Car Accident of Marika Gombitová
Encyclopedia
Marika Gombitová
(born September 12, 1956 in Turany nad Ondavou
, Czechoslovakia
) is a Slovak
recording artist who received her initial exposure as a female vocalist of the Modus
band in the late 1970s.
Besides gaining fame for her subsequent solo career, she also became known as a road crash victim of a single-vehicle accident
dated December 1, 1980. Even though the singer survived, as a result of reckless driving
caused by Andrea B she has suffered fatal injuries such as of backbone
and spinal cord
. Since then, Gombitová is therefore paralyzed
from the 7th vertebral notch
downwards. Following a six month recovery, the physically disabled
artist returned to the spotlight, scoring new top rankings on the music charts, and even touring again. However, circumstances regarding her accident remain a subject of controversy
.
was to perform their final concert in the original setup, which featured Janko Lehotský
, Miro Žbirka
, Marika Gombitová, Laco Lučenič and Dušan Hájek. The concert had to take place in the premises of a former club called ZK ROH
Zbrojovka
, located in Brno
-Židenice, Czechoslovakia
. Although Gombitová had attempted to excuse her presence on the event addressing Lehotský earlier via phone, she joined the group as scheduled despite her initial complaint about feeling unwell.
According to Nový čas
that tried to reconstruct sequences of the events in the new millennium, Žbirka confirmed to leave the location in a Škoda 1000 MB
along with Lučenič, while likely with [also] somebody else. Lehotský [should had been] in other vehicle of his own, accompanied by the rest of musicians [Hájek]. Gombitová herself occupied a supermini
— Renault 5
—, possessed and driven by her twenty-one year old friend named Andrea B, reportedly from West Germany
. By the midnight the cars set out from Brno separately, and even different ways to Bratislava
.
of the recently opened highway D1, i.e. 1 kilometre behind Podivín
towards Břeclav
. The vehicle had ran in the opposite direction and after a few somersaults ended up on its roof in a near field. While the driver [Andrea B] was only slightly injured, the trapped artist would be extricated by the called rescue crew
from a wrecked car, sustaining multiple fatal wounds. Amongs them spinal cord injuries
, ribs fracture
, sternal fracture
, broken backbone
, respectively a little finger
.
Allegedly still conscious
, Gombitová was rushed into the nearest hospital in Hustopeče
and Andrea B interrogated by police patrol officers from the SNB
.
from the 7th vertebral notch
downwards — lost function
over two thirds of her body, including lower part of her lungs that would die out as well. After diagnosed with an acute pneumonia
, she was transported to the Slovak Hospital Kramáre in Bratislava. Following four months spent mostly at the local neurosurgery
, she was taken in April 1981 to the Rehabilitation Institute of Kladruby
in the Czech Republic. Her rehabilitation process later continued in German spa-town Bad Wildungen
, respectively in Karlovy Vary
in addition. In 1982, the singer would undergo an exacting surgery in Moscow
, Russia
, however with no significant impact on her muscle immobilization.
in Podivín
, which all available files including photographs shredded
after a period of ten years in accordance with internal regulations.
A judicial investigation [should have] concluded that the crash was caused by Andrea B, who lost control of the car at high speed. Andrea B was, therefore, convicted of assault
causing bodily harm
and sentenced to prison
. However her physical imprisonment remains a matter of question as she immediately left the country. At the court, she should reportedly defend herself for excessing speed limit
by claiming her visa
was about to expire by the midnight of Sunday, November 30, 1980.
, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
(KSČ) imposed an embargo
on the case. Public was informed about the accident with delay of two days, by means of an initial report printed in Mladá fronta on December 3, 1980. Apart from details, which confirmed a critical condition of the singer, the daily newspaper specified the chauffeur of the vehicle as "21 years old Andrea B from West Germany," who would not adapt speed limit to the snowy surface of the roadway. The article also included information that KS
SNB
in Brno launched a prosecution against the "foreign citizen."
