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THE PARTISANS WERE AIDED BY OFFICERS FROM THE ALLIED MISSIONS
MEETING OF ALLIED FORCES WAR VETERANS - (video in slovenian language)
Address by the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Milan Kucan
Prilozje, 28 June 1998
"The arrival of the Canadian officer Major Jones, who indeed soon became a legend, marked the beginning of a period of systematic and coordinated military action by the Slovenian Partisans as part of the Allied strategy of military destruction targeted at the Nazi and Fascist military machine.
Looking back across the distance of years to that time which was so crucial for the Slovenian nation, it seems only right that Bela Krajina with its courageous, friendly and hospitable people was the Slovenian region where, particularly following the capitulation of Fascist Italy, the military and political nucleus of the Slovenian Partisan army came together, and from here was waged the Partisan struggle and military destruction of the enemy forces up until victory on 9 May 1945..." also stressed president Kucan at meeting of allied forces war veterans
It is no coincidence that the organisers and Slovenian state authorities chose Bela Krajina itself as the location for the meeting of Allied forces war veterans, on the 55th anniversary of the arrival of Major William Jones and his Allied military mission to the General Staff of the National Liberation Struggle and the Partisans in Slovenia. His arrival was on 27 June 1943, at the most intense point of the conflict between Nazi and Fascist militarism, which had temporarily subdued practically all of Europe, and the joint Allied forces of the USA, Britain, France and the Soviet Union. If there had been any previously, from that time onwards there could no longer be any doubt that the Slovenian Partisan army, bleeding from the military battle with the Axis forces, was in Slovenia the only force of active resistance, and in this way an inalienable part of the Allied forces. The Partisan army and the entire National Liberation Struggle therefore stand today as incontrovertible proof of the antifascist nature of the Slovenian people, a nature which is one of the cornerstones of our young state of Slovenia. This is a component of the very values of the European civilisational tradition upon which the former world of real socialism is being renewed as part of the new Europe, including here in Slovenia. The arrival of the Canadian officer Major Jones, who indeed soon became a legend, marked the beginning of a period of systematic and coordinated military action by the Slovenian Partisans as part of the Allied strategy of military destruction targeted at the Nazi and Fascist military machine.
Looking back across the distance of years to that time which was so crucial for the Slovenian nation, it seems only right that Bela Krajina with its courageous, friendly and hospitable people was the Slovenian region where, particularly following the capitulation of Fascist Italy, the military and political nucleus of the Slovenian Partisan army came together, and from here was waged the Partisan struggle and military destruction of the enemy forces up until victory on 9 May 1945.
In this the Partisans were aided by officers from the Allied missions of America, Britain and Russia, who coordinated the work of their officers at Partisan commands in Primorska, Gorenjska, Štajerska and Notranjska. Today it is hard to imagine that in this countryside of Bela Krajina, at Otok, Karsinec and Mlake, Allied aircraft landed and took off, bringing aid and taking away wounded personnel and rescued Allied airmen. These were real airbases and havens of freedom in the midst of what was then mainly occupied Europe. With its courageous stance, Bela Krajina at that time enabled this to happen. We are not just talking about the young lads and men who fought in the Partisan brigades, divisions and corps, but also about the grandfathers and grandmothers, the farm girls and wives, and even the children. Slovenia should never forget the part played by all these people in the unequal struggle against the occupation forces, and their contribution to the success of Allied operations. May I also express today our gratitude and respect to all those still living from that wartime generation, their daughters and sons, their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And to all those who gave their lives at that time, and to those who could not live to see today's meeting and solemnity, we owe a dear and respectful memory.
