Milan Šaradin
1910-1984
During his life he was a keen photographer, sports personality and publicist.
1930 – 1937 He worked as a Typographer in Zilina for a print company called Krano.
1939 – 1944 He was manager of a mountain hotel in Stefanova during which time the hotel was burned down amongst many others in the area by the Germans.
After the war he organised the rebuild of Chata pod Chlebom (Chalet under Chleb).
Then from 1947 he organised the building of the main chair lift in Vratna and also played a role in the construction of other lifts in the Vratna area. Then for a time he was the man in charge of the lifts in Vrátna.
He co founded the Mountain Rescue Service in Vrátna and the Malá Fatra area.
Mainly due to his dedication and love of the local area and mountains, he founded the tourism centre for Terchová and the surrounding area.
He was so successful in promoting the area that Vrátna was added, in 1962, to the international category for tourism and five years later (1967) he helped Vrátna to become an area of outstanding national beauty and ultimately the National Park – Malá Fatra.
Besides his many publications, in 1996 during Janošíkové dni, (an annual festival), his work was included as part of the Vrátna – Malá Fatra exhibition, plus a book was produced, “Veď je tá Terchová” which contains many of Milan’s photographs.
He was an active member of a climbing club IAMES and he received many awards for his work with the mountain rescue service, tourism, skiing and climbing.
The majority of his work was dedicated to this beautiful area that he loved.
As he is quoted as saying, …“Janošik’s country fulfilled me and gave me the best days of my life. It gave me something to admire every day.”