Due to all official reports were discarded in the meantime, mass media
speculated either about a negligent driving
or an alcohol-related
traffic crash, respectively both. Despite the personally identifiable information
related to Andrea B remains undisclosed, Slovak Nový čas described the driver as an attractive blonde hopefully working in the fashion industry that disappeared to "no-guess-where.". While the Czech authors of Gombitová's biography from 2008 would recognize Andrea B as "a receptionist
at a luxury hotel, to which Gombitová should had been invited through the [art agency] Slovkoncert," for a change. Other sources, such as Modus band's sound engineer Andrej Andrašovan, referred to the Renault's driver as a native-born citizen
of the Switzerland
whose car was solely licensed with a German
VHR
. And Milan Drobný, a Czech fellow singer, defined Andrea B in addition to be[ing either] "that Austria
n or German."
, which was produced by CEM
network Markíza
. The 40 minute television program
invited celebrity
guests who had been involved in an extraordinary situation, and hosted
by Jarmila Hargašová. Gombitová agreed to appear on the show likely due to a positive reception of her new song called "Prosba" (Appeal), preceded by her six years long absence. For the first time in twenty years since her accident, the singer outspokenly talked about her life in front of television cameras
. Moreover, at the interview were present her crucial collaborators such as ex-members of the Modus
band — Janko Lehotský and Miro Žbirka
— as well as her past songwriters (Kamil Peteraj, Pavol Hammel
and Marián Varga
). Following a 15 minute introduction, during which Gombitová discussed her temporary comeback and rose to prominence, the subject of the conversation turned towards her accident. When finally asked to recall that date, she would react as follows:
Lehotský would not provide any commentary himself. Žbirka confirmed a bad state of the weather that day, while highlighting the band's sense of professional responsibility
to perform that evening. He would add eventually "that highway had de facto
been impassable." The rest of the interview Gombitová rather talked about subsequent events, which led to her hospitalization
than reconstructing the incident itself. Either Andrea B, or their common relation was mentioned in no way whatsoever in a publicly released version of the pre-filmed show. According to the host, Hargašová visited Gombitová at home to discuss various topics in advance twice. At first about one year before the talk show, while the second time one day prior to that. In an interview published in SME
on May 18, 2001, Hargašová admitted that shortly before filming of the TV show she was asked by the exclusive artist not to go public about the subjects they discussed in advance in private.
Marika Gombitová
Marika Gombitová is a female singer-songwriter. Having sold one million albums at least, she is considered as the most popular female vocalist in Slovakia. Her vocal range - falsetto excluding - overpasses two octaves; from e to fis2...
(born September 12, 1956 in Turany nad Ondavou
Turany nad Ondavou
Turany nad Ondavou is a village and municipality in Stropkov District in the Prešov Region of north-eastern Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 172 metres and covers an area of 9.600 km². It has a population of about 402 people....
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
) is a Slovak
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
recording artist who received her initial exposure as a female vocalist of the Modus
Modus (band)
Modus was a popular Czechoslovak band, originally established in 1967 by Stanislav Hrda, Ján Baláž, Peter Krutek, Juraj Czinege, T. Psota, Ľubomír Stankovský, Gabriel Wertlen and Miroslav Žbirka. The formation Modus was a popular Czechoslovak band, originally established in 1967 by Stanislav...
band in the late 1970s.
Besides gaining fame for her subsequent solo career, she also became known as a road crash victim of a single-vehicle accident
Single-vehicle accident
A single vehicle collision or single-vehicle accident is, as the name implies, a type of road traffic accident in which only one vehicle is involved...
dated December 1, 1980. Even though the singer survived, as a result of reckless driving
Reckless driving
Reckless driving is a major moving traffic violation. As a legal term, it is used within the United States. This offence has been abolished in the United Kingdom and replaced...
caused by Andrea B she has suffered fatal injuries such as of backbone
Vertebral column
In human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column usually consisting of 24 articulating vertebrae, and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx. It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs...
and spinal cord
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
. Since then, Gombitová is therefore paralyzed
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
from the 7th vertebral notch
Vertebral notch
The concavities above and below the pedicles are named the vertebral notches; and when the vertebrae are articulated, the notches of each contiguous pair of bones form the intervertebral foramina.-External links: - "inferior vertebral notch"...
downwards. Following a six month recovery, the physically disabled
Physical disability
A physical disability is any impairment which limits the physical function of one or more limbs or fine or gross motor ability. Other physical disabilities include impairments which limit other facets of daily living, such as respiratory disorders and epilepsy....
artist returned to the spotlight, scoring new top rankings on the music charts, and even touring again. However, circumstances regarding her accident remain a subject of controversy
Controversy
Controversy is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of opinion. The word was coined from the Latin controversia, as a composite of controversus – "turned in an opposite direction," from contra – "against" – and vertere – to turn, or versus , hence, "to turn...
.
Background
Sunday, on November 30, 1980, ModusModus (band)
Modus was a popular Czechoslovak band, originally established in 1967 by Stanislav Hrda, Ján Baláž, Peter Krutek, Juraj Czinege, T. Psota, Ľubomír Stankovský, Gabriel Wertlen and Miroslav Žbirka. The formation Modus was a popular Czechoslovak band, originally established in 1967 by Stanislav...
was to perform their final concert in the original setup, which featured Janko Lehotský
Ján Lehotský
Ján, respectively Janko Lehotský is a Slovak composer and former leader of the Modus band.Lehotský began his performing career when he was four years old, when he performed in a marionette theater. He was a freelance composer during the Velvet Revolution. In 1974 he began managing the band Modus,...
, Miro Žbirka
Miroslav Žbirka
Miroslav "Meky" Žbirka is a Slovak pop music singer and songwriter. He performs in Slovak, Czech, and English ....
, Marika Gombitová, Laco Lučenič and Dušan Hájek. The concert had to take place in the premises of a former club called ZK ROH
Revolucní odborové hnutí
-Foundation:ROH was founded in the Czech Lands in 1945, emerging out of the factory councils and workers militias that evolve out of the wake of the Second World War. Since the communists had played the leading role in anti-fascist resistance during the war, they became dominant in the trade union...
Zbrojovka
Zbrojovka Brno
Zbrojovka Brno was a firearm and vehicle manufacturer in Brno, Czech Republic. They also made other products and tools- History :The firm was established in 1918.The Czech-Slovak investment group J&T bought an areal of Zbrojovka Brno in 2007.-Firearms:...
, located in Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
-Židenice, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
. Although Gombitová had attempted to excuse her presence on the event addressing Lehotský earlier via phone, she joined the group as scheduled despite her initial complaint about feeling unwell.
According to Nový čas
Nový cas
Nový čas is a tabloid and the best-selling daily in Slovakia.Its content is gutter press. Its print run is 190,000 copies . The widely read supplement "Nový čas víkend" is added on Saturdays...
that tried to reconstruct sequences of the events in the new millennium, Žbirka confirmed to leave the location in a Škoda 1000 MB
Škoda 1000 MB
The Škoda 1000 MB/1100 MB were two variations of a rear-engined, rear-wheel drive car that was produced by Czech manufacturer Škoda Auto in Mladá Boleslav, Czechoslovakia, between 1964 and 1969...
along with Lučenič, while likely with [also] somebody else. Lehotský [should had been] in other vehicle of his own, accompanied by the rest of musicians [Hájek]. Gombitová herself occupied a supermini
Supermini
A superminicomputer, or supermini, is “a minicomputer with high performance compared to ordinary minicomputers.” The term was an invention used from the mid-1970s mainly to distinguish the emerging 32-bit minis from the classical 16-bit minicomputers...
— Renault 5
Renault 5
The Renault 5 was first unveiled on 10 December 1971, being launched at the beginning of 1972.The Renault 5 was styled by Michel Boué, who died before the car's release, the R5 featured a steeply sloping rear hatchback and front dashboard...
—, possessed and driven by her twenty-one year old friend named Andrea B, reportedly from West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. By the midnight the cars set out from Brno separately, and even different ways to Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
.
December 1, 1980
At approximately 1:00 am on December 1, 1980, the automobile carrying Gombitová got into a skid at the 43rd kilometreKilometre
The kilometre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousand metres and is therefore exactly equal to the distance travelled by light in free space in of a second...
of the recently opened highway D1, i.e. 1 kilometre behind Podivín
Podivín
Podivín is a town in the Czech Republic.-External links:*...
towards Břeclav
Breclav
Břeclav is a town in the South Moravian Region, Czech Republic, approximately 55 km southeast of Brno. It is located at the border with Lower Austria on the Dyje River. The nearest large town on Austrian territory is Hohenau an der March...
