Otec je mojim nekonečnými vzorom. Od detstva som ho obdivoval a budem ho obdivovať cely môj život.

Štúdium na veterine v Košiciach skončil ako jediný študent s červeným diplomom, ktorý mu pomohol v budúcností rozvíjať svoje schopnosti. S mamou založili úspešnú veterinárnu kliniku ktorá existuje dodnes.

Pred tým ako emigroval do Kanady, získal v jude veľa ocenení a získal 2 Dan. Bol majstrom Slovenska a v 60tych rokoch sa stal hlavným trénerom Lokomotívy Košice. Môj otec bol veľmi obľúbený medzi judistami, v skole, v biznise ale aj medzi priateľmi a rodinou.

Oženil sa s najlepšou ženou a najlepšou mamou na svete. Kvôli mne a mojej budúcej sestre, aby sme mali lepšiu budúcnosť, emigroval do Kanady kde začali svoj život od nuly.

Pre mňa nebol len najlepší otec na svete ale bol to najlepší človek akého som kedy poznal.

Ešte raz vám ďakujem za vaše ocenenie môjho otca, Vaclava Dusila.

• Košice Judo

If you missed previous posts on Košice Judo, you can find them here:

• Digital Photo Restoration

• 4 minutes 40 seconds

44.Apr.23 - Hukvaldy · Vaclav Dusil (portrait) — 44.Apr.23 – Hukvaldy · Vaclav Dusil (portrait)

59.Mar - Košice · Vaclav Dusil (main train station) — 59.Mar – Košice · Vaclav Dusil (main train station)

67 - Košice · Vaclav Dusil (football drink) — 67 – Košice · Vaclav Dusil (football drink)

67.Dec - Košice · Vaclav Dusil (park) — 67.Dec – Košice · Vaclav Dusil (park)

70 - Toronto · Vaclav Dusil (Leslie St.) — 70 – Toronto · Vaclav Dusil (Leslie St.)

72.Sep.18 - Brampton · Vaclav Dusil (Gabriel's birthday) — 72.Sep.18 – Brampton · Vaclav Dusil (Gabriel’s birthday)

75.Jan - Burlington · Vaclav Dusil (cleaning driveway) — 75.Jan – Burlington · Vaclav Dusil (cleaning driveway)

77.Jul - Jamaica · Vaclav Dusil (horseback) — 77.Jul – Jamaica · Vaclav Dusil (horseback)

77.Jul - Mexico City · Vaclav Dusil (horseback) — 77.Jul – Mexico City · Vaclav Dusil (horseback)

81 - Hamilton · Vaclav Dusil (Article, Orangeville Wins OVA Hockey In Overtime at Hamilton) — 81 – Hamilton · Vaclav Dusil (Article, Orangeville Wins OVA Hockey In Overtime at Hamilton)

Family, Martial Arts

Martial Arts • Photo Restoration • 44 • Košice Judo

June 16, 2016 Gabriel Dusil Leave a comment

• Throughout the 1960’s, both the men’s and women’s judo teams in Košice were far more cohesive than the opposition. During competition they routed for each teammate with far more enthusiasm and passion. It was partially due to their deep routed friendships. Perhaps it was also due to the financial and physical hardships they shared. The team members spent a lot of time on trains – Košice is situated at the extreme East of Slovakia (Czechoslovakia at the time). So traveling from Košice to any tournament was lengthy and taxing. A trip to Prague was over 700 km and took over 11 hours. They would typically travel on overnight trains, and compete the day they arrived. A sleeping car was out of the question, because it was too expensive. An overnight train meant sitting on benches in a cabin that would hold up to eight people. The judoka learned to sleep on overhead luggage racks, or in creative places where there was a chance to stretch out. Friendships survived decades, including post-emigration, and continue to be strong today. Members often participated in many extra-curricular activities, such as hikes, camping, or going to the movies. Many teammates were best friends – Karol Dusil, Pepo Vosecky, and Igor Fridrich were closest to my dad.

• Lokomotíva Košice was the rail company’s sport club. In the communist system, state factories sponsored various sporting sectors. So Lokomotíva had a sports organization spanning over 20 “oddiels” (translated as “sections” or “divisions”) – these oddiels were in judo, wrestling, boxing, European football, handball, basketball, etc. One perk for the judoka was relatively cheap travel costs. For instance, an express train ticket from Košice to Prague in the 1960’s would cost only 20 Czechoslovakian Koruna (around $1 American dollar in today’s exchange rate). That same retail ticket today costs €54 ($76 US$).

• Košice Judo

If you missed previous posts on Košice Judo, you can find them here:

• Digital Photo Restoration

• 3 minutes 56 seconds

58 - Košice · Vaclav Dusil (boxing gloves) — 58 – Košice · Vaclav Dusil (boxing gloves)

• My dad tried his hand at boxing before seriously taking up judo. When I was a kid I remember watching Mohammad Ali on television, with my dad growing up. I also had the privilege to accompany my dad to the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Ontario, Canada. We attending judo and boxing events. I later learned that Larry Holmes had fought in one of them.

