White Paper by Ludvik Kolman
w. 1970
proud member of The Slovenian Cultural Society Triglav
Published by the Historian Committee of the American Slovenian Anti-Communist War Veterans Association – TABOR (June 1, 1970)
Preface
In May of 1945, thousands of Slovenians left their homes before oncoming Red Army and Communist Partisans. They fled over the mountains to the neighboring Austria hoping to find peace and freedom. This, however, was denied to most of them. Due to the tragic misunderstanding of their position and in accordance to the fatal Yalta agreement some 12,000 Slovenians, mostly young men, who resisted Communist onslaught with arms, were returned to Communist Slovenia and mercilessly massacred by Tito’s Communists after the end of WWII. To their eternal memory this memorandum is dedicated.
We, who have witnessed Communist atrocities and have seen the totality with which they destroy individual freedom and integrity, owe our “Free existence” to the brave who have died for it. We also feel that it is our duty to share our knowledge with others lest we all forget the ever present threat to our most precious gift. “FREEDOM”. It is often distressing to see constant threats to this freedom arising from various segments of population. This is why we must pay homage to the gallant men who fought and died for this freedom.
I. Viktring Tragedy
We turn our thoughts and feelings to a tragedy, the first act of which was played on the plains of Viktring near Klagenfurt, Austria, June 1945. At that time, the British Command delivered into the hands of Tito, for slaughter, approximately 12,000 anti-Communist fighters, called Domobranci, (Slovenian Home Guards).
Before we discuss this in greater detail and in order to fully comprehend this tragedy, we must mention and describe certain important events, such as the conferences in Moscow, Teheran, Yalta, the strivings of the Communists in general and in Slovenia particularly, the inception of anti Communist fighters.
International Agreements
The impact of these conferences later proved to be decisive to all of Europe. It sealed the fate of the Slovenian Domobranci and Mihajlovic’s Cetniks, all of which will be elaborated further.
The conference in Moscow was in progress during October 1943 and was attended by the foreign ministers of America, Britain, and Russia. I recount only that which is pertinent to this paper, that is, that the Russians stubbornly demanded a second front, not in the Bulkans, but on the west coast of France, and that they didn’t consider American involvement in North Africa as producing a significant alleviation of the situation on the Russian front.
For us the most important decision of this conference was the agreement (signed by Chiefs of State Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin) that war criminals (those people who commit acts in violation of international law and custom regarding war conduct) may be extradited to their respective countries where the crime was committed, for punishment. The Russians were strong advocates of such an agreement because of German atrocities.
They had other special reasons for such a position. The Russian general, Vlasov, had just recently defected with his entire unit to the Germans. The Russians were interested not only in German criminals, but also in Vlasov and his men.
At that time there must have been talk about collaborators and conspirators, because soon after, in December, Tito branded Mihajlovic as a conspirator “who granted many favors to the Allies” (so says the later mentioned Quincy Wright). In the aforesaid agreement there is no mention of the collaborators and conspirators, hence, they would not have had tome to discover what fate awaited them.
At the end of November 1943, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin met in Teheran. At this conference, of course, there was much talk about establishing a second front. Churchill and Roosevelt yielded to Stalin’s plan that the invasion start the following year, 1944, on the west coast of France. Either because of political blindness or because of over confidence in Communist Russia, Roosevelt and Churchill agreed to Stalin’s proposition and thereby inadvertently allowed for the division of Europe into spheres of influence. This agreement is the basis upon which all the lands east of the line running from Trieste in the south to Stettin on the Oder in the north fell into the Russian sphere of influence. This proved to be the foundation of the subsequent formation of the Communist regime in Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Yugoslavia. Thus was concluded a fateful mistake whose far-reaching consequences are still being so bitterly felt by man millions of people and also by the Western Allies. Greece alone, though it lies east of the before mentioned line, did not fall under Russia’s domination. In this way the Russians achieved the shortest overland route between the Communist and the western non-Communist spheres.
This is of extreme importance in case the existing friendship would cool, the possibility of which Stalin had already anticipated. The importance of the agreement to Yugoslavia lies partly in that it insured the existence of Toto’s Communist movement, and for Russia the accessibility to the Adriatic through satellite countries.
America and Britain broke ties with Mihajlovic and thereafter recognized and supported only Tito and his Partisans (fighting member of O.F.) Consequently, using this as a basis, Tito organized his won government and labeled General Mihajlovic and all who were against the O.F. (Osvobodilna Fronta / Liberation Front) a clever, fancy name, as traitors and demanded that at the conclusion of the war they be regarded as war criminals (Conference in Moscow).
The final wrap up of rules governing the procedures for handling collaborators and conspirators was arrived at the Yalta, the conference attended by Stalin, Churchill, and Roosevelt in February 1945. This conference sought to find solutions to yet unsolved problems and provide the groundwork for continued relations after the war. This conference coined the term “collaborator” and deemed that such designees be brought to trial. This was brought about at the urgent insistence of Tito and through Stalin’s own initiative, in order that the Russians might lay their hands upon Vlasov and his followers and also the Ukrainians who greeted the Germans as liberators when they advanced across the Ukrainian border. Initially they volunteered to work for the Germans, but later this work was forced upon them, the result of broken promises.
Action of Liberation Front
Let us now examine the actions and efforts of the O.F. and Partisans with regard to the occupation forces and the nation. Logically we should have spoken of the O.F. first, but the decisions and agreements made between the participants of the conferences are so important to the subsequent development and actions of the O.F. and Partisans, that it was necessary to mention them first. The Communists took full advantage of the results of these conferences to further their movement, to gain sympathizers, and to secure the moral and material support of the nation.
Let us first establish the fact that without the presence of an occupation force, the O.F. could never have arisen and its existence could not have been perpetuated, even without the existence of domestic military forces. The overwhelming anti-Communist majority of the nation would have crushed the Partisans at the very beginning, had they had the capability of free decision and action. The O.F. itself was well aware of this fact. The O.F. also knew that its continued existence depended upon the condition that the Russians alone come to the Balkans. This holds not only for Yugoslavia, but for all the nations east of the Trieste-Stettin line (Teheran Conference).
The O.F. policy was built upon these premises, their goal being in reality the establishment of a Communist regime! To achieve this goal, it was therefore necessary to use all possible means of guaranteeing its continued existence. To seriously engage in battle the forces of occupation, which then offered the possibility of existence and which were destined to withdraw sooner or later, proved to be, for the Partisans, the same as digging their own graves. Logically it was necessary to use all force towards the elimination and debilitation of anti-Communist elements in the nation. As long as there was no occupation force, the Communists did not have an effective foothold for organizing their O.F. movement. Under the occupation, the Communists took advantage of patriotic feeling and love of freedom of the nation and attempted to recruit the people for a pseudo-war against the occupation, as they called it, a fight for freedom (a very attractive slogan).
Initially, the O.F. enjoyed the moral and material support of the people, some out of genuine sympathy, some due to the fact that the Partisans had armaments, which were diligently collected by the Communists and their followers following the collapse of the Yugoslavian army.
Those who didn’t want to join or resisted the O.F. were labeled with the “dirty” adjective of conspirator and collaborator and were subject to revenge and punishment. The Partisans actually started killing the most prominent and particularly determined opponents from all ranks and walks of life. As a result, the O.F. lost the sympathy and support of the masses. The O.F. then, to engender progress and stabilization, devised a satanic program in which, without any overt communication, the main role would be played by the occupation forces themselves.
This program, in short, is as follows: harassment of the occupation forces until such a point was reached that would provoke a reaction – reprisals leading to results originally wished for by the O.F. through its harassment.
Let us examine now the nature of the O.F. harassment and the reaction of the occupation forces. It has already been explained how and why the Partisans lost sympathy and support among the nation, especially in remote locales, where they were normally quartered, due to the fact that occupation forces were stationed in larger towns and important crossroads. In order to expand their influence and because of the need to requisition supplies, they had to shift their activities from already y depleted areas to the neighborhoods controlled by the occupation forces. The Partisans took into account the inevitable rise of friction between them and the enemy forces. In order to avoid suffering the harmful consequences of this friction, they perpetuated their harassments at night and from a safe distance. This served the double purpose of providing propaganda material and bringing about he desired reprisals against the opponents of the O.F. which will be explained further.
