Fonds 20-001 - Jozef A. Mikuš fonds

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Jozef A. Mikuš fonds

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  • Textual record
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Fonds

Reference code

CA ON0034 20-001

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Physical description

571.5 cm of textual records
7 photographs : 6 b&w ; 1 col.

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Name of creator

(1909-2005)

Biographical history

Dr. Jozef August Mikuš was born on July 3, 1909, in the village of Krivá, Orava county, Slovakia. From 1929, he studied law at the University of Dijon and at Comenius University in Bratislava where he graduated with a J.D. degree in 1934. He then joined the diplomatic service of the first Czechoslovak Republic. During the Slovak Republic (1939-1945), he served as Chargé d’affaires in Spain, and in 1944 became Chief of Diplomatic Protocol at the Slovak National Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Between 1945 and 1948, he served as an advisor to the Slovak National Council in Bratislava. During that time, he was imprisoned three times by the Communists. In March 1948, he fled Czechoslovakia with his wife Renée and their daughter Isabelle. Between 1948 and 1952, he lived in Paris and was a member of the Slovak National Council Abroad. In December 1951, he left Europe for the United States and settled with his family in Washington, D.C. Between 1952 and 1958, Dr. Mikuš was a lobbyist for the Slovak League of America in Washington, D.C. Between 1959 to 1961, he taught History at St. John’s University in Jamaica, N.Y. He also worked as press correspondent (1952-1957), and as legal librarian (1965). He served as a consultant and translator for the State Department (1957-1959, 1961-1965), In 1966, he obtained his Master Degree in Comparative Law from the George Washington University. From 1967 up until his retirement in 1974, he taught Political Science and History at Georgian Court College in Lakewood, New Jersey.
In 1970, Dr. Mikuš was a co-founder of the Slovak World Congress. Throughout his career, he was an active member of numerous other professional, political, and nationalist Organizations on which he served in many capacities.
Dr. Mikuš has been a very prolific writer throughout his long career as a diplomat, a jurist, a lobbyist, a professor, and a political activist. He has published a dozen books, many pamphlets and booklets. He has contributed to at least three books published in collaboration with other authors, and has produced an impressive number of articles in learned journals, Slovak periodicals and American newspapers. As a recognized authority in the many fields of History, in Political Science, and in issues of International Law, Dr. Mikuš conducted many seminars and delivered numerous conferences. His contribution has been significant.
In 1995-1996, Dr. Mikuš left the United States. After a short stay in France, he returned to his native Slovakia. He passed away in 2005.

Custodial history

Scope and content

The Jozef A. Mikuš fonds consists of various documents personally collected by Dr. Mikuš over a lifetime of activities as a diplomat, a jurist, a political activist, an immigrant, a teacher, an officer in various nationalist and political associations, and as a simple citizen. It is very much a “personal” collection of documents that reflects Dr. Mikuš’ views and interests on a multitude of topics, and bears witness to his lifetime involvement in the political history of his country of origin, Slovakia, in the life and struggles of his countrymen, the Slovak people, and in the social and political life of his country of adoption after World War II, the United States of America. Gravitating around these major focal points are documents on a variety of subjects from religion to economy, from freedom of speech to education, political parties to arts and culture, famous politicians to nationalist writers, from nuclear arms to aid programs.

This fonds contains handwritten notes, holograph and typed manuscripts, galley proofs, and printed texts of Dr. Mikuš’ published and unpublished works: books, articles, conference and symposium addresses, book reviews, and special contributions for Anniversaries, In Memoriam, and Commemorations, letters, newspaper clippings, articles, excerpts from condemnation charges, speeches, declarations, orbituaries, photocopied cheques, invoices, receipts, addresses, meetings' minutes, financial statements, guidelines, lists, announcements, certificates, forms, agendas, resumes, pamphlets, booklets, information and fact sheets, funeral, business, Easter, prayer, birthday and Christmas cards, postcards, maps, programs, news and press releases, photographs, book reviews, syllabi, memoranda, newsletters, insurance policies, catalogues, reports, chronologies, a poetry collection, grant application, income tax forms, statements of assets, flyers, telegrams, premium notices, an identification card, stickers, an Unclaimed Funds Network (UFN)'s sweepstake rules, papers, questionnaires, periodicals, journal, government documents, petitions, condensed version of book The inheritor: a tale of KGB espionage in America, resolutions, proceedings, biographical notes and references, transcripts, short biographies, a copy of the book Slovakia in blood and shackles, a call to order, footnotes, appeals, statistics, constitutions, a charter, personal accounts, poems, a leaflet, invitation, terms of references, a manifesto, a message, souvenir books, essays, an organizational Chart, letterheads, a document sleeve, a protocol, an interview and the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights' preamble.

The fonds has been divided in six series: Writings and publications, Correspondence, Personal files, Organizations, Periodicals, and Topical files.

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Physical condition

Yellowing and brittle paper. Rust and ink stains. Burnt marks and tape on documents. Faded and smudged ink, script and newspaper clippings. Glued and taped newspaper clippings on cardboard and sheets of paper and cards. Torn and ripped documents. Water damage.

Immediate source of acquisition

In the summer of 1995, Dr. Mikuš donated his entire collection of papers to the Archives and Special Collections of the Library Network of the University of Ottawa, as a personal gift to the Chair in Slovak History and Culture. The donation was initiated and facilitated by the current holder of the Chair, Dr. M. Mark Stolarik. All documents were placed in file folders and packed in 12 large (55x35x25 cm) cardboard boxes. Dr. Mikuš personally handed all material to Dr. Stolarik who transported it, by car, from Washington, D.C. to Ottawa, Canada. The donation was received by the Library Network on August 9, 1995.

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  • Czech
  • English
  • French
  • German
  • Russian
  • Slovak
  • Spanish

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Restrictions on access

Subseries 3.9: Income tax returns, medical bills, account of personal assets and insurance plans are restricted in keeping with relevant privacy legislation.

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Associated materials

Related material in Joseph Staško fonds (20-002), Ján Okáľ fonds (20-016) and Slovak Institute (Cleveland, Ohio) fonds (20-021).

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Sources

Data for Dr. Mikuš’ biographical sketch was collected from:

Perréal, R. & J.A. Mikuš. La Slovaquie. Une nation au coeur de l’Europe. Lausanne, Editions l’Age d’Homme, 1992. p. 252-253.

Stolarik, M. Mark. “Memorandum” to Christine Banfill & Hera Arevian. University of Ottawa, August 9, 1995.

Various documents from Series III. Personal Files of the present Fonds.

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