European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

These two stars, I had two on each shoulder because I was a second lieutenant, I still have them today.

That’s how I was demobilized, in the end of november.

I got home and immediately I became a secretary for the Liberation Front (LF).

The LF was set up then without districts. There were just the LF’s, they had the power.

There was this man who was the president of it and he was also a Partisan.

I was doing woodwork for my father and this policeman comes into the workshop and asks if I’m so-and-so.

I said that I’m Srcnik. He tells me to go with him. I ask where?

He says you’re coming. So we went out into the road.

Another policeman is ushering the LF president.

I asked what was going on, what did we do? Continue! You’re not permitted to speak! So we went on…

Anyway, so we came to this bridge and he said that we’re going to that house. Why? Don’t ask, let’s just go.

So we get to that house and a car drives up; it was a German Volkswagen and there were two people inside.

I don’t remember whether they were dressed as civilians or not. One of the two entered, while the other stayed outside in the car.

He gave the cue to the two policemen that we should go inside. An examination followed.

I won’t go into what was found. That’s how this civilian life began.

As Yugoslav soldier after the war

As soon as I got to Celje, not lazy, went straight on to Kumrovec.

I went to Kumrovec from Celje by bicycle.

Just before reaching Kumrovec, there were these wooden houses with people living in them.

I came up to one of those houses and there was a woman inside. I asked if I could sleep there.