European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

I’m an agnostic. I’m not a believing man. But my mother was extremely religious.

When I joined the Partisans she said to me: Son, I know you don’t pray, but… here, take this little rosary.

And she put it in my pocket. She was a peasant girl.

Out of respect to my mother I carried that rosary in my pocket at all times.

When the Germans first captured me and searched me and emptied my pockets, they pulled out my rosary.

They were in the habit of believing that all Partisans kill priests and burn churches.

They were certainly surprised to find a Partisan with a rosary in his pocket.

Furthermore, it coincided with my forged papers, which stated that I was still studying at the theological seminary.

Once I fell into the middle of German ranks in the road. I was searched, they checked my documents.

I didn’t have any money on me. He said to me: What are you doing here?

I was near Opatje selo. I was en route to Doberdob.

I told him I was on my way to the seminary in Gorica.

They said: It’s the middle of the school year now, so what are you doing here?

I said that I had a little bit of sickness of the lungs and that I was sent home to recover and now I’m on my way back.

I was riding a bicycle. I had thought that there weren’t any Germans around and so I could ride on the road.

The soldier said: Yeah, yeah, yeah… and what will you do without any money?

I explained that we record our dues in a booklet and that we pay the balance at the end of the year.

He was suspicious of me. He couldn’t figure out how to get me caught.

After flipping through my papers he finally whips out a photograph of my first love, Elvira from Stanjel.

‘Forever yours Elvira’ was written on the back. He knew a little Slovene and said to me: