European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

But when they took my father away, and then 14 days later

But once they took my father away, and then evicted my other from the apartment 14 days later

evicted my mother from the apartment, I knew that I couldn’t stay in a legal apartment anymore.

I knew that I couldn’t stay in a legal apartment anymore.

But once they took my father away, and then evicted my mother from the apartment 14 days later

I immediately moved out and over to the house of a colleague, Erni Korijari.

I immediately moved, to the house of a colleague, Erni Korijari.

She was a member of the LF and worked the props at the Ljubljana Drama house. She took me into hiding in her place.

She was a member of the LF and worked in props at the Ljubljana Drama house. She took me into hiding at her place.

she didn’t have her own apartment anymore and stayed at her sister’s place.

she didn’t have her own apartment anymore, and stayed at her sister’s place.

I passed that message to my own superiors in the LF network.

I passed that message to my superiors in the LF network.

Every building had a listing of all the people staying there. Every so often there would be raids.

Every building had a list of all the people staying there. Every so often there would be raids.

they were taken away; also all those who were hiding them.

they were taken away; as were those hiding them.

they would consciously accept this person into their home and partly also share their food.

they would consciously accept this person into their home and even partly share their food.

As illegal we would have to stay with people who didn’t even know who we were.

As illegals we would have to stay with people who didn’t even know who we were.

They just trusted us in needing help on the basis of the code word.

They just trusted us in needing help, on the basis of the code word.

Then I’d have to leave already the next day or night.

Then I’d have to leave the next day or night.

that one afternoon my friend Neda Grzinic came to see me.

that one afternoon my friend Neda Grzinic finally came to see me.

It was with strangers that I was staying when finally,

I was staying with strangers when,

A bicycle becomes tricycle

A Bicycle Becomes a Tricycle

It felt truly horrible to me that Ljubljana was enclosed with a barbed wire,

It felt truly horrible to me that Ljubljana was surrounded by barbed wire,

because I’m extremely attached to nature.

because I’m incredibly attached to nature.

All of a sudden I wasn’t permitted to leave Ljubljana.

All of a sudden I wasn’t allowed to leave Ljubljana.

some sort of legitimation paper, if you weren’t poorly thought of by the occupying police.

some sort of legitimation paper, if you weren’t disliked by the occupying police.

So as long as I still had the lascia passare, I’d still cycle to the outskirts of Ljubljana.

So as long as I still had the lascia passare, I’d cycle to the outskirts of Ljubljana.

To find a way back out into the nature, I turned my ‘bicycle’ into a ‘tricycle’.

To find a way back out into nature, I turned my ‘bicycle’ into a ‘tricycle’.

So I could go out again on my tricycle. I rode to the Ljubljana Marsh and such like.

So I could go out again on my tricycle. I rode to the Ljubljana marsh and such.

Returning to the city, the guards stopped me

On the way back to the city, the guards stopped me

somebody started shrieking that I should be stopped.

somebody started screaming that I should be stopped.

What I was doing with this? I told them that I went out into the nature.

What was I doing with this? I told them that I went out into countryside.

My father opened the door and asked if I really was his daughter. He confirmed.

My father opened the door and they asked if I really was his daughter. He confirmed I was.

Activities under Italian occupation

Activities under Italian Occupation

Around Ljubljana it developed earlier, because here the leadership was

Around Ljubljana it developed earlier, because the leadership was here

I joined the students from the Faculty of Law for a while.

I joined the students from the law school for a while.

because then the LF developed into an organizational network, covering all of Ljubljana.

because by then the LF had developed into an organizational network, covering all of Ljubljana.

Don’t forget that Ljubljana was closed in by a wire fence to that time.

Don’t forget that Ljubljana was closed in by a wire fence at that time.

They were strictly guarded, and sometimes we could even go out.

They were strictly guarded, occasionally we could go out.

We expressed it in many ways. Firstly, just by helping. This wasn’t manifested publicly.

We expressed resistance in many ways. Firstly, just by helping. This wasn’t manifested publicly.

Italy had immediately begun to send people

Italy immediately began sending people

whom they considered suspicious of working for the LF to the internment camp.

that they considered suspicious of working for the LF to the internment camp.

Once in internment it was necessary to take care of the families of the internees and of people who joined the partisans.

Once in internment it was necessary to take care of the families of the internees and of the people who'd joined the partisans.

And also of the illegal, which didn’t get coupons for rations.

And also families of the illegals, who didn’t get coupons for rations.

Places had to be arranged for meetings, in houses, where people were willing to risk letting people in to LF meetings.

Places had to be arranged for meetings, in houses, where people were willing to risk letting people in for LF meetings.

That way we knew we could trust each other. We even had code names among each other.

That way we knew we could trust each other. We even had code names for each other.

it was Vida Janezic, who today is proclaimed a national hero –

it was Vida Janezic, who today is proclaimed a national hero, and I –

we both used a bucket and poured axle grease along the length of Celovska Street and stuck it with LF inscriptions.

we both used a bucket and poured axle grease along the length of Celovska Street and covered it with LF inscriptions.

But it snowed the next morning and nothing of our writings remained.

But it snowed the next morning and covered over everything we wrote.

and then before the military leadership and the administrational leadership of the occupier.

and then in front of the military leadership and the administrational leadership of the occupier.

Finally also in front of the Ljubljana diocese. I was at all of these demonstrations.

Eventually, in front of the Ljubljana diocese, as well. I was at all of these demonstrations.

More were here on the cemetery by the graves of the hostages.

More were here in the cemetery, by the graves of the hostages.

More were held here in the cemetery, by the graves of the hostages.

The largest movement was at the capitulation, at the fall of fascism, not yet being the capitulation of Italy.

The largest movement was at the surrender, at the fall of fascism, not yet the surrender of Italy.

To that time Italy, as the occupier, felt weaker and we could afford a huge demonstration on Miklosiceva Street.

At that time Italy, as the occupier, felt weaker and we could afford to stage a huge demonstration on Miklosiceva Street.

I noticed how the occupiers’ military vehicles rode up and down the road

I noticed how the occupiers’ military vehicles went up and down the road

and how the soldiers sat on them and how some of them seemed in favor of us.

and how the soldiers sat on them and how some of them seemed in favor of what we were doing.

Some even smiled or waved. Soon after, Italy capitulated.

Some even smiled or waved. Soon after, Italy surrendered.

Assassination of Alenka’s father

The Assassination of Alenka’s father