Journey to Family Roots: The Emotional Return of the Sisolak Family to Slovakia

Siblings Ed and Joy Sisolak spent a few beautiful summer days with us at Hotel Devín. Their Slovak-sounding surname is no coincidence – their family story is deeply rooted in Slovak history. We were very touched and pleased that they shared it with us.

Is this your first time in Slovakia?

We are five siblings, living in various U.S. states. It has always been our dream to come to Slovakia and experience the country where our grandparents came from. Now we are here – me, my sister Joy, and our families – fulfilling this lifelong dream.

When did your grandparents emigrate to the USA?

Our grandmother came to America back in 1909, during the Austro-Hungarian era.

Do you know which part of Slovakia your family comes from?

From the village of Šišuláky, just like our surname. It’s located near Lakšárska Nová Ves, about an hour north of Bratislava. There should still be a grave of our great-grandparents in the local cemetery.

What was the reason for your desire to come to Slovakia?

My grandmother was the only one still alive when I was born. She wanted her children to speak English, so she didn’t teach them Slovak. I regret that because I love languages, and I can barely say a few words in Slovak. We live in America, where many cultures intersect, and for me, it feels almost necessary to know my own roots. I’ve been teaching at the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation for 25 years, where I am surrounded by Native American culture. The Native Americans are proud of their heritage, and I see how much it means to them. They are constantly searching for who they are and trying to understand themselves through their traditions. Seeing the importance of their own culture ignites in me the same desire to discover who I am.

What did your grandmother teach you about Slovakia?

My grandmother passed away in 1981, so our memories of her aren’t very clear. She came to America as a young girl, and she only met my grandfather after arriving here. I’m not sure how, but both of them were from Šišuláky. English was her second language, and sometimes it was hard for her to tell us everything she wanted. I do know that she used to herd geese in Slovakia. She was a very gentle and kind woman, and she delivered all of her children at home. She wore long skirts and loved clothes with white lace. She always carried a rosary with her.

Did your family keep the Slovak heritage alive?

My father remembered some Slovak because, when he was young, the Sisolak family used to have large family gatherings. The children would play together, and the adults maintained the community. But later, our family scattered across America, and these gatherings gradually disappeared, weakening our connection to Slovakia.

We later met a man who is also a Sisolak. He wrote a blog as part of his dissertation on the Sisolak family. Thanks to his work, we learned a lot about our history. Our ancestors were millers, there are two streams in Šišuláky.

What are your next steps in discovering your Slovak roots?

We discovered an organization called Global Slovakia, which hosts many webinars about Slovak culture, unites Slovaks abroad, and provides information, such as how to become a Slovak citizen. There’s a new law now that makes it easier for the children of emigrants to gain Slovak citizenship.

How long do you plan to stay in Slovakia?

Unfortunately, we’re only here for one week.

That seems short for truly experiencing the country, doesn’t it?

A week is definitely not enough to understand this country and establish a connection with it, but it’s an important step towards our roots. We’ve wanted to come to Slovakia for a very long time, and now we’re finally here. I’ve had this burning feeling for a long time that I need to reconnect with my roots.

Can you tell us something about your heritage and family traditions?

I remember how our whole family—my father, all of his brothers and sisters—would prepare Easter baskets with eggs, traditional bread, and poppy seed cakes. Every year, we took them to church, where our priest would bless them. Our church was attended by people from many nationalities, but our priest always understood that this tradition was important to my family, and he allowed us to keep it alive. The Easter dishes were always prepared by my mother, who was of German-Irish descent.

Did you have carp at home on Christmas Eve or turkey for lunch on Christmas Day?

We had both, maybe we were more celebrating the evening. But we didn’t eat carp.

How do you get to Šišuláky?

We will go by public transport. There is a bus to Lakšárská Nová Ves, and then we will walk.

Ed, Joy, we wish you the best of luck in finding your family roots and your own identity.

After a few days, when the family happily returned to America, we received a beautiful email with a family photo, saying that the Sisolaks found Šišuláky, they found the family grave, which still had the name of the great-grandparents written on it, and that it was a beautiful and emotional experience for them.

We wish them to find everything they are looking for and to definitely return to Slovakia and to Hotel Devín.

Annual ball in hotel Devín

BÅRD BREIEN FILMED AT HOTEL DEVÍN****

PRINCIPLES OF FUNCTIONALISM IN HOTEL DEVÍN****

Jindřich Štreit at Hotel Devín