. The vehicle had ran in the opposite direction and after a few somersaults ended up on its roof in a near field. While the driver [Andrea B] was only slightly injured, the trapped artist would be extricated by the called rescue crew
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
from a wrecked car, sustaining multiple fatal wounds. Amongs them spinal cord injuries
Spinal cord injury
A spinal cord injury refers to any injury to the spinal cord that is caused by trauma instead of disease. Depending on where the spinal cord and nerve roots are damaged, the symptoms can vary widely, from pain to paralysis to incontinence...
, ribs fracture
Rib fracture
A rib fracture is a break or fracture in one or more of the bones making up the rib cage.The first rib is rarely fractured because of its protected position behind the clavicle . However, if it is broken serious damage can occur to the brachial plexus of nerves and the subclavian vessels...
, sternal fracture
Sternal fracture
A sternal fracture is a fracture of the sternum , located in the center of the chest. The injury, which occurs in 5–8% of people who experience significant blunt chest trauma, may occur in vehicle accidents, when the still-moving chest strikes a steering wheel or dashboard or is injured by a...
, broken backbone
Vertebral column
In human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column usually consisting of 24 articulating vertebrae, and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx. It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs...
, respectively a little finger
Little finger
The little finger, often called the pinky in American English, pinkie in Scottish English , or small finger in medicine, is the most ulnar and usually smallest finger of the human hand, opposite the thumb, next to the ring finger.-Muscles:There are four muscles that...
.
Allegedly still conscious
Consciousness
Consciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
, Gombitová was rushed into the nearest hospital in Hustopeče
Hustopece
Hustopeče is a town in southern Moravia of the Czech Republic with 5,956 inhabitants. Hustopeče lies in the Břeclav District and is 25 km northwest of Břeclav.-History:...
and Andrea B interrogated by police patrol officers from the SNB
Sbor národní bezpečnosti
The Sbor Národní Bezpečnosti , or National Security Corps, was the national police in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic from 1945 to 1991....
.
Aftermath
Gombitová — paralyzedParalysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
from the 7th vertebral notch
Vertebral notch
The concavities above and below the pedicles are named the vertebral notches; and when the vertebrae are articulated, the notches of each contiguous pair of bones form the intervertebral foramina.-External links: - "inferior vertebral notch"...
downwards — lost function
Perception
Perception is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of the environment by organizing and interpreting sensory information. All perception involves signals in the nervous system, which in turn result from physical stimulation of the sense organs...
over two thirds of her body, including lower part of her lungs that would die out as well. After diagnosed with an acute pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
, she was transported to the Slovak Hospital Kramáre in Bratislava. Following four months spent mostly at the local neurosurgery
Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spine, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system.-In the United States:In...
, she was taken in April 1981 to the Rehabilitation Institute of Kladruby
Kladruby (Benešov District)
Kladruby is a municipality and village in Benešov District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. -References:*This article was initially translated from the Czech Wikipedia....
in the Czech Republic. Her rehabilitation process later continued in German spa-town Bad Wildungen
Bad Wildungen
Bad Wildungen is a state-run spa and a small town in Waldeck-Frankenberg district in Hesse, Germany. It is located on the German Framework Road.-Geography:-Location:...
, respectively in Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary is a spa city situated in western Bohemia, Czech Republic, on the confluence of the rivers Ohře and Teplá, approximately west of Prague . It is named after King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, who founded the city in 1370...
in addition. In 1982, the singer would undergo an exacting surgery in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, however with no significant impact on her muscle immobilization.
Trial
The case was examined by the Highway patrolHighway patrol
A highway patrol is either a police unit created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is primarily concerned with such duties.Duties of highway patrols or traffic...
in Podivín
Podivín
Podivín is a town in the Czech Republic.-External links:*...
, which all available files including photographs shredded
Paper shredder
A paper shredder is a mechanical device used to cut paper into chad, typically either strips or fine particles. Government organizations, businesses, and private individuals use shredders to destroy private, confidential, or otherwise sensitive documents...
after a period of ten years in accordance with internal regulations.