• 4 minutes 46 seconds

60 - Košice · Igor Fridrich, Miro Brozek, Juraj Mazanek, Berco Allman, Vaclav Dusil, Adolf Kostrian, Jozef Lemak, Šterc, Jozef Arvay, Csaba Kende, Pepo Vosecky — 60 – Košice · Igor Fridrich, Miro Brozek, Juraj Mazanek, Berco Allman, Vaclav Dusil, Adolf Kostrian, Jozef Lemak, Šterc, Jozef Arvay, Csaba Kende, Pepo Vosecky

Article - Judisti Lokomotívy Košice nepostúpili — Article – Judisti Lokomotívy Košice nepostúpili

• 4 minutes 13 seconds

60 - Košice · Juraj Bialko, Edo Novak, Csaba Kende, Igor Fridrich, Joe Nalevanko, Vaclav Dusil — 62 – Košice · Juraj Bialko, Edo Novak, Csaba Kende, Igor Fridrich, Joe Nalevanko, Vaclav Dusil

• This is the men’s Lokomotiva Košice team. In one tournament, Edo Novak scored a spectacular Ippon against the Czechoslovakian Champion Norbert Pomp using a Ura Nage judo throw.

• 5 minutes 50 seconds

63 - Košice · Honorary Trophy by the City of Košice — 63 – Košice · Honorary Trophy by the City of Košice

• Standing (left to right) – Karol Dusil, Edo Novak, Csaba Kende, Mr. Gonda (secretary of the Lokomotiva Košice Sport Club), Ing. Robert Binder, Pavel Petrivalsky, Juraj Bialko, Dusan Halasz • Lower row (left to right) – Robert Dusil, Vaclav Dusil, & Joe Nalevanko

• Robert Binder was the founder of Slovak Judo in Bratislava in 1954. According to my uncle, he was a fantastic person and a great help to Lokomotiva Košice, and in the development of Košice judo. He “belted” my uncle from yellow to brown. Joe Nalevanko coached Slavia Košice, the second Košice Judo team, consisting of mainly engineering students, but Lokomotiva Košice also retained him.

• 3 minutes 32 seconds

65 - Split · Vaclav Dusil, Dusan Halasz, Miro Brozek, Vlado Makovsky (Judo Tournament in Slovenia) — 65 – Split · Vaclav Dusil, Miro Brozek, x, Vlado Makovsky (Judo Tournament in Slovenia)

65 - Split · Pepo Vosecky, Miro Brozek, Vaclav Dusil, Vlado Makovsky (Judo Tournament in Slovenia) — 65 – Split · Pepo Vosecky, Miro Brozek, Vaclav Dusil, Vlado Makovsky (Judo Tournament in Slovenia)

• In 1965 my dad, Pepo Vosecky, Igor Fridrich, Vlado Makovsky and Stefan Bartus went to Split, Croatia (Yugoslavia at the time). They attended a judo tournament, competing in both individual matches, and five-member team competitions. In the spring of 1967 Lokomotíva Košice men’s team went to Leipzig, East Germany for another judo tournament and a reciprocal tournament was held later that year in Košice.

• Documents & Articles

Article - Šikovní chlapi — Article – Šikovní chlapi

Article - Noví majstri v judo — Article – Noví majstri v judo

Article - Najlepší oddiel Lokomotívy Košice Judo — Article – Najlepší oddiel Lokomotívy Košice Judo

• Tags

Adolf Kostrian, Andrej Collak, Anna Collakova, Berco Allman, Csaba Kende, Czechoslovakia, Darina Poprenakova, Digital Restoration, Dusan Halasz, dusil.com, Edo Novak, Gabriel Dusil, Hluchan, Igor Fridrich, Ivan Spisak, Janosik Bastam, Joe Nalevanko, Jozef Arvay, Jozef Grusecky, Jozko Lemak, Julia Tothova, Juraj Bialko, Juraj Mazanek, Karol Dusil, Košice, Ladislav Kende, Lokomotiva Košice, Maria Collakova-Korytkova, Michal Korytko, Miro Brozek, Nyarjas, Orendas, Pavel Petrivalsky, Pepo Vosecky, Pista Oravec, Pozemné Stavby, Robert Binder, Robert Dusil, Sano Drabcak, Slavia Košice, Slavia Žilina, Slavo Sykorsky, Slezan Opava, Slovak Judo, Stefan Bartus, Ura Nage, Vaclav Dusil, Vašek Dusil, Vinohrady Bratislava, Vlado Babilonsky, Vojtech Agyagos

Family, Martial Arts

Martial Arts • Photo Restoration • 24 • Košice Judo • Memories of Judo, III

November 19, 2015 Gabriel Dusil 1 Comment

• Introduction by Ing. Maria ‘Cuna’ Cabanová • 2005 April 20 • Translation & Editing by Gabriel Dusil

• Judo and the judoka of Košice shaped who I am today. I decided on my university education thanks to my coach Kajo Dusil, who thoroughly prepared me for my entrance exams to the Technical University Faculty of Metallurgy. The School of Economics, where I went did not adequately prepare me for technical school.

