Holidays in Slovenia - Day of National Resistance

Victory Day, so familiar to residents of the CIS countries, is not celebrated in Slovenia However, the fighters against the Nazi invaders during World War II are remembered and honored here Every year on April 27, Slovenians celebrate the Day of Resistance to Occupation In a more common version, it is called Liberation Front Day and has a rather interesting history Like most residents of the territory of the former Yugoslavia, citizens of Slovenia respect the personality of Marshal Josip Tito and the armed struggle of the People's Liberation Army led by him during World War II Their role in military events in the Balkans and significant contribution to the victory of the USSR over Nazi Germany are a source of national pride for the Slovenians Tito's army not only independently liberated the territory of the country, but also drew upon itself significant military forces of the Nazis and their allies Of all the Balkan peoples, the Slovenes suffered the most difficult trials in those years The occupiers did not just seize their homeland - they actually erased Slovenia from the political map of the world The state was divided into 3 parts: - the northern lands became part of the Third Reich; - the province of Ljubljana went to Italy; - the remaining territories went to Hungary Mass Germanization (Romanization) was carried out in the occupied territories, and young people were forcibly taken to the Eastern Front Many young Slovenes began to go to the forests and mountains to join the partisans, and when they got to the front line, they moved to the positions of the Red Army This phenomenon became so widespread that an entire unit was formed from Slovenian soldiers in the ranks of the Soviet troops The basis for the creation of a resistance movement on Slovenian lands was laid even before the German attack on the USSR On April 26, 1941, a meeting was held in Ljubljana with the participation of representatives of political parties and cultural figures The result of its implementation was the adoption of a decision to organize an anti-imperialist movement, the date of its creation is considered to be April 27 It received its name (“Anti-imperialist Front”) due to the fact that at first its founders expressed dissatisfaction with the actions of the Soviet Union towards Germany But after Hitler unleashed the war against the USSR, the organization was officially christened the Liberation Front of the Slovenian People Having advocated the beginning of a decisive opposition to the Nazi plans to take over the world, she condemned the supporters of restoring the independence of the state with the help of Germany Its participants set themselves the task of organizing anti-fascist resistance to the occupation, and a little later, on this basis, the army of Marshal Tito began to be created The Liberation Front is also responsible for the creation of the People's Defense The organization included more than 2,000 partisans, united according to military standards into platoons, companies, and battalions Since June 1941, clashes between partisans and resistance members with German and Italian troops intensified By the beginning of 1942, in Ljubljana alone there were 433 Liberation Front cells The resisters had a secret radio station and published their own newspaper The relevant law of the Republic of Slovenia proclaims April 27 a national holiday and is considered a non-working day Solemn rallies and processions are held throughout the country, accompanied by the laying of flowers at monuments of glory and monuments to the dead All commemorative events are dedicated to the Slovenian resistance movement members who fought against the Nazi occupation