A judicial investigation [should have] concluded that the crash was caused by Andrea B, who lost control of the car at high speed. Andrea B was, therefore, convicted of assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
causing bodily harm
Bodily harm
Bodily harm is a legal term of art used in the definition of both statutory and common law offences in Australia, Canada, England and Wales and other common law jurisdictions. It is a synonym for injury or bodily injury and similar expressions, though it may be used with a precise and limited...
and sentenced to prison
Sentence (law)
In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
. However her physical imprisonment remains a matter of question as she immediately left the country. At the court, she should reportedly defend herself for excessing speed limit
Speed limit
Road speed limits are used in most countries to regulate the speed of road vehicles. Speed limits may define maximum , minimum or no speed limit and are normally indicated using a traffic sign...
by claiming her visa
Visa (document)
A visa is a document showing that a person is authorized to enter the territory for which it was issued, subject to permission of an immigration official at the time of actual entry. The authorization may be a document, but more commonly it is a stamp endorsed in the applicant's passport...
was about to expire by the midnight of Sunday, November 30, 1980.
Reactions
In an effort to prevent from a national interestNational interest
The national interest, often referred to by the French expression raison d'État , is a country's goals and ambitions whether economic, military, or cultural. The concept is an important one in international relations where pursuit of the national interest is the foundation of the realist...
, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, in Czech and in Slovak: Komunistická strana Československa was a Communist and Marxist-Leninist political party in Czechoslovakia that existed between 1921 and 1992....
(KSČ) imposed an embargo
Embargo
An embargo is the partial or complete prohibition of commerce and trade with a particular country, in order to isolate it. Embargoes are considered strong diplomatic measures imposed in an effort, by the imposing country, to elicit a given national-interest result from the country on which it is...
on the case. Public was informed about the accident with delay of two days, by means of an initial report printed in Mladá fronta on December 3, 1980. Apart from details, which confirmed a critical condition of the singer, the daily newspaper specified the chauffeur of the vehicle as "21 years old Andrea B from West Germany," who would not adapt speed limit to the snowy surface of the roadway. The article also included information that KS
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
SNB
Sbor národní bezpečnosti
The Sbor Národní Bezpečnosti , or National Security Corps, was the national police in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic from 1945 to 1991....
in Brno launched a prosecution against the "foreign citizen."
Due to all official reports were discarded in the meantime, mass media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
speculated either about a negligent driving
Reckless driving
Reckless driving is a major moving traffic violation. As a legal term, it is used within the United States. This offence has been abolished in the United Kingdom and replaced...
or an alcohol-related
Blood alcohol content
Blood alcohol content , also called blood alcohol concentration, blood ethanol concentration, or blood alcohol level is most commonly used as a metric of alcohol intoxication for legal or medical purposes....
traffic crash, respectively both. Despite the personally identifiable information
Personally identifiable information
Personally Identifiable Information , as used in information security, is information that can be used to uniquely identify, contact, or locate a single person or can be used with other sources to uniquely identify a single individual...
related to Andrea B remains undisclosed, Slovak Nový čas described the driver as an attractive blonde hopefully working in the fashion industry that disappeared to "no-guess-where.". While the Czech authors of Gombitová's biography from 2008 would recognize Andrea B as "a receptionist
Receptionist
A receptionist is an employee taking an office/administrative support position. The work is usually performed in a waiting area such as a lobby or front office desk of an organization or business...
at a luxury hotel, to which Gombitová should had been invited through the [art agency] Slovkoncert," for a change. Other sources, such as Modus band's sound engineer Andrej Andrašovan, referred to the Renault's driver as a native-born citizen
Native-born citizen
In general, a native-born citizen of a country is a person who was born within the country's territory and has been legally recognized as a citizen of that country since birth...
of the Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
whose car was solely licensed with a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
VHR
Vehicle registration plate
A vehicle registration plate is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. The registration identifier is a numeric or alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies the vehicle within the issuing region's database...
. And Milan Drobný, a Czech fellow singer, defined Andrea B in addition to be[ing either] "that Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n or German."