• When circumstances permitted, I tried to assist the Košice Judo Association in later years. In September 1978, I celebrated ten years as president of the Regional Association of Judo. I succeeded Edita Pačajová-Kardosová who stepped back to the mat as a trainer. I handed off this role to Marta Ujjobágyiova-Kelemenová and Erika Tordová-Királyová. At the time, women’s judo was completely separate from the men. The women were part of Lokomotíva Košice and men trained primarily in TJ VSŽ (Telovýchovná jednota Východoslovenské železiarne). I often offered my coaching assistance to the men’s team of Košice Judo. Helping me extensively were Laco Pačaj, Peter Széky and Jaro Plávka. Summer camps for the girls were organized by Csaba Kende. I coached periodically until 1992, before leaving for Bratislava to work. Then I raised my coaching qualification to class II, and graded successfully for my first dan, black belt.

• In judo I held various roles, such as chairwoman of the political-educational Commission for the District Judo Association, which at the time of the totalitarian regime was extremely important and had been one of the most important evaluation criteria for the sport. I worked as the President of the Judo Association and in that time we formed a joint association with karate. The Slovak Association of Judo awarded me an honorary second degree black belt for my contribution. At the elementary school in Barca (where I take my grandchildren) I led the judo team. I have now fulfilled my dream as a grandmother-judoka.

• It’s not my objective to just document the facts. These are my personal experiences and memories that others might remember differently. In closing, I must thank all judoka who shaped me, helped me and who are still my good friends. Mainly; Erika and Kajo Dusil, my lifelong friends; Csaba Kende, who devoted one summer for the preparation of my first dan black belt, and coached me through the final stages of my class II coaching certificate; Jaro Plávka who was my partner in my black belt grading; Laco Pačaj and Peter Széky who helped me in coaching, and with many other activities.

With reverent respect
I remember well the judoka and friends
who are no longer with us:
Vašek Dusil
Ďuri Mazánek
Julka Tóthová
Marcel Ondrík.

• Košice Judo

If you missed my previous posts on Košice Judo, you will find them here:

• Digital Photo Restoration

• 6 minutes 20 seconds

67.Dec - Morava · x, x, x, Karel Hrubicek, Vaclav Dusil, Vlado Makovsky, Csaba Kende, x & Jano Misko (station) — 67.Dec – Morava · x, x, x, Karel Hrubicek, Vaclav Dusil, Vlado Makovsky, Csaba Kende, x & Jano Misko (station)

67.Dec - Morava · x, x, Vlado Makovsky, x, Karel Hrubicek, Vaclav Dusil, Eva Kendeova, x, Csaba Kende & Jano Misko (station) — 67.Dec – Morava · x, x, Vlado Makovsky, x, Karel Hrubicek, Vaclav Dusil, Eva Kendeova, x, Csaba Kende & Jano Misko (station)

66.Jun - Klánovice · Vaclav, x, & Karol Dusil (judo workshop) — 66.Jun – Klánovice · Vaclav, x, & Karol Dusil (judo workshop)

66.Jun - Klánovice · x, x, Vaclav, x, Karol Dusil, x, x (judo workshop team) — 66.Jun – Klánovice · x, x, Vaclav, x, Karol Dusil, x, x (judo workshop team)

66 - Košice · Marcel Ondrik. Csaba Kende, Robert Dusil, Jozef Novotny & Vaclav Dusil (Judo grading) — 66 – Košice · Marcel Ondrik. Csaba Kende, Robert Dusil, Jozef Novotny & Vaclav Dusil (Judo grading)

65 - Split · Vaclav Dusil (Judo Tournament in Croatia) — 65 – Split · Vaclav Dusil (Judo Tournament in Croatia)

59 - Košice · Jozef Arvay, Nyarias, Ludvik Wolf, Zerge Kaan, Laco Magyar, Papik, x, Robert Dusil, Jozef Grusecky & Vaclav Dusil (judo) — 59 – Košice · Jozef Arvay, Nyarias, Ludvik Wolf, Zerge Kaan, Laco Magyar, Papik, x, Robert Dusil, Jozef Grusecky & Vaclav Dusil (judo)

• Documents & Articles

66.Jun.18 - Košice · Vaclav Dusil (judo Article, Pravda, TASD RJEKA Lokomotiva VSŽ) — 66.Jun.18 – Košice · Vaclav Dusil (judo Article, Pravda, TASD RJEKA Lokomotiva VSŽ)

