By: Peter Jančič (Spletni časopis)
The President of the National Assembly, Urška Klakočar Zupančič (Svoboda), is announced as the keynote speaker today in Dražgoše, where the left-wing faction of Slovenian politics traditionally celebrates the myth of a great battle. In reality, this was primarily marked by partisans fleeing the village ahead of German occupation forces, with many losing their lives during the retreat. Subsequently, the occupiers executed the villagers and destroyed the village.
To perpetuate the grand myth of a great battle and success, the authorities during the era of socialist dictatorship desecrated the graves of the Dražgoše villagers murdered by German forces.
Dražgoše as a desecration of the deceased’s graves
Jože Dežman highlighted two years ago in an article I published in Spletni časopis that the commemoration of the Battle of Dražgoše occurs at the expense of desecrating the graves of the Dražgoše villagers who were killed by the Germans. He wrote:
“In 2014, Viktor Žakelj, as the ceremonial speaker in Dražgoše, called on the future bishop: ‘Come to Dražgoše, and of course to other Calvaries of the Second World War as well. Grant absolution to the 41 slain Dražgoše villagers, who, believe me, died with the Lord’s Prayer on their lips.’”
The organisers of the Dražgoše ceremony actually invited Archbishop Stanislav Zore to Dražgoše right before the event with the following words. On January 7th, 2015, he responded: “Regarding the fact that you agree with Mr. Žakelj that all the Dražgoše victims died with the Lord’s Prayer on their lips, and the fact that they, as Catholics, were buried on January 21st, 1942, in the churchyard, and that their remains were exhumed and moved to the ossuary at the central Dražgoše monument in 1976, I am convinced that dignity dictates that their final resting place be arranged in accordance with their religious beliefs. This is also required by their human dignity and their fundamental human right. There is no Calvary without a cross, and a Christian’s grave is usually marked with a cross.”
Dežman summarised that the murdered Dražgošans were buried with the rites of a German priest and pointed out:
“In 1976, they were moved without religious rites from the former cemetery to the ossuary under the monument. No one was even allowed to think about a religious ceremony for the victims at this second funeral. It is time for the communist side to realise that they violated the Geneva Conventions, which demand freedom of conscience and worship, respect for the faith of both the living and the dead. That is why we rightfully expect that both communist veterans and the Slovenian state will establish a dialogue with the Catholic and other churches about implementing the Geneva Conventions. Is it too much to ask that a Catholic crypt be established at the ossuary in Dražgoše, respecting the faith of those buried there and their martyrdom?”
It is dangerous for journalists to point out the facts
It is also dangerous as a journalist to point out that the Battle of Dražgoše is a myth. The low level of those defending the myth was clearly demonstrated in the case when journalist and historian Jože Možina dared to say in Utrip about Dražgoše in 2022: “They wrote fairy tales about this village for children, which sometimes even some adults still believe. Let’s call it as it is. What is the reason that they do not honour the truly victorious battle of Cankar’s battalion a month earlier in Rovte under Blegoš, where 45 occupiers fell and no civilians were killed, but instead they celebrate a tragedy that fanatical communist commanders imposed on the unfortunate Dražgoše villagers and their fellow fighters eighty years ago? We do not learn that, the old mantra repeats.”
The consequence was that at left-wing bicycle protests, the prominent political activist of the left and celebrated artist Svetlana Makarovič screamed at the journalist in a derogatory manner: “Who is the professional liar, who distorts history, who is a submissive servant of the government, oh, we know him, Možina! This is the one who never gets enough, the pig finds the trough, eats and vomits, well, it does not know any better. He is slandered the Witnesses; he joined the traitors. A concentration of hatred, a combination of lies and cheap showmanship, a slanderer without honour, he would spit on the partisans, crawled into the lap of the Home Guards, is afraid of the red star! Partisanship is a value, Home Guards are a shame, Dražgoše is a bloodstained place of honourable memory, death to fascism, death to Janšism! Shut up, Možina!”
After the last change of government, Asta Vrečko (Levica) gave Makarovič €8,300 illegally, which was also confirmed by the Court of Auditors. Meanwhile, the current government is enacting the right to the highest possible state pensions for Prešeren and other “cultural” award winners from the past, including the time of communism.