Today in our own county we are the masters. A few days ago we celebrated the seventh anniversary of the life of independent Slovenia. This, too, was made possible through the struggle and lives of Slovenian Partisans and through the liberation efforts and suffering of hundreds of thousands of Slovenian people, who resisted the fate of a nation condemned to death. Yet I am not speaking of this to awaken memories of that time. I am speaking of this because the National Liberation Struggle and resistance is being brought into question as a value in political debate here. Answers are being offered which are reducing the importance of this resistance, and which are evaluating it as entirely unnecessary and even harmful, and the national holiday of 27 April is being labelled not the Day of Resistance, but as a day of evil conspiracy against the Slovenian nation. Even with regard to the resistance and the National Liberation War of the Slovenian people, each person can think for him or herself, depending on where they are guided by their conscience and conviction at the critical moment. Yet to impose your ideas on others, and to disregard the evils and genocidal intent of the Nazi and Fascist armies towards the Slovenian people, some of whom sadly even offered allegiance to the occupying forces, is simply an attempt at belated revision of the roles which during the war each person chose for him or herself. And these roles can in no way be changed by the distance of more than 50 years. For this reason, you Partisans need not hang your heads before ideological accusations. You do not even need anyone to defend you from criticisms. The outcome of the war puts you in the right. The actions you took are your defence. For through your actions you responded at that time when this was required of you by your human dignity and the honour of the nation.
It is sadly true, however, that our wartime activities have several faces. It is true that the ideological divisions, which go back decades in Slovenia's political history, to the times before and during the two world wars, led in that part of Slovenia occupied by the Italians even to tragic fratricidal killing. It is true that after 9 May 1945, drunk on victory and the irrational need for revenge, the victors conducted wicked killings in Kočevski Rog and elsewhere in Slovenia, which can in no way be excused. And yet in spite of all this, the truth remains that no possible ideological reason, however much it might be affirmed, can excuse the actions of those political leaders during the war and even before it, who persuaded numerous young Slovenians to take up arms for the occupier and use them against their brothers. The actions of these leaders was national betrayal and collaboration, for which we Slovenes suffered much more cruel anguish than was brought by the World War itself. And yet at least since the plebiscite decision in favour of our own state, where we did not ask ourselves about who had been what, but whether we were prepared to put ourselves completely on the line for a common life in a modern state of the future, and since the European celebration of the 50th anniversary of victory over Nazism, there should, as has happened elsewhere, take root a time of reconciliation with the past, a time of understanding for the sad despair and pain of those who in this war and after it lost those nearest to them, a time to respect their death, a time to gather together all the strength of our nation for a new future.
Everyone has the right to their own truth about the past, we all have our own human experience of it, and yet we also have the duty, for our own sakes, and for those who come after us, the nation and the new state, to give our strength for a better common future. Talk of reconciliation makes sense, therefore, if it expresses a true readiness and political will to make peace with the past, to enable tolerant joint work for the future and a search for answers to the challenging questions of our time. It makes sense, as an alliance of all the representatives of political values in independent Slovenia in this search, for the mistakes of the past not to be repeated. This is essentially more than a compromise in the political assessment of the past, more than a selection and reduction of historical events. It is a promise, a bond, that the political parties will fulfil their promises. And with the thought of Slovenia as a European country with a recognisable national identity. Sovenia as being capable of giving more work to its people, so that they can themselves earn their bread. Slovenia as a country where the state will promote economic development and maintain social balance among people. A Slovenian state which will be pleasant to its citizens, for it will consider their dignity and prosperity. Slovenia as a state based on the rule of law, which will protect all human rights, including political, social and spiritual. A state which will be ruled by tolerance and human solidarity, and which will protect the human right to different political and other convictions, for only by coming face to face and competing with what is different can we achieve the best possible solution for our current problems and the best possible result for our everyday life. Slovenia as a country where all our past, including during the war and after it, will be remembered chiefly as a reminder for us to be vigilant that everything in it which has caused so much pain, suffering and anguish should not be repeated.
I believe that it makes sense to strive for such a new Slovenia, and that in future meetings we will be able to talk more of this, of this future we desire so much, and which will guarantee to younger generations more happiness than sadness, more good fortune than bad, and more satisfaction than frustration. This is and should remain our common goal.
May I offer you once again my very warmest greetings, and assure you of my best wishes for today and all the coming days.
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