66.Jun.3 - Košice · Vaclav Dusil (judo Article, Československý Šport, Judo s indexom) — 66.Jun.3 – Košice · Vaclav Dusil (judo Article, Československý Šport, Judo s indexom)

65 - Košice · Document, Vaclav Dusil (judo Diplom, Zá obetavú prácu) — 65 – Košice · Document, Vaclav Dusil (judo Diplom, Zá obetavú prácu)

Family, Gabriel Dusil

Family • Photo Restoration • 21 • Taci

October 29, 2015 Gabriel Dusil Leave a comment

Here is my latest photo restoration and video editing project, in memory of father, Vaclav ‘Taci’ Dusil.

Collage	14 hours	The concept of this layout came to me a few months ago, one evening just before I fell asleep. The first challenge was to get the black matte just right so that the design would size to my printer. I also needed to make sure the wings would settle neatly within the matte. Next was to group, scale and space the photos to the size of the angel wings.
Photo Montage	72 hours	Video editing was a tedious process. I had to essentially re-size each picture all over again – this time in Adobe Premiere Pro, then animate each photo in sequence to mosaic the wings. The ‘Taci’ animation was done in Adobe After Effects.
Photo Restoration	198 hours	There are 138 photos in total – 69 in each wing. The work spanned two months. Many of the original photos were annotated by my father. I initially used them in the collage, but I felt that the final layout was too messy with the added text.
Passion	∞ hours	My dad maintained a beautiful visual diary of his youth. It’s been a privilege to restore his photos, and create a lasting archive for my family. I’ve joined a group of individuals in the genealogy community, who have felt the emotion from that split second in time when a photo was taken.

• Taci

If you missed the other Taci posts, you can link to them here:

• Photo Montage

• 4 minutes 52 seconds

• Collage

• 8 minutes 10 seconds

• Photo Restoration

• 29 minutes 23 seconds

Family, Martial Arts

Martial Arts • Photo Restoration • 17 • Košice Judo • Memories of Judo, II

September 10, 2015 Gabriel Dusil 6 Comments

• Introduction by Ing. Maria ‘Cuna’ Cabanová • 2005 April 20 • Translation & Editing by Gabriel Dusil

• In 1962 the girls received their 5th kyu (yellow belt). At that time Košice did not have qualified examiners, so Ing. Robert Binder came from Bratislava. He was the founder of Slovak judo, and now over 80 year old. For me the event was significant because we were told that Mr. Binder was a very charismatic gentleman. He explained to me that judo is primarily for intellectuals and that I chose my sport correctly (at one time in my life I seriously flirted with running instead).

• I couldn’t have chosen better that the 14 years I dedicated to judo. After 45 years I can say that objectively. It was wonderful to belong to a team of smart boys and girls that were considerate, independent and responsible. After all Kajo, our coach, was only two or three years older than most of us. It was the same in the men’s team. Kajo not only secured the training schedule, but all organizational, financial and administrative issues related to the sport – and later with the Regional Judo Association. Most issues were managed by the three Dusil brothers: Robert, Vašek (unfortunately no longer with us) and Karol. When problems escalated, some of us were asked to help. I was among them, as well as Igor Fridrich. I transcribed meeting minutes and various reports that were required by the totalitarian regime. When Robert went to study in Sweden in 1967, Igor Fridrich took over management of the Regional Judo Association.

• I was never a successful competitor, but that did not hinder me, as I felt at home with the team. Kajo was in charge of all women’s age groups and performance categories, and very soon I also began to participate in coaching duties. I taught judo throws and basics to hundreds of girls. Before reaching the age of 18 I became a judge and a class III trainer. These positions sat with me more than the role of competitor. Vašek Dusil was in charge of coaching the men, and when he had other responsibilities, I’d take over.

• In addition to the activities in Košice, we promoted and established judo in other towns across Eastern Slovakia. Erika Mešterová-Dusilová and I came from railway families; we had permanent rail tickets and would go and train girls at the Central Pedagogical School (Stredna pedagogicka škola) in Prešov. We were still in high school. Great promotional events were organized in Michalovce, Slovakia and we combined that with a trip to Vienna. Our accommodations were in someone’s garage. Guarding the boys from the girls was of course, Kajo. As part of TJ Lokomotíva we were allowed to travel across all of Czechoslovakia. We used that to great effect and attended many competitions. If the girls weren’t competing we simply accompanied the boys as fans and observers.

