Born in Pennsylvania and raised in Czechoslovakia, my father returned to America unable to speak English – and relied on a little notebook to get around

Józef built a new life as a tailor in Pittsburgh but never lost his connection to his Slovak roots.

You can read this exclusive content thanks to FALATH & PARTNERS, a Bratislava-based law firm that helps people of Slovak descent obtain Slovak citizenship and reconnect with the land of their ancestors.

Katarina Tatko was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1963. As Katarina’s father was a tailor, she never had to buy a coat or dress until she was over 30 years old. She began her career as a schoolteacher before becoming a sales representative, selling textbooks to colleges. Eventually, Katarina founded her own company. Now happily married and retired, she enjoys life and explores the culture of her ancestors.

Agnes’s story is part of a Global Slovakia Project- Slovak Settlers, authored by Zuzana Palovic and Gabriela Bereghazyova. The book can be bought here.

My family history bears the imprint of the social taboos of the time. It tells a silent story of those who crossed the invisible lines drawn by strict social conventions.