Ministerstvo vnútra

The Ministry of Interior was established during the period of Slovak autonomy (October 6, 1938 - March 14, 1939). In addition its extensive competence, which it took over from the Country Office (such as issues of the Presidium of the Country Office, organizing of national security - the Police and Gendarmerie, organizing of Defense education etc.) it also gained competences of the former Ministry of Public Health and Physical Education as well as the Ministry of Social Care. Thus the Ministry of Interior’s competence and scope were always very wide. At the end of 1939 the following structure of the Ministry of Interior has stabilized: Section I - Presidential, Section II - Police - legal issues, Section III. - Municipalities, Section IV. - Social, Section V. - Health, Section VI. - Management of Institutes Accounting department and economic governance. Thus competences of the Ministry of Interior was very wide and it reached from the public administration management, through the organization of police and security matters as well as social matters and healthcare. During the following years of Ministry’s existence there were several changes made within its structure which resulted in the creation of different departments. As far as the persecution of Jews in Slovakia is concerned, creation of the special department (14) within the Section I – Presidential was of great importance. Department 14 was entrusted with extensive powers in with the organization and implementation of anti-Jewish policy in Slovakia. The wide scope included all administrative, legal and economic matters related to the establishment and function of labor camps for Jews, registration of Jews (Census of Jews), deportations of Jews from Slovakia, and later also extended to work permits of Jews. This department was first led by Gejza Konka and later by Anton Vašek.