• Košice Judo

If you missed my previous posts on Košice Judo, you will find them here:

• Digital Photo Restoration

• 6 minutes 51 seconds

64 - Košice · x, Berco Allman, Juraj Mazanek, Miro Brožek, Adolf Kostrian, Pepo Vosecky, Csaba Kende, Igor Fridrich, Vaclav Dusil, Jozef Lemak & Jozef Arvay (judo dojo) — 64 – Košice · x, Berco Allman, Juraj Mazanek, Miro Brožek, Adolf Kostrian, Pepo Vosecky, Csaba Kende, Igor Fridrich, Vaclav Dusil, Jozef Lemak & Jozef Arvay (judo dojo)

64 - Košice · Stefan Bartus, Vaclav Dusil, Pepo Vosecky & Vlado Makovsky (bridge) — 64 – Košice · Stefan Bartus, Vaclav Dusil, Pepo Vosecky & Vlado Makovsky (bridge)

63 - Košice · Edo Novak, Miro Brožek, Igor Fridrich, x, Robert Dusil, Csaba Kende, Vaclav Dusil — 63 – Košice · Edo Novak, Miro Brožek, Igor Fridrich, x, Robert Dusil, Csaba Kende, Vaclav Dusil

62.May.1 - Košice · Vaclav Dusil, Juraj Mazanek, Robert Dusil, Laco Hluchan, x, Ivan Spisiak, Joe Nalevanko, Vojtech Agyagos & Csaba Kende — 62.May.1 – Košice · Vaclav Dusil, Juraj Mazanek, Robert Dusil, Laco Hluchan, x, Ivan Spisiak, Joe Nalevanko, Vojtech Agyagos & Csaba Kende

62 - Košice · x, x, x, Joe Nalevanko, Pepo Vosecky, Robert Dusil, x, x, x, Igor Fridrich — 62 – Košice · x, x, x, Joe Nalevanko, Pepo Vosecky, Robert Dusil, x, x, x, Igor Fridrich

62 - Košice · x, x, Pepo Vosecky — 62 – Košice · x, x, Pepo Vosecky

62 - Košice · x, Csaba Kende, Miro Brozek, Pepo Vosecky, x (travelling) — 62 – Košice · x, Csaba Kende, Miro Brozek, Pepo Vosecky, x (travelling)

• Documents & Articles

66.Jun.18 - Košice · Vaclav Dusil (judo Article, Rudé Právo, Na tohoročných) — 66.Jun.18 – Košice · Vaclav Dusil (judo Article, Rudé Právo, Na tohoročných)

69.Jun.23 - Košice · Vaclav Dusil (Article, Večer, Rozšíria prvú ligu) — 69.Jun.23 – Košice · Vaclav Dusil (Article, Večer, Rozšíria prvú ligu)

66.Oct.15 - Košice · Document, Vaclav Dusil (judo Majster Kraja, Zá obetavú prácu) — 66.Oct.15 – Košice · Document, Vaclav Dusil (judo Majster Kraja, Zá obetavú prácu)

Family, Gabriel Dusil

Family • Photo Restoration • 16 • Taci

September 5, 2015 Gabriel Dusil Leave a comment

• My dad was the men’s judo team leader and the head coach of Lokomotíva Košice throughout the 1960’s. He won a bronze medal in the 1960 junior nationals. As a senior, my dad always advanced to the final rounds in his weight category and typically ended just behind the medalists in 5th or 6th place. Even more difficult, my dad competed in the heavier weight class, to avoid fighting his older brother. In the early 1960’s, weight classes were up to 68kg (my dad’s fighting weight, in his prime), then up to 80kg and finally, 80+ kg. A judoka weighing 60 kg could compete in the 80+ kg category if desired. Everything being equal, typically the lighter fighter was at a disadvantage.

• Judo weight classes have been revised several times over the years. The weight classes were broader than those in boxing (in increments of 3 to 4 kg). So cutting weight by dieting or visiting a steam bath was far less common in judo than in boxing . Competitive tactics consisted mainly of focusing on the opponent’s weaknesses. Coach would shout tips during tournaments, such as which grip to use or throw to try. As residents of Košice, a city with a significant Hungarian minority, many knew a bit of that language, so tips during competition were frequently coded in Hungarian. On one occasion a referee tried to prevent one of the Košice coach’s to speak Hungarian during a match. An opposing coach complained that he did not understand. My uncle told him sharply, “learn other languages!” and he clammed up.

• My father and his teammates trained twice per week, in the original gym. As time passed they had more gym time and had proper judo tatami (the special mats needed to absorb the impact of a judo throw). By this time they trained three or more times per week. Women trained separately from the men. In the 1960’s the judo oddiel of Lokomotíva Košice peaked close to 100 members.

• I miss my dad tremendously. He would have celebrated his 73rd birthday today.

