|
SLOVENIA before 1945
|
Gallery |
Slovenia was part of Hapsburg Austro-Hungarian Empire for centuries and they enjoyed cultural freedom. Then in 1914 a Serbian student, Gavrilo Princip, shot the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire in Bosnia, Sarajevo. He wanted to make a point that Austria had no right to occupy Bosnia and other regions in the Balkans.
|
In 1918, after WWI, Austro-Hungarian Empire broken up and the Versailles peace treaties defined new boundaries. Slovenia became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians. Now Slovenians were subjected to the authoritarian Serb Monarchy, King Alexander, in Belgrade instead of Austria. In 1929 King Alexander renamed it Jugoslavia. The Serbs still dominated the government.
Mussolini becomes dictator of Italy in 1925. Since the Italian borders included much Slovenian territory, everything had to be in Italian. To have their business licences renewed, needed Slovenian names to be changed to Italian names. Police, teachers, judges transferred from Italy. If did not follow – death, jail or concentration camps. |
|
In 1940, Italy enters WWII waging war against Great Britain and France. Mussolini then attacked Greece and was faced with much resistance, so he asked Hitler to help. Then in 1941, the Germans needed to go through neutral Jugoslavia. Jugoslavia did not really pose any resistance and was defeated in 2 weeks. Now Slovenia was occupied by Germany, Fascist Italy and Hungary. They were the major players of the Axis powers. Thus, Slovenians were quickly removed from positions of authority.
The Partisans started as The Liberation Front, when the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union. Other occupied countries also organized guerillas known as Partisans to fight against Nazi Germany occupation. The occupying forces burned villages suspected of Partisans and killed or sent them to concentration camps. By 1941 most of Europe was occupied by Axis, only Great Britain was left. Unofficially, Partisans became allies to Britain against Nazism.
By spring 1942 the Catholic community leaders; teachers, judges, priests, mayors, intellectuals, policemen or anyone who challenged the Communists were targeted for assassination.
There was a threat that young men might oppose Italian dominance, so Italians sent the Slovenian young men to concentration camps in southern Italy to work in the forests, labour camps and digging trenches. It is estimated that 9,000 Slovenians died in occupier’s concentration camps.
The king of Yugoslavia, the teenage King Peter (succeeding father Alexander) fled to exile in England.
The Serbs were content with the kingdom of Jugoslavia so the Četniks (under Mihailovitch) were supporters of the Royal Jugoslav regime. Since Britain wanted to weaken the German Army in Jugoslavia, the Partisans told Britain to switch their support from Četniks to Partisans because the Četniks were fighting the Partisans using British arms and doing little against the Germans and Italians.
Althoiugh the Partisans were fighting against the occupation of the Germans, Italians and Hungarians, now it was becoming clear that they were mainly comprised of communists. So in the Italian occupation of Slovenia, the Vaška Straža, Village Guards, was formed to protect against Partisan raids since they were really communists. The Village Guards were armed, controlled and paid by Italians. It was hard to distinguish good from evil in this war. By the spring of 1942, Catholics and communists were at each other’s throats. The Jugoslav Communist leader Tito used the world war to launch a social revolution and then seize power.
When Italy capitulated on Sept 8, 1943, Vaska Straza tried to make a break to join the Allies but were caught by the Partisans who executed many of them, even after they surrendered. The Germans took over that part of Slovenia but the Partisans, having obtained advance warning, seized the heavy Italian weaponry making them a formidable military force. The Germans didn’t want Vaska Straza around. General Leon Rupnik, mayor of Ljubljana and a veteran of the Austro-Hungarian Army, impressed on Germany that it would be mutually beneficial to Slovenia and Germany if Slovenians could defend themselves against the atrocities committed by the communists. The German military command agreed. So they reorganized Vaška Straža and they were renamed Domobranci. The communists were now confronted for the first time with military opposition. The Partisans called them traitors and now the Partisans had to fight the Domobranci instead of concentrating their efforts against the Nazis. Now Domobranci were able to protect villages and towns as Partisans were on the run and conceding defeat. Thus, the Domobranci were able to keep the Communists at bay for almost two years and recover territory from Partisans.
Now the Germans were retreating and by May 3, 1945, the Soviet Red Army captured Belgrade. The British arrived in Trieste and the Austrian province of Carinthia, however, Britain said they would not occupy Slovenia. Without help, the Domobranci had no choice but prepare to withdraw across the mountains into Austria as did many Slovenian civilians.
After 1945, Marshal Tito became the new leader of Jugoslavia. Jugoslavia is made up of six republics; Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia & Hercegovina, Macedonia and Montenegro. Even though they were controlled by a communistic government, they were free to use their language and culture.
In 1946, General Leon Rupnik was tried and executed under Tito’s government. Many other domobranci were shot without due process’.
The Partisans started as The Liberation Front, when the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union. Other occupied countries also organized guerillas known as Partisans to fight against Nazi Germany occupation. The occupying forces burned villages suspected of Partisans and killed or sent them to concentration camps. By 1941 most of Europe was occupied by Axis, only Great Britain was left. Unofficially, Partisans became allies to Britain against Nazism.
By spring 1942 the Catholic community leaders; teachers, judges, priests, mayors, intellectuals, policemen or anyone who challenged the Communists were targeted for assassination.
There was a threat that young men might oppose Italian dominance, so Italians sent the Slovenian young men to concentration camps in southern Italy to work in the forests, labour camps and digging trenches. It is estimated that 9,000 Slovenians died in occupier’s concentration camps.
