European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

Our unit was the Gubcev brigade with its seat in Postojna.

Every day I tested: I have to go studying, leave it alone,

we have other worries, and you know how invaluable you are to us.

I was immediately nominated for some medals, but I just didn’t stop.

Once the commander finally lost his temper and said: I’m sick of you! Just get out of my sight!

He only meant get out of his room at headquarters, but I played dumb and said: Ok, Ok, I’ll go to hell!

And I went straight to the station in Postojna and I hopped onto the very first train.

Relationships back then were much more humane.

He understood that I hadn’t really deserted, but rather that I’d gone to study.

And I could afford it too, because I truly felt that it was my right.

I always had advocated almost philosophically, that no society is well-suited if its individuals are not content with how they fit in.

Struggle to create an united Slovenian state

Speaking of the circumstances of WWII, we often forget that the Slovenian area

was the only area in occupied Europe where occupation was thought only a first act.

Slovenia was divided. Ljubljana was the hundredth Italian province.

The Italian right hand, with the bishop Rozman at its lead,

who sent a letter of thanks to Mussolini for accepting this ‘large family’ into fascist Italy.

All the other countries, in this region… The Croatians had some sort of country, fascist, satellite,

but their right to a form of their own was acknowledged nonetheless.

The Serbs had their own heir to the crown and thus the Kingdom of Serbia. Slovakia was a Protectorate.