Identity area
Type of entity
Person
Authorized form of name
Okáľ, Ján
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Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
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Description area
Dates of existence
1915-1990
History
Ján Okáľ, a Slovak poet and political writer, was born on November 25th, 1915 in Hubová, Žilina (Slovakia). Upon the completion of his studies at Turčianske Teplice’s teachers’ college, he first worked as a teacher followed by a position at Matica slovenská in Bratislava. In additional to his employment, Ján Okáľ published his first two poetry collection Nehnem sa (I will not move) in 1942 and L’ubosť (Love) in 1944.
After the Second World War, Ján Okáľ fled Slovakia and first settling in Austria. Afterwards, je joined Assisi’s Slovak emigrant community in Umbria (Italy) consisting of Ján L. Doránsky and his family, Jozef Varinský, Andrej Cinčura and Jozef Martinka. After spending some years in Italy, Ján Okáľ finally settled in the United States, first living in Berwyn and then Chicago, where he resumed his studies in teaching at the University of Chicago. He eventually chose the United States and settled in Berwyn and finally in Chicago. All though his years in the United States, he exchanged with Slovak personalities in North America and abroad, among others, Ernest Žatko (pen name: Ján E. Bor), Imrich Kružliak (pen name: Marian Žiar), Gorazd Zvonický (pen name: Andrej Šandor), L’udovit Kandra (pen name: Peter Klas), Ignác Zelenska (pen name: Eugen Vesnin) and Ján L. Doránsky (pen names: JED, J.D. Harmonik, J.D. Oravec and J.O. Ravec).
In the North American Slovak community, Ján Okáľ was known for his editorial work for Slovak newspapers and periodical. Between 1951 and 1958, he was one of the editors of the newspaper Slovák v Amerike. From 1979 onwards, he became the editor of the Slovak World Congress (SWC)’s official publication Bulletin. During his tenure, Ján Okáľ brought to life several SWC events, among others, annual general meetings, the First, Second, Third, Fourth World Festival of Slovak Youth, the Canadian International Triennial of Slovak Art, the Slovak Graduation Ball and the 50th anniversary of Slovak Independence.
Ján Okáľ is most famous for his poetry on the emigration experience of Slovaks and his works various Slovak personalities. In exile, he wrote several poetry collections, some with Jozef G. Cincík’s illustrations, among others Voda a vino detailing Ján Okáľ’s experience in Italy and Velký kalendár kočura na roky. He also wrote memoirs on Slovak intellectuals, such as Jozef G. Cincík in the biography Dr. Jozef G. Cincík pútnik dvoch svetov (Dr. Jozef G. Cincik, a pilgrim of two worlds) in 1980, the books Leto na Traume (Summer at Traume) in 1986 and Výpredaj l’udkosti (The sale of humanity) in 1989. Ján Okáľ passed away on March 19th, 1990 in Chicago, Illiinois (United States).
After the Second World War, Ján Okáľ fled Slovakia and first settling in Austria. Afterwards, je joined Assisi’s Slovak emigrant community in Umbria (Italy) consisting of Ján L. Doránsky and his family, Jozef Varinský, Andrej Cinčura and Jozef Martinka. After spending some years in Italy, Ján Okáľ finally settled in the United States, first living in Berwyn and then Chicago, where he resumed his studies in teaching at the University of Chicago. He eventually chose the United States and settled in Berwyn and finally in Chicago. All though his years in the United States, he exchanged with Slovak personalities in North America and abroad, among others, Ernest Žatko (pen name: Ján E. Bor), Imrich Kružliak (pen name: Marian Žiar), Gorazd Zvonický (pen name: Andrej Šandor), L’udovit Kandra (pen name: Peter Klas), Ignác Zelenska (pen name: Eugen Vesnin) and Ján L. Doránsky (pen names: JED, J.D. Harmonik, J.D. Oravec and J.O. Ravec).
In the North American Slovak community, Ján Okáľ was known for his editorial work for Slovak newspapers and periodical. Between 1951 and 1958, he was one of the editors of the newspaper Slovák v Amerike. From 1979 onwards, he became the editor of the Slovak World Congress (SWC)’s official publication Bulletin. During his tenure, Ján Okáľ brought to life several SWC events, among others, annual general meetings, the First, Second, Third, Fourth World Festival of Slovak Youth, the Canadian International Triennial of Slovak Art, the Slovak Graduation Ball and the 50th anniversary of Slovak Independence.
Ján Okáľ is most famous for his poetry on the emigration experience of Slovaks and his works various Slovak personalities. In exile, he wrote several poetry collections, some with Jozef G. Cincík’s illustrations, among others Voda a vino detailing Ján Okáľ’s experience in Italy and Velký kalendár kočura na roky. He also wrote memoirs on Slovak intellectuals, such as Jozef G. Cincík in the biography Dr. Jozef G. Cincík pútnik dvoch svetov (Dr. Jozef G. Cincik, a pilgrim of two worlds) in 1980, the books Leto na Traume (Summer at Traume) in 1986 and Výpredaj l’udkosti (The sale of humanity) in 1989. Ján Okáľ passed away on March 19th, 1990 in Chicago, Illiinois (United States).