Let us now examine some typical examples of Partisan harassments, “battles”, and the results that followed. In the year 1941, October 21st, the Partisans approached the city of Dragujevac (which was particularly hostile towards the O.F.) and ambushed a few scattered German soldiers. The immediate German response brought infantry units which surrounded the city and neighboring areas, killed all seniors in the high school, college students numbering over 600, teachers and unknown numbers of citizens and farmers. This was the largest mass murder at one time, at one place.
In the summer of 1942, the Partisans fired a few stray shots at occupator’s (occupation forces) trucks in the village of Rasica, a few kilometers distance from Ljubljana, capitol of Slovenia. The occupator’s sustained no damage. A few hours later, occupation forces ravaged and burned the village, killed some people at the edge of the village and sent others to concentration camps.
In Ljubljana, well fortified, the seat of the occupator’s command, were 300 former Yugoslavian officers, who for ideological reasons could not support the O.F. The Communists turned over the names of these 300 officers to the occupator command, saying that they were soon to defect to the Partisans. As a result, most were sent to concentration camps, although a few escaped, among them this author. This took place during the Spring of 1942.
A few further masterpieces of Communist activities, immediately upon the takeover by the occupation forces, the Communists made a contact with Communists in the ranks of the invading troops, and introduced Communist sympathizers as loyal subjects of the occupation forces. These then spied for the O.F. and denounced certain determined anti-Communists as dangerous elements to the occupation forces. Communist girls were particularly suited for this job. They had the exclusive privilege of romancing the officers of the occupation forces. Other girls who had a mind to do likewise had their heads shaved by the Communists. Many hundr3ds of Slovenian anti-Communists, on the basis of such denunciations by these and other Communist agents, were either killed as hostages or sent to concentration camps.
The following is a particularly nauseating instance of such denunciations, which took place during the winter of 1942–1943. A former Slovenian representative (the name and place will not be disclosed for good reason) was a considerable obstacle to the O.F. movement. If the Partisans themselves were to have killed him, they would have done damage to their own cause, since he was known to be an honest, patriotic man. Two brothers, Bobek, were sent to his daughter and obtained from her a ham. This ham was delivered the next morning to the Gestapo station as evidence of the representative’s allegiance to the O.F. That very day, he was killed in his own home, his son later killed as a hostage, and the daughter died in the gas chamber at Auschwitz in Poland, March 1943. At the same time, others of that village were also killed.
Of the thousands of such atrocities, we have mentioned only a few examples typical of the Communist’s tactics in obtaining desired reprisals. From these it is seen that the harassment was perpetrated in such a way as to cause harm to neither the occupation forces nor the Communists. The Partisans lacked the stupidity and to a greater degree, the courage, to seriously attack the occupation armies which had erected fortifications for all their units. The Partisans had neither the requisite artillery nor the tendency to work by day.
The occupation armies could never have been the serious primary target of the Partisan attack since it was universally obvious that the Axis Powers would be defeated and the occupying forces compelled to withdraw, leaving only the O.F. because the lies, the satanic comedy, the atrocities of the Communist into Yugoslavia could save the life of Tito’s movement. Unfortunately, this latter actually happened.
The sole purpose of the Communist activity, including the harassment of the occupation armies, was first and foremost to crush the nation’s resistance to Communism. Hundreds of examples can be cited to prove the above contention, two of which are presented to give a clear picture.
In the hills of Suhor, Slovenia, was a small encampment of anti-Communist fighters. The village of Suhor was often attacked by the Partisans and was finally overrun in the autumn of 1942. There was stationed a unit of occupators in the nearby valley. The occupation unit was never attacked.
Another particularly good example of the Partisan’s battles with the occupation forces is illustrated by the following account. The names of the people and places are omitted since there are survivors still living in the area that are vulnerable to Communist reprisal. In a certain valley in Slovenia there was stationed a rather strong contingent of occupation forces that maintained two completely isolated outposts manned by 30 men apiece on two opposing 700 meter hills. The Partisans could with ease and no casualties to themselves have taken these outposts. Instead, they repeatedly attacked a small anti-Communist unit that was entrenched a few kilometers away.
It is important to know the localities in which the occupator’s reprisals took place in order to understand the Communist tactics. The Communists chose as the sites of their harassment those areas near occupation forces encampments and in particular in and around settlements whose inhabitants were the worst staunch anti-Communists, thus bringing the occupator’s reprisals down on the anti- Communist villagers. Whenever the Partisans came to such a settlement, fired sniper shots, or tore out sections of railroad near such a settlement, the occupators response was immediate. Its armies surrounded the settlement, pillaged and burned it. The inhabitants were either shot or sent to concentration camps. If the harassment took place in uninhabited areas, the occupation forces shot hostages that were kept safe and always plentiful through the anonymous denunciations of Communist agents.
On such occasions many people escaped. Included among them were invariably all the local O.F. sympathizers, having been warned ahead of time. Those of the escapees who were not Communists, since they couldn’t seek asylum with the troops of occupation, where they would have been denounced by the Partisan spies as dangerous, had the choice of aligning themselves with the Partisans, or hiding from both the occupation forces and the Communists.
In this manner the Communists on the on e hand achieved their goals by means of the occupator’s reprisals. Firstly, they were able to recruit many unwilling “volunteers” to their ranks from among the aforementioned escapees. Secondly, the occupation troops, instead of the Partisans, killed those whom the Partisans were unable to or for certain reasons did not want to kill themselves. Further, the occupation authorities disposed of masses of anti-Communist citizens, something which the partisans were unwilling to do because the news of such indescribable massacres would most certainly become public and resistance to the O.F. would reach uncontrollable dimensions. Also, in the face of such disasters, the Western World would have to reevaluate its position towards Communism.
On the other hand, the occupators reaped its own benefits also. The Partisans gave the occupation forces a “justification” for reaction, and excuse for pillaging, and murdering citizens of a subject nation. This intimidation served their own overall purpose.
The hideous victims of the occupator’s reprisals and the victims by the hands of the partisans themselves were “those enormous bloody losses” inflicted by Partisans upon the occupation troops in “an unending struggle” as has been and is still now being spewed forth by Tito’s propaganda!!!
In section “Action of Liberation Front” was depicted the undeclared collaboration between the O.F. and the occupator’s command. Tito had also sought a formal agreement with Hitler providing for joint action against the Western allies in the event that they launched an invasion along the Adriatic coast. Hitler answered, “No deal with a bandit.” This was, of course, before a definite invasion site had been decided upon. However, General Globotschnig, the German commandant in the Trieste sector, made an agreement in April, 1945, with the Partisans for the unhindered withdrawal of occupation forces. The above discussion clearly illustrates the unspoken deal between two tyrants which was paid for with hundreds of thousands of lives and material damage which ran into millions.
Let us now mention that which was written by Quincy Wright, from his history of the Second World War: “The Partisans engaged in continuous action to gain control of large areas, regardless of their strategic location, preparatory to the establishment of postwar control of the country, and although Communism was and remained unpopular, growing numbers of men joined Tito’s forces due to reprisals.”
People Rose
Any political, ideological movement which destroys the life and welfare of the people, in short deteriorates the existing conditions, must be rejected by any nation with a healthy outlook and hence such a movement has no right to existence. This is exactly the case with the Communist O.F. movement. The nation realized that if the movement continued further as it had up to then, the nation would bleed, leading to a catastrophic national bankruptcy. Poverty and sickness would destroy that which had not yet been destroyed by the occupator or Partisans. This produced an immeasurable amount of animosity towards the O.F. and the strong determination to retaliate at any cost in order to save the nation from extinction.
As a result there arose spontaneously out of self-defense, bands of anti-Communist fighters in the settlements. These fighters were a visible expression of the nation’s anti-Communist feeling, and an expression of the desire and the will for existence. The entire nation stood behind them and supported them by any and all means.
The occupation command had correctly evaluated the new anti-Communist movement and realized that it was not wise to attack them publicly, although they were openly enemies of the occupators. In addition, both parties dissipated their energy in fighting between themselves. It can truly be said that this new anti-Communist movement with the all out support of the whole nation tied up to a greater degree and in larger numbers the occupation forces than a small number of Partisans without the support of the nation.
The primary goal of the anti-Communists was to hold the Partisans at sufficient distance from settlements in order to prevent the slaughter of people and pillaging of those settlements, and at the same time eliminating the possibility of invoking reprisals. To launch a direct attack against the occupator, for instance while they were conducting reprisal action, would have been suicide due to lack to sufficient armament. These fighters were not supplied with armament by the Allies as were the Partisans.
