Slovak WWII Paratrooper Viliam Gérik Executed in 1947 for Betraying Resistance Movement

Viliam Gérik, a Slovak paratrooper who betrayed the World War II resistance movement after being captured by the Gestapo, was executed by hanging on April 29, 1947, at age 26. Before his execution, Gérik wrote farewell letters to his family, including one to his brother Ferko in which he calmly accepted his death sentence and expressed acceptance of his fate. The case highlights the complex legacy of wartime collaboration in Slovakia, where some resistance fighters turned against their comrades after capture by Nazi forces. Gérik had received millions from the Gestapo in exchange for information that compromised Slovak resistance operations during the war.