♥ Happy Birthday ♥ Taci ♥

I love you,

• Taci

If you missed the other Taci posts, you can link to them here:

Digital Photo Restoration

• 5 minutes 36 seconds

58 - Košice · Vaclav Dusil (Poľnohospodárska Technická Škola) — 58 – Košice · Vaclav Dusil (Poľnohospodárska Technická Škola)

59 - Košice · Vaclav Dusil — 59 – Košice · Vaclav Dusil

• 6 minutes 58 seconds

61 - Slovenský raj · Vaclav Dusil, Zuzana & Robert Dusil — 61 – Slovenský raj · Vaclav Dusil, Zuzana & Robert Dusil

61 - Slovenský raj · Vaclav Dusil — 61 – Slovenský raj · Vaclav Dusil

62 - Jazero Vinne · Vaclav Dusil — 62 – Jazero Vinne · Vaclav Dusil

62 – Brno · Vaclav Dusil & Igor Fridrich

• Postscript by Gabriel Dusil • 2014 October • My dad and Igor Fridrich were best friends. Their friendship has also carried down to the next generation.

66.Feb - Košice · Eva Kendeova, Vaclav & Karol Dusil (neighbour kids) — 66.Feb – Košice · Eva Kendeova, Vaclav & Karol Dusil (neighbour kids)

• Postscript by Eva Dusil • 2014 November • This photo were taken in the yard where Taci lived. It’s the winter of 1966, soon after we started dating (happy memories). The two boys are from the neighborhood and were also judoka that your father taught.

• Documents & Awards

67.Sep.7 - Košice · Document, Vaclav Dusil (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine , Czech) — 67.Sep.7 – Košice · Document, Vaclav Dusil (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine , Czech)

14.Nov - Prague · Vaclav Dusil (sports medals) — 14.Nov – Prague · Vaclav Dusil (sports medals)

Family, Gabriel Dusil

Family • Photo Restoration • 15 • Dusil

August 21, 2015 Gabriel Dusil Leave a comment

• During the communist era very few citizens of the eastern bloc were allowed to travel to the west, except for politicians and sportsmen. Travelling amongst countries such as East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, and Yugoslavia were allowed. But even that was difficult, since the authorities only allowed travel to the eastern block once every two years. Travel to the west on a Czechoslovakian passport required both a “vyjazdna dolozka” (an “exit visa” granted by the passport police) and an entry visa granted by the western country. Only after receiving the “vyjazdna dolozka” (specific to the country of destination) could the traveler apply for an “entry visa”. In addition, the traveler’s employment manager needed to approve the application.

• Top sportsmen from Czechoslovakia would have a number of STB minders when competing in western countries. STB, or “Štátna tajna bezpečnosť”, is Slovak for “State Secret Security”. Essentially they were the Czechoslovakian equivalent to the Russian KGB. STB minders were present as members of the Czechoslovakian delegation at events such as the Olympics, European or World championships. Despite these minders, some successfully defected to the embarrassment of the communist party – Martina Navratilova (tennis), Václav Nedomanský and Richard Farda (hockey), and many others. In the early 1960’s travel rules and political repression was a bit relaxed. But these political changes were not enough and this led to changes in the communist party hierarchy. It also resulted in the attempted reforms of the new General Secretary, Alexander Dubček, referred today as the Prague Spring. On the 21st of August 1968 the Soviet Union and four other members of the Warsaw Pact invaded Czechoslovakia to halt Dubček’s reforms. This meant in a renewed orthodox communist grip on Czechoslovakia for the next twenty years.

• Dusil

If you missed the previous posts on Dusil, then click on these links:

• Digital Photo Restoration

News footage from the 21st of August 1968

• In 1969 my uncle requested travel to Paris, His boss asked what would happen to his children. My uncle lied, saying that his children would stay with their relatives. Essentially he was reassuring his boss that my cousins would remain home as “collateral deposit”. This was sufficient to reassure the authorities that the traveler would not defect. On that basis his manager approved their travel request. My uncle subsequently forged his children into the application. They obtained exit visas from the passport police, and then entry visas into France. Ten days later they “forgot” to return. The rest is history…

• Digital Photo Restoration

• 4 minutes 40 seconds

68.Nov - Košice · Gabriel Dusil — 68.Nov – Košice · Gabriel Dusil

• Postscript by Eva Dusil • 2014 October • Gabičko, this a very cute photo when you were about two months old. I still remember Nanika commenting how well you were able to hold your head up. Love you, Mom, with happy memories.

• Postscript from me • 2014 October • I think I could have won the award for the roundest head in Czechoslovakia.

• 8 minutes 00 seconds

69.Jan - Kosice · Gabriel & Vaclav Dusil — 69.Jan – Kosice · Gabriel & Vaclav Dusil

69.Jan - Kosice · Gabriel & Eva Dusil — 69.Jan – Kosice · Gabriel & Eva Dusil

69.Jan - Kosice · Gabriel & Vaclav Dusil (cradle) — 69.Jan – Kosice · Gabriel & Vaclav Dusil (cradle)

69.Jan - Kosice · Gabriel & Vaclav Dusil (kiss) — 69.Jan – Kosice · Gabriel & Vaclav Dusil (kiss)

69.Jan - Kosice · Gabriel & Vaclav Dusil (on Taci's shoulders) — 69.Jan – Kosice · Gabriel & Vaclav Dusil (on Taci’s shoulders)

• Postscript by Eva Dusil • 2014 September • This photo was taken at Slavo Sykorsky’s villa in Košice, where we lived until we left Czechoslovakia in August 1969 and emigrated to Canada. Prior to Slavo’s place we lived in Pepo Vosecky’s apartment for short time. You were about four months old.

