European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

but now in my old age I have dedicated myself entirely to my primary vocation – painting.

but now in my old age I've dedicated myself entirely to my primary vocation – painting.

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; that a different world would emerge than the one we live in now.

But one just has to adjust one’s expectations to what is going on in society.

But one just has to adjust one’s expectations, based on what's going on in society.

and practically every day you would be informed of something horrible.

and practically every day you'd be informed of something horrible.

It is difficult to say whether one could even feel in the mood to create some great piece of art.

It is difficult to say whether one could even summon the mood to create some great piece of art.

usually doing things similar to that in the program at the Zagreb Academy – just enough to stay in condition.

usually doing things similar to that in the program at the Zagreb Academy – just enough to stay practiced.

It was later, when I joined the partisans that I could finally make use of my painting skills.

It was later, when I joined the partisans, that I could finally make use of my painting skills.

Decision to take part in the Resistance

Deciding to take part in the Resistance

and from the northern border of the city and southwards were the Italians …

and from the northern border of the city southwards were the Italians …

The Hungarians had entered into the Rome-Berlin Axis and occupied Prekmurje.

The Hungarians had joined the Rome-Berlin Axis and occupied Prekmurje.

Well, of course I knew what lay ahead of us.

Of course I knew what lay ahead of us.

I knew that Italian fascism just like German Nazism had it in their programs to basically liquidate the Slovenes.

I knew that, just like German Nazism, Italian fascism had a program to basically liquidate the Slovenes.

For a while I knew nothing of any Liberation Front (LF), or maybe I only sensed that something was going on.

For a while I knew nothing of any Liberation Front (LF), maybe I sensed that something was going on.

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 toward the German border of Ljubljana.

I saw huge amounts of smoke billowing up above the village of Rasica.

I saw huge billows of smoke above the village of Rasica.

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 got to Ljubljana.

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.

That they had rounded up and taken all the male population away.

That they had rounded up and taken the entire male population away.

That moment I said to myself I can’t just do nothing.

In that moment I said to myself, "I can’t just do nothing."

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 I’d be able to do much.

But considering what I’d read by Tolstoy, I knew that basically every historical action

But considering what I’d read in Tolstoy, I knew that basically every historical action

is the result of the actions of many perhaps completely insignificant people,

is the result of the actions of many, perhaps completely insignificant people,

who together can achieve something historically significant.

who, together, can achieve something historically significant.

So I decided that I can’t let myself just stand aside.

So I decided that I couldn't let myself just stand aside.

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 wanted in on whatever they knew about. The very next day I was called to my first meeting.

End of the war - alone and stranded

End of the war: Alone and Stranded

She barely saved her life from the burning building.

She barely saved herself from the burning building.

It was the first night that she was staying in the apartment that she attained from the housing administration.

It was the first night that she was staying in the apartment she got from the housing administration.

My mother was left with nothing of what had before been

My mother was left with nothing from what had been, before,

One had to survive. So I’ve survived for most of my life.

One had to survive. So I’ve gotten by for most of my life.

I’ve supported myself as a professor of art, initially at high schools and then, following the reorganization of the schooling system, in elementary schools.

I’ve supported myself as an art teacher, initially in high schools and then, following the reorganization of the schooling system, in elementary schools.

All up to my retirement in 1969, when I finally found my true calling.

Up to my retirement in 1969, when I finally found my true calling.

So on the very day that Ljubljana was liberated, to the same time being the end of WWII,

The day that Ljubljana was liberated, WWII was ending.

Partisan Vito, Alenkas husband

Partisan Vito, Alenka's husband

Later, Vito, a partisan not yet 26 years old, came to the Central Technique.

Later on, Vito, a partisan not yet 26 years old, came to the Technical Center.

His wish was to become a vocational painter after the war.

He wanted to become a vocational painter after the war.

Vito came to the Central Technique after me.

Vito came to the Technical Center after me.

Before though, he spent a long time in an Italian internment camp.

Before, though, he'd spent a long time in an Italian internment camp.

Due to the long and harsh conditions, he suffered from a very bad case of articular rheumatism.

Due to the long, harsh conditions there, he suffered from a very bad case of articular rheumatism.

He didn’t go home when Italy capitulated, because that would still have been too dangerous.

He didn’t go home when Italy surrendered, because it would have still been too dangerous.

Rather, he went straight to the partisans and in the dead of winter,

Instead, he went straight to the partisans, and in the dead of winter,

joined the march of the Ljubljana brigade and the 18th division to Gorski Kotar.

he joined the march of the Ljubljana brigade and the 18th Division to Gorski Kotar.

It was a terribly cold winter and his rheumatism went worse.

It was a terribly cold winter and his rheumatism got worse.

