VÝPOVEĎ ZAJATÉHO ČS. LEGIONÁRA V TALIANSKU MARTINA BADINKU

The published document takes a detailed look at the statement of Martin Badinka, who was arrested on the 21st September 1918 along with other 4 CS legionaries in Italy, during the battles at Doss Alto. Since the Austro-Hungarian Army was interested in the information about the Czechoslovakian legionary army, M. Badinka was subjected to interrogation. Unlike the other prisoners who were executed, he managed to escape the death penalty. The court believed that he is less than 20 years old and sentenced him for 20 years of prison. He got out of after the war ended. Record from his interrogation has preserved in the Military Archive in Vienna. Analysing it, it is apparent that he was worried about his fate since he was in real danger of the death penalty for his participation in the legions. Therefore, Ján Badinka claims in several quotations that he was not arrested but he defected from the legions on his own, based on his belief about not wanting to fight against his friends. The interrogation also focused on the dislocation and armament of the legionary units. However, the interrogated Ján Badinka could only provide brief reports about this. They also asked him about the names of other legionaries, supply of the legions, messing or the health condition of the legionaries.