The Partisans soon felt the consequences of the resistance by the anti-Communists. Partisans were killed, requisitioning of supplies became difficult and the forced recruits deserted. Intensification of Partisan action served only to increase the ranks of the anti-Communists. As a result, by the autumn of 1943, the Partisans were all but defeated. In September of that year, Italy capitulated and the Partisans regained new life. In secret, the Partisans had come to an agreement with the Italians, granting the Italians unhindered withdrawal in exchange for weapons, including tanks and artillery with their respective crews. Italians were advised by the Allies to do so. Thus freshly armed, the Partisans launched an all out attack on anti-Communist outposts and destroyed many of these positions. Many hundreds of anti-Communist fighters were killed during this period, in Turjak, in Grcarice, in Kocevje, and elsewhere. At this time, the anti-Communist movement was almost destroyed.
The whole nation and the anti-Communist fighters realized that life, both literally and politically, was now at stake. At this point, the remaining bands of fighters grouped together to form larger units, from now on called Slovenian Domobranci (Home Guards), so that they could fend off the freshly armed Communist mob. The support of the nation grew to such an extent in every respect that in a few months the number of new volunteers was in the thousands. Thus revitalized and reorganized, the Domobranci, through military action, regained settlement after settlement and even pursued the Partisan to their own hidden strongholds. This pursuit continued until the Russians advanced to the Balkans and Tito’s own units from North Africa disembarked on the Adriatic shore. This took place in April, 1945. The units consisted of those, who upon the collapse of Yugoslavia in 1941 fled to North Africa and those Communists living abroad who rallied to the cause of the Communists and joined in.
The Communists organized and trained these units, brainwashing those former Yugoslavian soldiers into believing they were fighting for heir homeland, all this under the patronage of the British who also armed these units. IN the face of such superior opposition, the Domobranci were forced to withdraw, some to Italy, the majority, about 12,000, to Austria, on the fields of Viktring near Klagenfurt. This will be described in the next pages.
In conclusion, a few more thoughts about collaborators, with which the Communists, even today, still label the Domobranci. Can an intelligent person label 95% of the nation and the Domobranci, the cream of the nation, as collaborators? Can you consider the actions of the majority as criminal and damaging to the welfare of the nation?
Of all of the sympathizers of the O.F. and Partisans, 75% supported the Communist movement solely out of fear for their lives. They knew the Communists to be killers. The Domobranci could not use the same tactics employed by the O.F. They also were not aware of everyone who supported the O.F. They could not take advantage of occupator’s reprisals, since these were directed primarily against their own supporters.
Such were the actions and effects of the anti-Communist fighters and the Domobranci in relation to the nation, the occupation, and the O.F. It should be stressed that the anti-Communist fighters fought for true freedom and democracy. They were first of all anti-occupators, however, they also recognized the menace in the Communist movement in which a new slavery was in the making.
II. The Betrayal of the Domobranci
It is difficult to write about a tragedy since one has to experience it. Even if one completely understands the suffering, will he be able to put these feelings into words? It is well known how difficult and sometimes impossible it is to give an exact portrayal on paper. I myself lived the sufferings of this tragedy as I was also a member of the Domobranci, they being the main players of the tragedy.
Like chess figures, alive yet without rights to express their opinion in their own defense, they were maneuvered across the chessboard by the Supreme Council of Allied Forces. And finally in June, 1945, the Comobranci were betrayed into the hands of Tito. Thus were carried out the agreements of the previously mentioned conferences.
Ten years after this date, the USA, a member of the Supreme Allied Council in Vienna, was involved in a war with the Communists in Korea. Today, they are engaged with the Communists in Viet Nam, where they have and still are fighting together with other Americans, sons and brothers of the betrayed Domobranci.
Thus even if the tragedy will be incompletely transcribed into words, it is reasonable to expect that America will now understand that twice bloody fate suffered by the Domobranci which Western powers helped to bring about.
Portrayed will be only one small act of this tragedy, in which the Domobranci ply a silent role on the plains of Viktring. The Puppet masters of this show sat on the Supreme Council in Vienna. To understand this play it is necessary to keep I mind that which has been written in the first part of this paper.
As was previously mentioned, the majority of the Domobranci, numbering about 12,000, retreated in May, 1945, before the combined forces of Tito and Russia to Karnten, Austria. In Ferlach on the Austrian side, the British army units confiscated the weapons and watches of the Domobranci. Along with them came great numbers of civilians. All of these, Domobranci and civilians together, were driven by the British to the fields of Viktring, which take their name from the castle and church of the same name located there. Since the arrival of the refugees was unexpected and particularly since they were considered unfriendly elements, there was no consideration taken for the provision of food and shelter. Some found shelter in old abandoned storage buildings, but the majority bivouacked in makeshift huts. They killed horses when they were unable to trade them for food with the local farmers. From these farmers was received the first definite knowledge that the refugees would be handed back to Tito by the Allies. These rumors intensified the attempts of the Domobranci and the Slovenian National Committee to communicate with the higher British command in Karnten in order to explain who they were, why the fought, and why they left their country. These attempts did not produce the desired results. The only answer they received was that the British had to carry out the directives of the Supreme Allied Command in Vienna. What these directives were was not disclosed, namely that the Domobranci would be returned to their country branded as collaborators.
In response to these rumors and because of the evasiveness of the High Command, British authorities gave their solemn word that the Slovenian Domobranci would be transported to Palma Nova, Italy, where they would be reorganized, retrained, and rearmed. And this, to their great misfortune, the refugees believed.
In all of the actions of the Supreme Allied Command in Vienna and the British commander in Karnten, is seen the influence of Russia’s and Tito’s representatives, who were present both in Vienna and in Karnten. The goal of Tito’s agents was to bring about the speedy extradiction of the Slovenian Domobranci to Toto, since the time element played and extremely important part in the scheme of things.
The Slovenian Domobranci hid from the occupators and the Partisans, many British and American survivors and downed aircraft. The Slovenian Domobranci also knew of occasions where the Partisans had killed downed pilots because they abhorred the Partisans terror tactics and would have reported these back to their own governments. All of the actions and lies of the O.F. could have come to light, and this then was the reason for the insistence by Tito and Russia for the immediate elimination of all the so called collaborators.
Forced Repatriation
On the command of British military authorities, the transportation of Slovenian Domobranci began in the first days of June, 1945, from the fields of Viktring to what they had been told was to be Palma Nova, Italy. Immediately after the first transport, the son of Serbian politician Ljotic appeared in the camp with the news that the transports are not going to Italy, but that the British are handing over the Domobranci to Tito’s Partisans at the border station of Rosenbach and Bleiburg. When the British authorities heard this, the order was given that Ljotic, and all persons who with such lies incite the people, will be immediately arrested. Further, a few escapees from the transports themselves returned and confirmed Ljotic’s assertions. A great unrest and suspicion of the word of British seized the camp. Nobody could believe the hard fact that the British were really turning over the Domobranci to Tito’s communists. Yet it was true!
Many of the Slovenian Domobranci still at Viktring could have saved themselves when it became known that the betrayal was a fact, but they freely followed the others, saying, “Where the others have gone, we shall go also. It is necessary to die for that which we have fought.”
At Rosenbach and Bleiburg they were herded into cattle cars, the cars being so over loaded that they were like sardines in a can. Some were taken to Celje, others to St. Vid near Ljubljana. By means of inhuman torture and beatings, these people were killed at Store near Celje, some were killed at Teharje, others were driven into old abandoned coal mines which were then blown up. The group at St. Vid were killed in the vicinity of the village Podutik and elsewhere. Nearly all 12,000 were massacred and thrown into mass graves!
Together with those that were captured at home and those that were returned, the total number killed was approximately 15,000 Slovenian Domobranci, anti-Communist fighters. They gave their lives for values and principles without which a decent society cannot exist.
The tragedy of the Slovenian Domobranci consists, in short, of the fact that during the war Tito’s Partisans were killing them with the help of the occupation forces. After the victory the Partisans received into their hands the Slovenian Domobranci, fighters against tyranny, with the cooperation of the Allies, fighters for freedom. In this way, Tito was able to establish his dictatorship.
The echo of this sad story? General Alexander, after the whole situation was explained to him, said, “It is unfortunate that I had not known of this before. I am sorry, nothing can be done now.” An observer at Tito’s headquarters later in London wrote expressing his sentiments: “Why do we blame the Slovenian anti-Communist fighters? We sent our wives and children to Canada for safe keeping from the German bombs. The Slovenian Domobranci had to defend themselves and their families in the best way they knew how.”