The king of Yugoslavia, the teenage King Peter (succeeding father Alexander) fled to exile in England.
The Serbs were content with the kingdom of Jugoslavia so the Četniks (under Mihailovitch) were supporters of the Royal Jugoslav regime. Since Britain wanted to weaken the German Army in Jugoslavia, the Partisans told Britain to switch their support from Četniks to Partisans because the Četniks were fighting the Partisans using British arms and doing little against the Germans and Italians.
Althoiugh the Partisans were fighting against the occupation of the Germans, Italians and Hungarians, now it was becoming clear that they were mainly comprised of communists. So in the Italian occupation of Slovenia, the Vaška Straža, Village Guards, was formed to protect against Partisan raids since they were really communists. The Village Guards were armed, controlled and paid by Italians. It was hard to distinguish good from evil in this war. By the spring of 1942, Catholics and communists were at each other’s throats. The Jugoslav Communist leader Tito used the world war to launch a social revolution and then seize power.
When Italy capitulated on Sept 8, 1943, Vaska Straza tried to make a break to join the Allies but were caught by the Partisans who executed many of them, even after they surrendered. The Germans took over that part of Slovenia but the Partisans, having obtained advance warning, seized the heavy Italian weaponry making them a formidable military force. The Germans didn’t want Vaska Straza around. General Leon Rupnik, mayor of Ljubljana and a veteran of the Austro-Hungarian Army, impressed on Germany that it would be mutually beneficial to Slovenia and Germany if Slovenians could defend themselves against the atrocities committed by the communists. The German military command agreed. So they reorganized Vaška Straža and they were renamed Domobranci. The communists were now confronted for the first time with military opposition. The Partisans called them traitors and now the Partisans had to fight the Domobranci instead of concentrating their efforts against the Nazis. Now Domobranci were able to protect villages and towns as Partisans were on the run and conceding defeat. Thus, the Domobranci were able to keep the Communists at bay for almost two years and recover territory from Partisans.
Now the Germans were retreating and by May 3, 1945, the Soviet Red Army captured Belgrade. The British arrived in Trieste and the Austrian province of Carinthia, however, Britain said they would not occupy Slovenia. Without help, the Domobranci had no choice but prepare to withdraw across the mountains into Austria as did many Slovenian civilians.
After 1945, Marshal Tito became the new leader of Jugoslavia. Jugoslavia is made up of six republics; Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia & Hercegovina, Macedonia and Montenegro. Even though they were controlled by a communistic government, they were free to use their language and culture.
In 1946, General Leon Rupnik was tried and executed under Tito’s government. Many other domobranci were shot without due process’.
Additional Reading
|
SLOVENIANS IN CANADA by John Peter Urbanc & Eleanor Tourtel 1984 This book was initially prepared as a brief Slovenian history and a summary of the achievements of Canadian Slovenians at the Slovenian Festival of July 1984. The book encompasses the pride and cultural preservation of the Slovenian community in Canada. Written in English. |
|
Resistance, Imprisonment and Forced Labor by Metod M. Milač 2003
Metod M. Milač was 16 years old when he was swept up by the maelstrom of WWII and its aftermath. The author recalls the struggle for survival as a prisoner and forced laborer following the Axis occupation of Yugoslavia in 1941. He was captured by the partisans, imprisoned by the Italian Fascists at Rab, then imprisoned by the Nazis at Auschwitz. After the war is over, he describes the forced repatriation of Yugoslavs to Tito's forces by the British after the war and the tragic consequences. Written in English |
|
TO WALK WITH THE DEVIL by Gregor Joseph Kranjc 2013
Gregor Joseph Kranjc is an assistant professor in the Department of History at Brock University in St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada. This book starts with Slovenian history before WWII and then deals with the Slovenian resistance to the occupation by the Italians, Hungarians and Germans during the second world war. There was accommodation as well as outright collaboration to preserve Slovenian identity. Written in English. |
|
THE SLOVENIAN EXODUS of 1945 2008
by Jože Rant Translated to English by Jerry G. Zupan Jože Rant immigrated with his parents to Argentina in 1948 when he was 17 years old. After completing high school, he entered the Slovenian seminary and was ordained in 1956. This book begins with a description of the communist revolution in Slovenia during World War II, and the self-defense of the people against it. He accounts for the world wide journeys of the surviving refugees and how they preserved their national conciousness, and how they strived to free their homeland from the tyranny of communism. Written in English ISBN 978-987-05-4053-3 |
|
SLOVENIAN HERITAGE I by Edward Gobetz 1980
Edward Gobetz is a professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Ken State University. This book was prepared in response to a great need for materials on Slovenian heritage. It starts with an overview of Slovenian history and culture. Then identifies famous Slovenians with their contribution to the world. It also highlights many Slovenian Americans. Written in English. |
|
ON ONE-WAY PATH by Fr. Franc Skumavc 1992
Fr. Franc Skumavc starts with what it was like growing up in Slovenia, being under German control, then drafted in the German army. He was captured by the Russian army and he details life as a P.O.W. in a camp in Russia. After WWII he barely returned as a P.O.W. and was drafted into the Jugoslav army. He eventually escapes and makes his way to Canada in 1950 as a refugee. He completes his work contract and is then able to complete his studies to be ordained as a priest in the spring of 1959. Fr. Skumavc was a diocesan priest. He was not of the Vincentian order. Thus, he never served in the Slovenian parishes, however he served in many parishes in the Toronto area. Written in English. Book is available at CSHS |