He slept with high temperature directly upon some branches lying on the snow.

He slept with high fevers, laying on branches in the snow.

His high temperature from the infection then affected his cardiac valves.

His fever from the infection affected his cardiac valves.

Although he and we were unaware, he was dead sick when he came to the Central Technique.

None of us, including him, was aware he was deadly ill when he came to the Technical Center.

When we withdrew from Bela krajina, he was suffering from anginal infections.

When we withdrew from Bela krajina, he was suffering from angina infection.

He had his first heart attack in the Gorski Kotar, but recovered from that.

He had his first heart attack in Gorski Kotar, but recovered from that.

We then arrived to Ljubljana believing the war to be coming to its end, and the end of sicknesses, the end of all things bad.

We then got to Ljubljana with the impression the war was ending; the end of sicknesses, the end of all bad things.

It was only a year and three months later that he died because of a cardiac valve infection, being a death sentence to that time.

It was only a year and three months later that he died of a cardiac valve infection, a death sentence at that time.

Cultural work at the partisans

Cultural work among the partisans

There were very many cultural workers with the partisans.

There were many, many cultural workers with the partisans.

The theater was relatively well represented and many plays were held.

For one premiere, for Bor’s Raztrganci, I contributed the stage scenery.

For one play, for Bor’s Raztrganci, I contributed the stage scenery.

of the ‘Central Technique’ (of the Slovene Communist Party Workshop) was the partisan printing press.

of the ‘Technical Center’ (of the Slovene Communist Party Workshop) was the partisan printing press.

One of the most important features

Partisan printing presses were hidden all over the hills of Kocevski Rog and also Goteniski Sneznik.

Partisan printing presses were hidden all throughout the hills of Kocevski Rog and Goteniski Sneznik.

They printed partisan newspapers, brochures and even poetry collections and song-books.

They printed partisan newspapers, brochures, and even poetry collections and song-books.

Arriving at the partisans; first task

Joining the partisans: the first task

Joining the partisans: the first task

Joining the Partisans: The First Task

That evening a courier indeed brought me my passport, a fake one with a fabricated name.

That evening a courier brought me my passport, a fake one with a made-up name.

I headed to the train station and took a train down to Primorje.

The last call was in a place called Kosana; that’s where all the illegal from Ljubljana went.

The last call was in a place called Kosana; that’s where all the illegals from Ljubljana went.

I turned to him to say the code – Matija sends me from Ljubljana. He responded – Vremscica.

I turned to him to say the code – "Matija sends me from Ljubljana." He responded – "Vremscica."

At the time I didn’t know what Vremscica was. After WWII I became a mountaineer and hiked up Vremscica many times.

At the time I didn’t know what Vremscica was. After WWII, I became a mountaineer and hiked up Vremscica many times.

It’s a beautiful mountain with a gorgeous view.

A very long journey ensued of course.

A very long journey ensued, of course.

Ultimately our goal was the village of Obcice pod Kolevskim Rogom.

Our ultimate destination was the village of Obcice pod Kolevskim Rogom.

It was all unforgettable beautiful, already with my leaving Ljubljana and going to liberated territory.

It was all unforgettably beautiful, just my leaving Ljubljana and going to liberated territory.

That was something incredible to me, to have found myself suddenly surrounded by nature after four months of hiding in basements.

It was something incredible to me, to find myself suddenly surrounded by nature after four months of hiding in basements.

The journey through the Kolpa valley was extremely beautiful: first Cebranke and the Kolpa,

The journey through the Kolpa valley was extremely beautiful: first Cebranke and then Kolpa,

which is when we left the liberated territory and headed into the Loska valley towards Bela krajina.

Which is when we left the liberated territory and headed into the Loska valley towards Bela krajina.

And there was the fact that I finally got to work on art work. I was also perfectly willing to join the brigade.

Additionally, I finally got to work on art work. I was also perfectly willing to join the brigade.

First, I was to make the stage setting in the theater.

First, my role was to build the stage setting in the theater.

But there wasn’t enough to do, because there weren’t that many premieres. So I suggested that they call me on demand.

But there wasn’t enough to do, because there weren’t that many plays. So I suggested that they call me, on demand.

A house painter from Crnomelj helped me and with joined forces we managed to paint over all of it and get everything ready.

A house painter from Crnomelj helped me and together we managed to paint over all of it and get everything ready.

Hiding; Alenka joins partisan movement

Hiding: Alenka Joins the Partisan Movement

As soon as my father was taken away, I began to sleep elsewhere.

As soon as my father was taken, I began to sleep elsewhere.

they wouldn’t let me go underground because it might evoke my family having to pay for it.

they wouldn’t let me go underground because it might cause repercussions for them.