Former President Harry Truman decorated posthumously General Mihajlovic who fought for the same goals that the Domobranci had. We thank him for this recognition.
The British had helped the Partisans capture General Mihajlovic in return for the concession of a rich gold mine in Serbia.
And the echo among the relatives of the Domobranci? The families of the dead fighters harbor only the silent hope that the Western Allies recognize their mistake in connection with the slaughter of the anti-Communist fighters.
III. Peaceful Co-Existence
With respect to previously mentioned atrocities, on the basis of which and with the cooperation of the Allies, the Communists seized power in Slovenia, Yugoslavia, and in a similar way in other countries. Is so called peaceful co-existence possible between Slovenians and Communism and between the Communist bloc and the free world?
As far as the Slovenian anti-Communists at home and abroad who lived through these atrocities and were fortunate enough to escape the Communist slaughter are concerned, there is not now, nor ever can be, peaceful co-existence. Even if they could entirely forget and forgive the past, on this Christian virtue of forgiving enemies the Communists are relying heavily, there remains their righteous and unshakeable duty as Slovenian patriots and Christians and loyal subjects of the countries where they now reside to continue the fight against Communism.
The Communists themselves must continually indoctrinate the masses, especially the youth, with their ideology in order to maintain their power.
The Communists must continually slander and with lies must discredit anti-Communist fighters as public enemies and render them harmless everywhere. The Slovenian anti-Communists are forced to defend and parry these attacks, not only for themselves and their relatives, but also because it is necessary to convey the true image of Communism to the rest of the world. Many of their descendants now living did not and do not know why their fathers and brothers died fighting against Communism since they were either too young to understand or had not yet been born. It is necessary to defend these against the poison of Communist ideology. Therefore the fight will continue as long as there exists Communism and Slovenian anti-Communists.
The free world which did not have a direct personal experience with Communism like to interpret every move in the Communist world which does not fit exactly into the know frame of Communist ideology and has an agreeable “taste” to the non-Communist world as a sure sign of the softening of the Communistic system and an indication of the possibility of peaceful co-existence. There are many such indications, but the free world forgets that it is necessary to examine every gesture of the Communist bloc as and attempt to further Communist goals.
In recent times the so called “evolution” is considered to be the definite sign and proper foundation for peaceful co-existence.
The Communists themselves advocate such a favorable reception of their gestures on the part of the free world. The Communists also have in their program peaceful co-existence, but out of entirely different motives.
The Communists themselves have the most to gain from peaceful co-existence. In this way they insure themselves from sudden attack by the free world, develop new tactics for the spreading of Communism, and in exchange for peaceful co-existence they concede nothing to the free world. The Communists at any rate, are aware of the possibility of achieving world domination by means other than a total holocaust. If during peaceful co-existence the Communist world succeeds in lulling the free world into complacency and thereby neglecting its defenses, then the Communists will strike suddenly with all its might. Therefore peaceful co-existence is not desired for peace itself, but as a means of safely spreading Communism through a change of tactics. For his reason also they denounce imperialistic aggression and in so doing seduce the free world into concessions which in an attempt to prove our sincerity for peaceful co-existence have endangered the position of the free world.
For peaceful co-existence or friction, two sides, at least, are always necessary. When the goals and principles advocated by two parties are in opposition as is the case between the Communist and free world, this must always lead to tension and in the extreme limit, to war. If peaceful co-existence is desired, one side must give up its ambitions and subordinate itself to the opposition. ON the other hand, peaceful co-existence can be achieved through compromise, in which each side abstains from all actions detrimental to the partner’s interest. Such an arrangement, the free world believes, can be achieved with the Communist bloc. Is that possible? To find and answer it is necessary to say a few words about the Communist movement.
Communist Flexibility
The Communist movement is a movement in the true sense of the word, that is, as long as it is active it lives. It is analogous to water which becomes stagnant if not in motion. Communism survives and grows internally and externally through progress, every standstill is debilitating. For this reason Communism must always remain active. It achieves power through force and promises to solve all social, economic, and political problems. The final and complete realization of this new order, paradise on earth, will occur when the entire world is under Communist domination. To the extent that these blessings have not yet been achieved is the fault of the capitalistic world, say the Communists. This is partial true since the Communists must allocate such a large portion of their wealth to the maintenance of enormous armaments, both for preservation of the regime and for fear of attack from the outside. All dictatorships are unpopular, especially the Communistic one since it eliminates values which man instinctively craves for, such as freedom of family, freedom of private property, freedom of speech, etc. A democracy guarantees all these freedoms in writing. If Communism achieves world domination, then it would be able to allocate more funds, efforts, and material towards achieving “Paradise” on earth, since it would require only a police force to maintain order. For a small amount of material benefit, man would have abandoned his human dignity. Communism must therefore expend much effort to placate the masses and direct their dissatisfaction against the capitalistic world, since the masses cannot wait indefinitely for the “promised land.”
Also because of the non-Communist world, the Communists cannot relax their vigil, since it claims that the capitalistic society was and is the cause of poverty, injustice, rioting, revolution, and war. The Communists further claim that it is their duty to rout out the evils of capitalistic system.
Furthermore, time does not allow any delay to the Communists. In the “capitalistic world” different unions of the working people gain greater strength and influence and in this way successfully fight for the rights of the little man. In this way, just social welfare is established.
In underdeveloped countries outside the Communist domain, the work of the government, churches , humanitarian organizations, and influential private citizens becomes more effective and successful towards eliminating social injustices which offers now the opportunity, proper foundation, and good climate for Communist encroachment. If Communism loses this opportunity, it will find it most difficult to make advances in these territories. Consolidation of the free world is a great danger to the Communist nation.
As was previously mentioned, it follows that Communism cannot abstain from pursuing its goals. In such an event all the previous indoctrination must be counteracted which would have negative repercussions for the Communists. Even in the instance that Russia did enter into a formal agreement for peaceful co-existence with the USA and renounced all actions detrimental to the free world, it would still attempt to advance its goals through the other Communist countries and the world wide Communist parties. The Korean and Viet Nam affairs are primarily the work of the Chinese Communists and were and are being carried out by the North Korean and North Vietnamese Communists. The Cuban Crisis was the brainchild of Russia. Even in the USA there are different movements attempting to disrupt the existing institutions under the instigation of the Communists.
Peaceful co-existence is based upon trust. How can the free world trust the Communists when they recognize only one moral, that being, everything is right which furthers the Communists interests. The Communists respect the fundamental international law, Pacta sunt servanda, on which all international agreements are based, only when this serves their purpose. If the Communists were sincere about peaceful co-existence, they would have to discontinue their subversive activities through their puppet parties.
If he free world wishes to protect its principles and position, there can never exist a permanent peaceful co-existence between the free world and Communism.
This we have been taught by our bloody experience. It is our sincerest wish that America, which has given us a new home, need never live through this.
IV. Evolution
The evolution, the thaw or humanization of orthodox Communism, to the thinking of the free world, was a sure sign of the possibility of peaceful co-existence. But there is a big question whether these sings of thawing or humanization could really be considered as evolution.
What are the causes for the onset of this so called “evolution?” In Russia the younger intelligentsia considered the old, strict administrative police laws as unviable because the non-Communist masses are passive and apathetic, while the intellectuals themselves are and remain loyal Communists.
In the satellite countries there is yet another reason for striving to establish the so called “evolution”, namely, political and economic patronage of the Soviet Union. This dependence chokes satellite nations. In none of the above mentioned cases are the strivings for the “evolution” directed against the Communist ideology itself or its aims! Therefore, it is difficult to talk of evolution. All of these efforts have as their goal the improvement of life, or specifically, of the working conditions. In other words, the amelioration of police pressure. If the effort to establish the evolution was directed against the ideology itself, all of the attempts would have been stifled in their infancy as happened in Russia, Czechoslovakia, and elsewhere. Stalin would have buried Tito if a disagreement between Moscow and Belgrade had resulted over different interpretation of Communist ideology. The reasons for the disagreement were the political and economic exploitation on the part of Moscow. Peaceful co-existence and evolution do not result in any change in Communist ideology or its goals.
The effects of the “evolution” are interesting within the Communist system as well as in the non-Communist world.
In Czechoslovakia the Communist regime was the first to officially adopt the called for liberalization of he system, and in this way Communism actually did take on a more human face. The purpose of this was to make the Communist system more appealing, clever propaganda, and this increase the productivity and efficiency of the working masses. In short, Dubcek wanted to achieve the consolidation of the Communist regime. How accurately Dubcek calculated is shown by the fact that during the liberalization 5,000 people in the span of two months applied for Communist party membership, while Dubcek repeatedly assured the nation that, “I am and shall remain a devoted Communist.” It is understandable then that all, and especially those who volunteered for party membership, would sincerely and diligently work for the Communist ends.
It would be erroneous to conclude that because of the more liberal atmosphere the non-Communist elements would be strengthened in number and influence. As the example of Czechoslovakia shows, in a milder climate the Communist party gains strength both qualitatively and quantitatively and brings about improved relations between Communist and non-Communist elements and consequent reduction in tension, which also serves the aims of the Communist regime.
In this way Communism is revitalized and still more easily governs especially considering that it still possesses its policing powers upon which it had up to now primarily depended.
For the moment Russia is rejecting internal liberalization and also hinders such a movement in its satellites since it does not want to give up its political supervision and economic advantages. It is certain that Russia is diligently studying a possible movement toward liberalization and when the younger generation ascends to governing positions, it is almost inevitable that a greater thaw of the system in Russia itself will occur.
The free world will have to carefully study its relations to such an “evolutionary” Communist system. Today the free world sees in peaceful co-existence and the “evolution” a lessening of the Communist threat and aggression. It should not be forgotten that the Communist regime can overnight eliminate all experiments in peaceful co-existence and “evolution” when these ends no longer serve the Communist purpose. This is really a change in tactics corresponding to the time and circumstances prevailing.
In reality, this new “evolutionary” Communism is at least as dangerous to the free world as the old, orthodox variety. For the underdeveloped countries in the Far East, Africa and Latin America, this form of Communism with a “human face” is much more appealing and acceptable than the old form. Thus it will more easily implant itself, particularly since the uneducated masses are not aware that this foreign Communism will seize power in the same bloody manner as it did in those countries which may now be experiencing a liberalizing movement.
Such new Communism is internally consolidated and will have more influence and effective propaganda. Neither the old, orthodox or the new “evolutionary” form, despite all talk of peaceful co-existence and “evolution” has given the slightest indication that it has renounced the primary goal of its ideology, that of world domination. As long as the goals remain unchanged, the free world must not expect a relaxation and has no grounds for not maintaining its vigilance. If the free world is lulled into complacency it will be buried as Khrushchev promised.
That this should not happen is one of the purposes of this paper which wishes to alert the people of this great country that they should protect their freedom and “establishment,” even if it be as bad as some contend, and not to exchange this system for the yoke of slavery.
w. 1970
proud member of The Slovenian Cultural Society Triglav
Published by the Historian Committee of the American Slovenian Anti-Communist War Veterans Association – TABOR (June 1, 1970)
Preface
In May of 1945, thousands of Slovenians left their homes before oncoming Red Army and Communist Partisans. They fled over the mountains to the neighboring Austria hoping to find peace and freedom. This, however, was denied to most of them. Due to the tragic misunderstanding of their position and in accordance to the fatal Yalta agreement some 12,000 Slovenians, mostly young men, who resisted Communist onslaught with arms, were returned to Communist Slovenia and mercilessly massacred by Tito’s Communists after the end of WWII. To their eternal memory this memorandum is dedicated.
We, who have witnessed Communist atrocities and have seen the totality with which they destroy individual freedom and integrity, owe our “Free existence” to the brave who have died for it. We also feel that it is our duty to share our knowledge with others lest we all forget the ever present threat to our most precious gift. “FREEDOM”. It is often distressing to see constant threats to this freedom arising from various segments of population. This is why we must pay homage to the gallant men who fought and died for this freedom.
I. Viktring Tragedy
We turn our thoughts and feelings to a tragedy, the first act of which was played on the plains of Viktring near Klagenfurt, Austria, June 1945. At that time, the British Command delivered into the hands of Tito, for slaughter, approximately 12,000 anti-Communist fighters, called Domobranci, (Slovenian Home Guards).
Before we discuss this in greater detail and in order to fully comprehend this tragedy, we must mention and describe certain important events, such as the conferences in Moscow, Teheran, Yalta, the strivings of the Communists in general and in Slovenia particularly, the inception of anti Communist fighters.
International Agreements
The impact of these conferences later proved to be decisive to all of Europe. It sealed the fate of the Slovenian Domobranci and Mihajlovic’s Cetniks, all of which will be elaborated further.
The conference in Moscow was in progress during October 1943 and was attended by the foreign ministers of America, Britain, and Russia. I recount only that which is pertinent to this paper, that is, that the Russians stubbornly demanded a second front, not in the Bulkans, but on the west coast of France, and that they didn’t consider American involvement in North Africa as producing a significant alleviation of the situation on the Russian front.
For us the most important decision of this conference was the agreement (signed by Chiefs of State Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin) that war criminals (those people who commit acts in violation of international law and custom regarding war conduct) may be extradited to their respective countries where the crime was committed, for punishment. The Russians were strong advocates of such an agreement because of German atrocities.
They had other special reasons for such a position. The Russian general, Vlasov, had just recently defected with his entire unit to the Germans. The Russians were interested not only in German criminals, but also in Vlasov and his men.
At that time there must have been talk about collaborators and conspirators, because soon after, in December, Tito branded Mihajlovic as a conspirator “who granted many favors to the Allies” (so says the later mentioned Quincy Wright). In the aforesaid agreement there is no mention of the collaborators and conspirators, hence, they would not have had tome to discover what fate awaited them.
At the end of November 1943, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin met in Teheran. At this conference, of course, there was much talk about establishing a second front. Churchill and Roosevelt yielded to Stalin’s plan that the invasion start the following year, 1944, on the west coast of France. Either because of political blindness or because of over confidence in Communist Russia, Roosevelt and Churchill agreed to Stalin’s proposition and thereby inadvertently allowed for the division of Europe into spheres of influence. This agreement is the basis upon which all the lands east of the line running from Trieste in the south to Stettin on the Oder in the north fell into the Russian sphere of influence. This proved to be the foundation of the subsequent formation of the Communist regime in Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Yugoslavia. Thus was concluded a fateful mistake whose far-reaching consequences are still being so bitterly felt by man millions of people and also by the Western Allies. Greece alone, though it lies east of the before mentioned line, did not fall under Russia’s domination. In this way the Russians achieved the shortest overland route between the Communist and the western non-Communist spheres.
This is of extreme importance in case the existing friendship would cool, the possibility of which Stalin had already anticipated. The importance of the agreement to Yugoslavia lies partly in that it insured the existence of Toto’s Communist movement, and for Russia the accessibility to the Adriatic through satellite countries.
America and Britain broke ties with Mihajlovic and thereafter recognized and supported only Tito and his Partisans (fighting member of O.F.) Consequently, using this as a basis, Tito organized his won government and labeled General Mihajlovic and all who were against the O.F. (Osvobodilna Fronta / Liberation Front) a clever, fancy name, as traitors and demanded that at the conclusion of the war they be regarded as war criminals (Conference in Moscow).
The final wrap up of rules governing the procedures for handling collaborators and conspirators was arrived at the Yalta, the conference attended by Stalin, Churchill, and Roosevelt in February 1945. This conference sought to find solutions to yet unsolved problems and provide the groundwork for continued relations after the war. This conference coined the term “collaborator” and deemed that such designees be brought to trial. This was brought about at the urgent insistence of Tito and through Stalin’s own initiative, in order that the Russians might lay their hands upon Vlasov and his followers and also the Ukrainians who greeted the Germans as liberators when they advanced across the Ukrainian border. Initially they volunteered to work for the Germans, but later this work was forced upon them, the result of broken promises.
Action of Liberation Front
Let us now examine the actions and efforts of the O.F. and Partisans with regard to the occupation forces and the nation. Logically we should have spoken of the O.F. first, but the decisions and agreements made between the participants of the conferences are so important to the subsequent development and actions of the O.F. and Partisans, that it was necessary to mention them first. The Communists took full advantage of the results of these conferences to further their movement, to gain sympathizers, and to secure the moral and material support of the nation.
Let us first establish the fact that without the presence of an occupation force, the O.F. could never have arisen and its existence could not have been perpetuated, even without the existence of domestic military forces. The overwhelming anti-Communist majority of the nation would have crushed the Partisans at the very beginning, had they had the capability of free decision and action. The O.F. itself was well aware of this fact. The O.F. also knew that its continued existence depended upon the condition that the Russians alone come to the Balkans. This holds not only for Yugoslavia, but for all the nations east of the Trieste-Stettin line (Teheran Conference).
The O.F. policy was built upon these premises, their goal being in reality the establishment of a Communist regime! To achieve this goal, it was therefore necessary to use all possible means of guaranteeing its continued existence. To seriously engage in battle the forces of occupation, which then offered the possibility of existence and which were destined to withdraw sooner or later, proved to be, for the Partisans, the same as digging their own graves. Logically it was necessary to use all force towards the elimination and debilitation of anti-Communist elements in the nation. As long as there was no occupation force, the Communists did not have an effective foothold for organizing their O.F. movement. Under the occupation, the Communists took advantage of patriotic feeling and love of freedom of the nation and attempted to recruit the people for a pseudo-war against the occupation, as they called it, a fight for freedom (a very attractive slogan).
Initially, the O.F. enjoyed the moral and material support of the people, some out of genuine sympathy, some due to the fact that the Partisans had armaments, which were diligently collected by the Communists and their followers following the collapse of the Yugoslavian army.
Those who didn’t want to join or resisted the O.F. were labeled with the “dirty” adjective of conspirator and collaborator and were subject to revenge and punishment. The Partisans actually started killing the most prominent and particularly determined opponents from all ranks and walks of life. As a result, the O.F. lost the sympathy and support of the masses. The O.F. then, to engender progress and stabilization, devised a satanic program in which, without any overt communication, the main role would be played by the occupation forces themselves.
This program, in short, is as follows: harassment of the occupation forces until such a point was reached that would provoke a reaction – reprisals leading to results originally wished for by the O.F. through its harassment.
Let us examine now the nature of the O.F. harassment and the reaction of the occupation forces. It has already been explained how and why the Partisans lost sympathy and support among the nation, especially in remote locales, where they were normally quartered, due to the fact that occupation forces were stationed in larger towns and important crossroads. In order to expand their influence and because of the need to requisition supplies, they had to shift their activities from already y depleted areas to the neighborhoods controlled by the occupation forces. The Partisans took into account the inevitable rise of friction between them and the enemy forces. In order to avoid suffering the harmful consequences of this friction, they perpetuated their harassments at night and from a safe distance. This served the double purpose of providing propaganda material and bringing about he desired reprisals against the opponents of the O.F. which will be explained further.
Let us now examine some typical examples of Partisan harassments, “battles”, and the results that followed. In the year 1941, October 21st, the Partisans approached the city of Dragujevac (which was particularly hostile towards the O.F.) and ambushed a few scattered German soldiers. The immediate German response brought infantry units which surrounded the city and neighboring areas, killed all seniors in the high school, college students numbering over 600, teachers and unknown numbers of citizens and farmers. This was the largest mass murder at one time, at one place.
In the summer of 1942, the Partisans fired a few stray shots at occupator’s (occupation forces) trucks in the village of Rasica, a few kilometers distance from Ljubljana, capitol of Slovenia. The occupator’s sustained no damage. A few hours later, occupation forces ravaged and burned the village, killed some people at the edge of the village and sent others to concentration camps.
In Ljubljana, well fortified, the seat of the occupator’s command, were 300 former Yugoslavian officers, who for ideological reasons could not support the O.F. The Communists turned over the names of these 300 officers to the occupator command, saying that they were soon to defect to the Partisans. As a result, most were sent to concentration camps, although a few escaped, among them this author. This took place during the Spring of 1942.
A few further masterpieces of Communist activities, immediately upon the takeover by the occupation forces, the Communists made a contact with Communists in the ranks of the invading troops, and introduced Communist sympathizers as loyal subjects of the occupation forces. These then spied for the O.F. and denounced certain determined anti-Communists as dangerous elements to the occupation forces. Communist girls were particularly suited for this job. They had the exclusive privilege of romancing the officers of the occupation forces. Other girls who had a mind to do likewise had their heads shaved by the Communists. Many hundr3ds of Slovenian anti-Communists, on the basis of such denunciations by these and other Communist agents, were either killed as hostages or sent to concentration camps.
The following is a particularly nauseating instance of such denunciations, which took place during the winter of 1942–1943. A former Slovenian representative (the name and place will not be disclosed for good reason) was a considerable obstacle to the O.F. movement. If the Partisans themselves were to have killed him, they would have done damage to their own cause, since he was known to be an honest, patriotic man. Two brothers, Bobek, were sent to his daughter and obtained from her a ham. This ham was delivered the next morning to the Gestapo station as evidence of the representative’s allegiance to the O.F. That very day, he was killed in his own home, his son later killed as a hostage, and the daughter died in the gas chamber at Auschwitz in Poland, March 1943. At the same time, others of that village were also killed.
Of the thousands of such atrocities, we have mentioned only a few examples typical of the Communist’s tactics in obtaining desired reprisals. From these it is seen that the harassment was perpetrated in such a way as to cause harm to neither the occupation forces nor the Communists. The Partisans lacked the stupidity and to a greater degree, the courage, to seriously attack the occupation armies which had erected fortifications for all their units. The Partisans had neither the requisite artillery nor the tendency to work by day.
The occupation armies could never have been the serious primary target of the Partisan attack since it was universally obvious that the Axis Powers would be defeated and the occupying forces compelled to withdraw, leaving only the O.F. because the lies, the satanic comedy, the atrocities of the Communist into Yugoslavia could save the life of Tito’s movement. Unfortunately, this latter actually happened.
The sole purpose of the Communist activity, including the harassment of the occupation armies, was first and foremost to crush the nation’s resistance to Communism. Hundreds of examples can be cited to prove the above contention, two of which are presented to give a clear picture.
In the hills of Suhor, Slovenia, was a small encampment of anti-Communist fighters. The village of Suhor was often attacked by the Partisans and was finally overrun in the autumn of 1942. There was stationed a unit of occupators in the nearby valley. The occupation unit was never attacked.
Another particularly good example of the Partisan’s battles with the occupation forces is illustrated by the following account. The names of the people and places are omitted since there are survivors still living in the area that are vulnerable to Communist reprisal. In a certain valley in Slovenia there was stationed a rather strong contingent of occupation forces that maintained two completely isolated outposts manned by 30 men apiece on two opposing 700 meter hills. The Partisans could with ease and no casualties to themselves have taken these outposts. Instead, they repeatedly attacked a small anti-Communist unit that was entrenched a few kilometers away.
It is important to know the localities in which the occupator’s reprisals took place in order to understand the Communist tactics. The Communists chose as the sites of their harassment those areas near occupation forces encampments and in particular in and around settlements whose inhabitants were the worst staunch anti-Communists, thus bringing the occupator’s reprisals down on the anti- Communist villagers. Whenever the Partisans came to such a settlement, fired sniper shots, or tore out sections of railroad near such a settlement, the occupators response was immediate. Its armies surrounded the settlement, pillaged and burned it. The inhabitants were either shot or sent to concentration camps. If the harassment took place in uninhabited areas, the occupation forces shot hostages that were kept safe and always plentiful through the anonymous denunciations of Communist agents.
On such occasions many people escaped. Included among them were invariably all the local O.F. sympathizers, having been warned ahead of time. Those of the escapees who were not Communists, since they couldn’t seek asylum with the troops of occupation, where they would have been denounced by the Partisan spies as dangerous, had the choice of aligning themselves with the Partisans, or hiding from both the occupation forces and the Communists.
In this manner the Communists on the on e hand achieved their goals by means of the occupator’s reprisals. Firstly, they were able to recruit many unwilling “volunteers” to their ranks from among the aforementioned escapees. Secondly, the occupation troops, instead of the Partisans, killed those whom the Partisans were unable to or for certain reasons did not want to kill themselves. Further, the occupation authorities disposed of masses of anti-Communist citizens, something which the partisans were unwilling to do because the news of such indescribable massacres would most certainly become public and resistance to the O.F. would reach uncontrollable dimensions. Also, in the face of such disasters, the Western World would have to reevaluate its position towards Communism.
On the other hand, the occupators reaped its own benefits also. The Partisans gave the occupation forces a “justification” for reaction, and excuse for pillaging, and murdering citizens of a subject nation. This intimidation served their own overall purpose.