• Postscript from me • 2014 September • Look at that little baby… Precious!

69.Apr - Košice · Gabriel Dusil — 69.Apr – Košice · Gabriel & Eva Dusil

• 8 minutes 19 seconds

69.Sep.4 - Košice · Leaving for Paris (#1) — 69.Sep.4 – Košice · Leaving for Paris (#1)

69.Sep.4 - Košice · Leaving for Paris (#2) — 69.Sep.4 – Košice · Leaving for Paris (#2)

69.Sep.4 - Košice · Leaving for Paris (#3) — 69.Sep.4 – Košice · Leaving for Paris (#3)

• Postscript from Eva Dusil • 2014 October • These were taken in Košice on the day before we emigrated. We are at the bus station on our way to Bratislava to catch our flight to Paris the following day. In Bratislava we slept over at a rental apartment with Slavo and Milica Sykorsky. We arrived at Orly Airport in Paris, late in the afternoon on the 5th of September – on Vašek’s birthday. As we landed in France we finally felt free. Our first night was in a university dormatory, since the fall semester had not yet begun. You took your first steps that night. During the trip you had a bad cold, runny nose and fever, but a couple days after arriving in Paris you were fine.■ My father-in-law didn’t know that we were leaving, and later told us he would have informed the authorities.

• Tags

Alexander Dubček, dusil.com, Eva Dusil, Eva Kendeova, Erika Dusil, Gabičko, Gabriel Dusil, Igor Fridrich, Karol Dusil, Lokomotiva Košice, Martina Navratilova, Pepo Vosecky, Prague Spring, Richard Farda, Robert Dusil, Slavo Sykorsky, STB, Stefan Bartus, Truncheon Law, Vaclav Dusil, Vašek Dusil, Václav Nedomanský, Vlado Makovsky, vyjazdna dolozka, Warsaw Pact invasion, Štátna bezpečnosť, Štátna tajna bezpečnosť

Family, Martial Arts

Martial Arts • Photo Restoration • 13 • Košice Judo • Memories of Judo, I

August 6, 2015 Gabriel Dusil 4 Comments

• Introduction by Ing. Maria ‘Cuna’ Cabanová • 2005 April 20 • Translation & Editing by Gabriel Dusil

• I started judo in 1961. I was an economic student and my classmate and best friend Erika Mešterová persuaded me to try the sport. At the time our judo facilities were in a small building in Petrov Sad, Košice. We had to share the facilities with the TJ (Telovýchovná jednota) Lokomotíva Košice wrestlers and boxers. The room where we practiced was covered with soft mats, more suited to wrestling than for judo. The building wasn’t heated so in the winter when we came to train, the mats were covered with a layer of frost. We had to wear socks on our feet, otherwise our feet would freeze. In such cold facilities no one took it easy during training. Everyone wanted to warm up quickly with a lot of movement. After training we showered under ice-cold water.

• After completion of the indoor swimming pool in Košice in 1963, our building became part of the swimming community, so we no longer had a place to train. In early September the team organized a march in the center of town with a goal to find a new gym. The event was a success and for some time we rolled around in Room 4 of the Technical University’s dormitory on Vysokoškolska ulice (street). Later we moved to the school gymnasium on Gemerská street. We also bought our own mats, ordered by Robert Dusil somewhere in Bohemia. The training facilities weren’t only for judoka so we only had a few reserved hours each week. The girls needed to train with the boys. Men trained under the guidance of Vašek and Robert Dusil, and the girls were under the leadership of Karol Dusil. Each workout started with laying the mats and stretching the canvas.

• The following school year we moved to the Cadets facilities on Komenského ulici. There we had separate training from the boys, and never trained with them again. In later years we also trained on Podhradová. When I first arrived, the girls were trained by Juraj Mazánek, aka. Hoszu. After a short time he was replaced by Dušan Halász, who we called Marmot. When he departed to military service Karol Dusil took over. Kajo, as we all called him, gave his entire soul to coaching. The first championships titles for Czechoslovakia were awarded to Julka Tóthová in Nuremberg, Germany in 1962 (Unfortunately she is no longer among us). Next champions were Božena Glaubicova-Mikušákova and Hanka Demáčkova in Košice in 1966. The most successful year for women’s Košice judo was in 1967. The Czechoslovakian championship that year was held in Žilina. Winning in their weight classes were Juca Ujjobbágyova, Erika Tordová-Királyová, Valika Zelenayová-Záhradníková and Maja Polončáková. In 1968 in Prague, additional championship titles were won by Milka Kojecká-Mišková and Božena Glaubicova. Gold metals were also awarded to Marta Ujjobágyová and Magda Antolíková. At that time, Košice women’s judo was the best team in Czechoslovakia. In 1968 in Košice took first place in the unofficial national championships. Kajo trained the women until he immigrated to Canada in September 1969.

