European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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One day in early autumn I went up to the Ljubljana Castle and looked towards the German border of Ljubljana.
One day in early autumn I went up to the Ljubljana Castle and looked towards the German border of Ljubljana.
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I saw huge amounts of smoke billowing up above the village of Rasica.
I saw huge amounts of smoke billowing up above the village of Rasica.
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That village was situated on the German side. I don’t know how the news came in to Ljubljana.
That village was situated on the German side. I don’t know how the news came in to Ljubljana.
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But everyone around me already knew that Rasica was burning. That the Germans were burning it.
But everyone around me already knew that Rasica was burning. That the Germans were burning it.
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That they had rounded up and taken all the male population away.
That they had rounded up and taken all the male population away.
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That moment I said to myself I can’t just do nothing.
That moment I said to myself I can’t just do nothing.
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I didn’t want to overestimate my own powers, after all I was young and I wasn’t expecting that I’d be able to do much.
I didn’t want to overestimate my own powers, after all I was young and I wasn’t expecting that I’d be able to do much.
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But considering what I’d read by Tolstoy, I knew that basically every historical action
But considering what I’d read by Tolstoy, I knew that basically every historical action
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is the result of the actions of many perhaps completely insignificant people,
is the result of the actions of many perhaps completely insignificant people,
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who together can achieve something historically significant.
who together can achieve something historically significant.
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So I decided that I can’t let myself just stand aside.
So I decided that I can’t let myself just stand aside.
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So I went straight to the telephone – there weren’t many at the time, but we had one in our home –
So I went straight to the telephone – there weren’t many at the time, but we had one in our home –
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and called my friends, who I’d heard whispering stuff. I had sensed it had something to do with the occupier.
and called my friends, who I’d heard whispering stuff. I had sensed it had something to do with the occupier.
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I said I wanted to get ‘in’, that I also wanted to do whatever they knew about. The very next day I was called to my first meeting.
I said I wanted to get ‘in’, that I also wanted to do whatever they knew about. The very next day I was called to my first meeting.
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Introduction
Introduction
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For many years I also taught drawing at various schools,
For many years I also taught drawing at various schools,
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but now in my old age I have dedicated myself entirely to my primary vocation – painting.
but now in my old age I have dedicated myself entirely to my primary vocation – painting.
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I’m 87 years old. My generation experienced WWII.
I’m 87 years old. My generation experienced WWII.
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Experienced massive changes during the war and then after the war as well.
Experienced massive changes during the war and then after the war as well.
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I must say that we imagined a different world after WWII. A different world would arise than the one we live in now.
I must say that we imagined a different world after WWII. A different world would arise than the one we live in now.