The hideous victims of the occupator’s reprisals and the victims by the hands of the partisans themselves were “those enormous bloody losses” inflicted by Partisans upon the occupation troops in “an unending struggle” as has been and is still now being spewed forth by Tito’s propaganda!!!
In section “Action of Liberation Front” was depicted the undeclared collaboration between the O.F. and the occupator’s command. Tito had also sought a formal agreement with Hitler providing for joint action against the Western allies in the event that they launched an invasion along the Adriatic coast. Hitler answered, “No deal with a bandit.” This was, of course, before a definite invasion site had been decided upon. However, General Globotschnig, the German commandant in the Trieste sector, made an agreement in April, 1945, with the Partisans for the unhindered withdrawal of occupation forces. The above discussion clearly illustrates the unspoken deal between two tyrants which was paid for with hundreds of thousands of lives and material damage which ran into millions.
Let us now mention that which was written by Quincy Wright, from his history of the Second World War: “The Partisans engaged in continuous action to gain control of large areas, regardless of their strategic location, preparatory to the establishment of postwar control of the country, and although Communism was and remained unpopular, growing numbers of men joined Tito’s forces due to reprisals.”
People Rose
Any political, ideological movement which destroys the life and welfare of the people, in short deteriorates the existing conditions, must be rejected by any nation with a healthy outlook and hence such a movement has no right to existence. This is exactly the case with the Communist O.F. movement. The nation realized that if the movement continued further as it had up to then, the nation would bleed, leading to a catastrophic national bankruptcy. Poverty and sickness would destroy that which had not yet been destroyed by the occupator or Partisans. This produced an immeasurable amount of animosity towards the O.F. and the strong determination to retaliate at any cost in order to save the nation from extinction.
As a result there arose spontaneously out of self-defense, bands of anti-Communist fighters in the settlements. These fighters were a visible expression of the nation’s anti-Communist feeling, and an expression of the desire and the will for existence. The entire nation stood behind them and supported them by any and all means.
The occupation command had correctly evaluated the new anti-Communist movement and realized that it was not wise to attack them publicly, although they were openly enemies of the occupators. In addition, both parties dissipated their energy in fighting between themselves. It can truly be said that this new anti-Communist movement with the all out support of the whole nation tied up to a greater degree and in larger numbers the occupation forces than a small number of Partisans without the support of the nation.
The primary goal of the anti-Communists was to hold the Partisans at sufficient distance from settlements in order to prevent the slaughter of people and pillaging of those settlements, and at the same time eliminating the possibility of invoking reprisals. To launch a direct attack against the occupator, for instance while they were conducting reprisal action, would have been suicide due to lack to sufficient armament. These fighters were not supplied with armament by the Allies as were the Partisans.
The Partisans soon felt the consequences of the resistance by the anti-Communists. Partisans were killed, requisitioning of supplies became difficult and the forced recruits deserted. Intensification of Partisan action served only to increase the ranks of the anti-Communists. As a result, by the autumn of 1943, the Partisans were all but defeated. In September of that year, Italy capitulated and the Partisans regained new life. In secret, the Partisans had come to an agreement with the Italians, granting the Italians unhindered withdrawal in exchange for weapons, including tanks and artillery with their respective crews. Italians were advised by the Allies to do so. Thus freshly armed, the Partisans launched an all out attack on anti-Communist outposts and destroyed many of these positions. Many hundreds of anti-Communist fighters were killed during this period, in Turjak, in Grcarice, in Kocevje, and elsewhere. At this time, the anti-Communist movement was almost destroyed.
The whole nation and the anti-Communist fighters realized that life, both literally and politically, was now at stake. At this point, the remaining bands of fighters grouped together to form larger units, from now on called Slovenian Domobranci (Home Guards), so that they could fend off the freshly armed Communist mob. The support of the nation grew to such an extent in every respect that in a few months the number of new volunteers was in the thousands. Thus revitalized and reorganized, the Domobranci, through military action, regained settlement after settlement and even pursued the Partisan to their own hidden strongholds. This pursuit continued until the Russians advanced to the Balkans and Tito’s own units from North Africa disembarked on the Adriatic shore. This took place in April, 1945. The units consisted of those, who upon the collapse of Yugoslavia in 1941 fled to North Africa and those Communists living abroad who rallied to the cause of the Communists and joined in.
The Communists organized and trained these units, brainwashing those former Yugoslavian soldiers into believing they were fighting for heir homeland, all this under the patronage of the British who also armed these units. IN the face of such superior opposition, the Domobranci were forced to withdraw, some to Italy, the majority, about 12,000, to Austria, on the fields of Viktring near Klagenfurt. This will be described in the next pages.
In conclusion, a few more thoughts about collaborators, with which the Communists, even today, still label the Domobranci. Can an intelligent person label 95% of the nation and the Domobranci, the cream of the nation, as collaborators? Can you consider the actions of the majority as criminal and damaging to the welfare of the nation?
Of all of the sympathizers of the O.F. and Partisans, 75% supported the Communist movement solely out of fear for their lives. They knew the Communists to be killers. The Domobranci could not use the same tactics employed by the O.F. They also were not aware of everyone who supported the O.F. They could not take advantage of occupator’s reprisals, since these were directed primarily against their own supporters.
Such were the actions and effects of the anti-Communist fighters and the Domobranci in relation to the nation, the occupation, and the O.F. It should be stressed that the anti-Communist fighters fought for true freedom and democracy. They were first of all anti-occupators, however, they also recognized the menace in the Communist movement in which a new slavery was in the making.
II. The Betrayal of the Domobranci
It is difficult to write about a tragedy since one has to experience it. Even if one completely understands the suffering, will he be able to put these feelings into words? It is well known how difficult and sometimes impossible it is to give an exact portrayal on paper. I myself lived the sufferings of this tragedy as I was also a member of the Domobranci, they being the main players of the tragedy.
Like chess figures, alive yet without rights to express their opinion in their own defense, they were maneuvered across the chessboard by the Supreme Council of Allied Forces. And finally in June, 1945, the Comobranci were betrayed into the hands of Tito. Thus were carried out the agreements of the previously mentioned conferences.
Ten years after this date, the USA, a member of the Supreme Allied Council in Vienna, was involved in a war with the Communists in Korea. Today, they are engaged with the Communists in Viet Nam, where they have and still are fighting together with other Americans, sons and brothers of the betrayed Domobranci.
Thus even if the tragedy will be incompletely transcribed into words, it is reasonable to expect that America will now understand that twice bloody fate suffered by the Domobranci which Western powers helped to bring about.
Portrayed will be only one small act of this tragedy, in which the Domobranci ply a silent role on the plains of Viktring. The Puppet masters of this show sat on the Supreme Council in Vienna. To understand this play it is necessary to keep I mind that which has been written in the first part of this paper.
As was previously mentioned, the majority of the Domobranci, numbering about 12,000, retreated in May, 1945, before the combined forces of Tito and Russia to Karnten, Austria. In Ferlach on the Austrian side, the British army units confiscated the weapons and watches of the Domobranci. Along with them came great numbers of civilians. All of these, Domobranci and civilians together, were driven by the British to the fields of Viktring, which take their name from the castle and church of the same name located there. Since the arrival of the refugees was unexpected and particularly since they were considered unfriendly elements, there was no consideration taken for the provision of food and shelter. Some found shelter in old abandoned storage buildings, but the majority bivouacked in makeshift huts. They killed horses when they were unable to trade them for food with the local farmers. From these farmers was received the first definite knowledge that the refugees would be handed back to Tito by the Allies. These rumors intensified the attempts of the Domobranci and the Slovenian National Committee to communicate with the higher British command in Karnten in order to explain who they were, why the fought, and why they left their country. These attempts did not produce the desired results. The only answer they received was that the British had to carry out the directives of the Supreme Allied Command in Vienna. What these directives were was not disclosed, namely that the Domobranci would be returned to their country branded as collaborators.
In response to these rumors and because of the evasiveness of the High Command, British authorities gave their solemn word that the Slovenian Domobranci would be transported to Palma Nova, Italy, where they would be reorganized, retrained, and rearmed. And this, to their great misfortune, the refugees believed.
In all of the actions of the Supreme Allied Command in Vienna and the British commander in Karnten, is seen the influence of Russia’s and Tito’s representatives, who were present both in Vienna and in Karnten. The goal of Tito’s agents was to bring about the speedy extradiction of the Slovenian Domobranci to Toto, since the time element played and extremely important part in the scheme of things.