Nočné lampy interview
In December 2000, Gombitová surprisingly appeared in Nočné lampy (Night Lamps), a former late night talk showTalk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
, which was produced by CEM
Central European Media Enterprises
Central European Media Enterprises is a Bermuda-based vertically integrated company. Founded by Ronald Lauder, it owns broadcast, content and new media operations in Central and Eastern Europe...
network Markíza
Markíza
Markíza is a television station in Slovakia. The station launched on 31 August 1996. The station was owned by the politician Pavol Rusko, and is now part of CME network...
. The 40 minute television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
invited celebrity
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
guests who had been involved in an extraordinary situation, and hosted
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
by Jarmila Hargašová. Gombitová agreed to appear on the show likely due to a positive reception of her new song called "Prosba" (Appeal), preceded by her six years long absence. For the first time in twenty years since her accident, the singer outspokenly talked about her life in front of television cameras
Professional video camera
A professional video camera is a high-end device for creating electronic moving images...
. Moreover, at the interview were present her crucial collaborators such as ex-members of the Modus
Modus (band)
Modus was a popular Czechoslovak band, originally established in 1967 by Stanislav Hrda, Ján Baláž, Peter Krutek, Juraj Czinege, T. Psota, Ľubomír Stankovský, Gabriel Wertlen and Miroslav Žbirka. The formation Modus was a popular Czechoslovak band, originally established in 1967 by Stanislav...
band — Janko Lehotský and Miro Žbirka
Miroslav Žbirka
Miroslav "Meky" Žbirka is a Slovak pop music singer and songwriter. He performs in Slovak, Czech, and English ....
— as well as her past songwriters (Kamil Peteraj, Pavol Hammel
Pavol Hammel
Pavol Hammel is a Slovak musician, singer and producer.Pavol Hammel was born to a family of musicians. His father played violin in the Slovak National Theatre, and influenced Pavol to become a promising violin player too....
and Marián Varga
Marián Varga
Marián Varga is a Slovak musician, composer and organ player.-Biography:He has played piano since the age of six. He studied piano and composition at the conservatory in Bratislava. He left the conservatory after three years to become a member of the group Prúdy, and contributed to the legendary...
). Following a 15 minute introduction, during which Gombitová discussed her temporary comeback and rose to prominence, the subject of the conversation turned towards her accident. When finally asked to recall that date, she would react as follows:
Lehotský would not provide any commentary himself. Žbirka confirmed a bad state of the weather that day, while highlighting the band's sense of professional responsibility
Professional responsibility
Professional responsibility is the area of legal practice that encompasses the duties of attorneys to act in a professional manner, obey the law, avoid conflicts of interest, and put the interests of clients ahead of their own interests....
to perform that evening. He would add eventually "that highway had de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
been impassable." The rest of the interview Gombitová rather talked about subsequent events, which led to her hospitalization
Inpatient care
Inpatient care is the care of patients whose condition requires admission to a hospital. Progress in modern medicine and the advent of comprehensive out-patient clinics ensure that patients are only admitted to a hospital when they are extremely ill or are have severe physical...
than reconstructing the incident itself. Either Andrea B, or their common relation was mentioned in no way whatsoever in a publicly released version of the pre-filmed show. According to the host, Hargašová visited Gombitová at home to discuss various topics in advance twice. At first about one year before the talk show, while the second time one day prior to that. In an interview published in SME
SME (newspaper)
SME or Denník SME is the most widely read and very influential mainstream broadsheet in Slovakia.Its target group is very wide, but officially it focuses on readers in bigger cities and agglomerations. Its circulation in December 2006 was 76 590. It appears 6 times a week. It is issued by Petit...
on May 18, 2001, Hargašová admitted that shortly before filming of the TV show she was asked by the exclusive artist not to go public about the subjects they discussed in advance in private.
See also
- List of road accidents (1700-1999)
- List of awards and nominations received by Marika Gombitová
- Marika Gombitová discographyMarika Gombitová discographySlovak recording artist Marika Gombitová entered the music industry in 1975 by recording promotional compositions entitled "Karta" and "Nájdem hviezdu" for SRo Košice. Prior to that, she performed with local bands such as Profily and the orchestras of Juraj Szabadoš, respectively of Július Olajoš...
Further reading
*External links
- MarikaGombitova.com (official website)
- Marika Gombitová at BillboardBillboard (magazine)Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
- Marika Gombitová on DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Marika Gombitová at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...