• Košice Judo

If you missed my previous posts on Košice Judo, you’ll find links to them here:

• Digital Photo Restoration

• 5 minutes 51 seconds

62 - Košice · Pepo Vosecky, Ivan Krizko, Mato Mohr, Robert, Vaclav Dusil & Csaba Kende — 62 – Košice · Pepo Vosecky, Ivan Krizko, Mato Mohr, Robert, Vaclav Dusil & Csaba Kende

62 - Košice · Pepo Vosecky (judo flip) — 62 – Košice · Pepo Vosecky (judo flip)

61 - Nitra · Edo Novak, x, x, Robert & Vaclav Dusil, Joe Nalevanko, (judo) — 61 – Nitra · Edo Novak, x, x, Robert & Vaclav Dusil, Joe Nalevanko, (judo)

61 - Košice · x, Halasz, x, Jozef Grusecky, Nalevanko, Kende, Nyaryas, Ivan Spisak, Juraj Mazanek, Vlado Babilonsky, Pavel Petrivalsky, x, x, Urban, Vojtech Agyagos, Laco Hluchan, x, Vaclav & Robert Dusil — 61 – Košice · x, Halasz, x, Jozef Grusecky, Nalevanko, Kende, Nyaryas, Ivan Spisak, Juraj Mazanek, Vlado Babilonsky, Pavel Petrivalsky, x, x, Urban, Vojtech Agyagos, Laco Hluchan, x, Vaclav & Robert Dusil

61 - Košice · Sano Drabcak, Edo Novak, Vaclav & Robert Dusil — 61 – Košice · Sano Drabcak, Edo Novak, Vaclav & Robert Dusil

61 - Košice · Juraj Bialko, Erika Mesterova-Dusilova, x, x, Joe Nalevanko, x, x, x, Vaclav Dusil (station) — 61 – Košice · Juraj Bialko, Erika Mesterova-Dusilova, x, x, Joe Nalevanko, x, x, x, Vaclav Dusil (station)

60 - Košice · Joe Nalevanko, Vaclav, Robert Dusil, Ludvik Wolf, Juraj Mazanek & Ladislav Magyar (judo dojo) — 60 – Košice · Joe Nalevanko, Vaclav, Robert Dusil, Ludvik Wolf, Juraj Mazanek & Ladislav Magyar (judo dojo)

• Documents & Articles

66.Jun.18 - Košice · Vaclav Dusil (judo Article, Rudé Právo, Lokomotivy VSŽ Košice) — 66.Jun.18 – Košice · Vaclav Dusil (judo Article, Rudé Právo, Lokomotivy VSŽ Košice)

68.Dec.10 - Bratislava · Vaclav Dusil (Article, Šport Bratislava, Judisti Lokomotiva Košice do 1. ligy) — 68.Dec.10 – Bratislava · Vaclav Dusil (Article, Šport Bratislava, Judisti Lokomotiva Košice do 1. ligy)

69.Jun.26 - Košice · Vaclav Dusil (Article, Večer, Žiakom dosť mužom málo) — 69.Jun.26 – Košice · Vaclav Dusil (Article, Večer, Žiakom dosť mužom málo)

Family

Family • Photo Restoration • 10 • Taci

June 11, 2015 Gabriel Dusil 1 Comment

• Introduction by Eva Dusil • Editing by Gabriel Dusil • 2015 March

• During Christmas of 1965 I met Vašek. He was in his fifth year of university in the same veterinary program as myself. He had a great influence on my performance and always pressured me to do better. We studied together and went on dates as much as school permitted. The following year he graduated and then his compulsory military duty awaited him. Vašek and I got engaged in December of 1967 while still serving his military duties.

• Your father was an excellent surgeon. Taci was the best student in his class and the only one to finish with honors. For Vašek it was absolutely essential that he finished university with a red diploma. By the time he graduated, both of his brothers had finished their studies and also received red diplomas. The difference was that your father was the only one in his class that graduated with honors, whereas in engineering there were several students that completed that distinction.

• Taci was a great communicator and had a lot of charisma. Our clients liked him very much. He had an inherent view into the hearts of people, and that allowed him to be very compassionate and empathetic. Together we built a successful veterinary practice. He was ambitious and competitive, but not because he wanted to prove he was better than others – throughout his life his biggest competitor was himself, and the struggles he had with his own ego.

• Taci died 34 years ago today. We miss him tremendously.