The Slovenian Domobranci hid from the occupators and the Partisans, many British and American survivors and downed aircraft. The Slovenian Domobranci also knew of occasions where the Partisans had killed downed pilots because they abhorred the Partisans terror tactics and would have reported these back to their own governments. All of the actions and lies of the O.F. could have come to light, and this then was the reason for the insistence by Tito and Russia for the immediate elimination of all the so called collaborators.
Forced Repatriation
On the command of British military authorities, the transportation of Slovenian Domobranci began in the first days of June, 1945, from the fields of Viktring to what they had been told was to be Palma Nova, Italy. Immediately after the first transport, the son of Serbian politician Ljotic appeared in the camp with the news that the transports are not going to Italy, but that the British are handing over the Domobranci to Tito’s Partisans at the border station of Rosenbach and Bleiburg. When the British authorities heard this, the order was given that Ljotic, and all persons who with such lies incite the people, will be immediately arrested. Further, a few escapees from the transports themselves returned and confirmed Ljotic’s assertions. A great unrest and suspicion of the word of British seized the camp. Nobody could believe the hard fact that the British were really turning over the Domobranci to Tito’s communists. Yet it was true!
Many of the Slovenian Domobranci still at Viktring could have saved themselves when it became known that the betrayal was a fact, but they freely followed the others, saying, “Where the others have gone, we shall go also. It is necessary to die for that which we have fought.”
At Rosenbach and Bleiburg they were herded into cattle cars, the cars being so over loaded that they were like sardines in a can. Some were taken to Celje, others to St. Vid near Ljubljana. By means of inhuman torture and beatings, these people were killed at Store near Celje, some were killed at Teharje, others were driven into old abandoned coal mines which were then blown up. The group at St. Vid were killed in the vicinity of the village Podutik and elsewhere. Nearly all 12,000 were massacred and thrown into mass graves!
Together with those that were captured at home and those that were returned, the total number killed was approximately 15,000 Slovenian Domobranci, anti-Communist fighters. They gave their lives for values and principles without which a decent society cannot exist.
The tragedy of the Slovenian Domobranci consists, in short, of the fact that during the war Tito’s Partisans were killing them with the help of the occupation forces. After the victory the Partisans received into their hands the Slovenian Domobranci, fighters against tyranny, with the cooperation of the Allies, fighters for freedom. In this way, Tito was able to establish his dictatorship.
The echo of this sad story? General Alexander, after the whole situation was explained to him, said, “It is unfortunate that I had not known of this before. I am sorry, nothing can be done now.” An observer at Tito’s headquarters later in London wrote expressing his sentiments: “Why do we blame the Slovenian anti-Communist fighters? We sent our wives and children to Canada for safe keeping from the German bombs. The Slovenian Domobranci had to defend themselves and their families in the best way they knew how.”
Former President Harry Truman decorated posthumously General Mihajlovic who fought for the same goals that the Domobranci had. We thank him for this recognition.
The British had helped the Partisans capture General Mihajlovic in return for the concession of a rich gold mine in Serbia.
And the echo among the relatives of the Domobranci? The families of the dead fighters harbor only the silent hope that the Western Allies recognize their mistake in connection with the slaughter of the anti-Communist fighters.
III. Peaceful Co-Existence
With respect to previously mentioned atrocities, on the basis of which and with the cooperation of the Allies, the Communists seized power in Slovenia, Yugoslavia, and in a similar way in other countries. Is so called peaceful co-existence possible between Slovenians and Communism and between the Communist bloc and the free world?
As far as the Slovenian anti-Communists at home and abroad who lived through these atrocities and were fortunate enough to escape the Communist slaughter are concerned, there is not now, nor ever can be, peaceful co-existence. Even if they could entirely forget and forgive the past, on this Christian virtue of forgiving enemies the Communists are relying heavily, there remains their righteous and unshakeable duty as Slovenian patriots and Christians and loyal subjects of the countries where they now reside to continue the fight against Communism.
The Communists themselves must continually indoctrinate the masses, especially the youth, with their ideology in order to maintain their power.
The Communists must continually slander and with lies must discredit anti-Communist fighters as public enemies and render them harmless everywhere. The Slovenian anti-Communists are forced to defend and parry these attacks, not only for themselves and their relatives, but also because it is necessary to convey the true image of Communism to the rest of the world. Many of their descendants now living did not and do not know why their fathers and brothers died fighting against Communism since they were either too young to understand or had not yet been born. It is necessary to defend these against the poison of Communist ideology. Therefore the fight will continue as long as there exists Communism and Slovenian anti-Communists.
The free world which did not have a direct personal experience with Communism like to interpret every move in the Communist world which does not fit exactly into the know frame of Communist ideology and has an agreeable “taste” to the non-Communist world as a sure sign of the softening of the Communistic system and an indication of the possibility of peaceful co-existence. There are many such indications, but the free world forgets that it is necessary to examine every gesture of the Communist bloc as and attempt to further Communist goals.
In recent times the so called “evolution” is considered to be the definite sign and proper foundation for peaceful co-existence.
The Communists themselves advocate such a favorable reception of their gestures on the part of the free world. The Communists also have in their program peaceful co-existence, but out of entirely different motives.
The Communists themselves have the most to gain from peaceful co-existence. In this way they insure themselves from sudden attack by the free world, develop new tactics for the spreading of Communism, and in exchange for peaceful co-existence they concede nothing to the free world. The Communists at any rate, are aware of the possibility of achieving world domination by means other than a total holocaust. If during peaceful co-existence the Communist world succeeds in lulling the free world into complacency and thereby neglecting its defenses, then the Communists will strike suddenly with all its might. Therefore peaceful co-existence is not desired for peace itself, but as a means of safely spreading Communism through a change of tactics. For his reason also they denounce imperialistic aggression and in so doing seduce the free world into concessions which in an attempt to prove our sincerity for peaceful co-existence have endangered the position of the free world.
For peaceful co-existence or friction, two sides, at least, are always necessary. When the goals and principles advocated by two parties are in opposition as is the case between the Communist and free world, this must always lead to tension and in the extreme limit, to war. If peaceful co-existence is desired, one side must give up its ambitions and subordinate itself to the opposition. ON the other hand, peaceful co-existence can be achieved through compromise, in which each side abstains from all actions detrimental to the partner’s interest. Such an arrangement, the free world believes, can be achieved with the Communist bloc. Is that possible? To find and answer it is necessary to say a few words about the Communist movement.
Communist Flexibility
The Communist movement is a movement in the true sense of the word, that is, as long as it is active it lives. It is analogous to water which becomes stagnant if not in motion. Communism survives and grows internally and externally through progress, every standstill is debilitating. For this reason Communism must always remain active. It achieves power through force and promises to solve all social, economic, and political problems. The final and complete realization of this new order, paradise on earth, will occur when the entire world is under Communist domination. To the extent that these blessings have not yet been achieved is the fault of the capitalistic world, say the Communists. This is partial true since the Communists must allocate such a large portion of their wealth to the maintenance of enormous armaments, both for preservation of the regime and for fear of attack from the outside. All dictatorships are unpopular, especially the Communistic one since it eliminates values which man instinctively craves for, such as freedom of family, freedom of private property, freedom of speech, etc. A democracy guarantees all these freedoms in writing. If Communism achieves world domination, then it would be able to allocate more funds, efforts, and material towards achieving “Paradise” on earth, since it would require only a police force to maintain order. For a small amount of material benefit, man would have abandoned his human dignity. Communism must therefore expend much effort to placate the masses and direct their dissatisfaction against the capitalistic world, since the masses cannot wait indefinitely for the “promised land.”
Also because of the non-Communist world, the Communists cannot relax their vigil, since it claims that the capitalistic society was and is the cause of poverty, injustice, rioting, revolution, and war. The Communists further claim that it is their duty to rout out the evils of capitalistic system.
Furthermore, time does not allow any delay to the Communists. In the “capitalistic world” different unions of the working people gain greater strength and influence and in this way successfully fight for the rights of the little man. In this way, just social welfare is established.
In underdeveloped countries outside the Communist domain, the work of the government, churches , humanitarian organizations, and influential private citizens becomes more effective and successful towards eliminating social injustices which offers now the opportunity, proper foundation, and good climate for Communist encroachment. If Communism loses this opportunity, it will find it most difficult to make advances in these territories. Consolidation of the free world is a great danger to the Communist nation.
As was previously mentioned, it follows that Communism cannot abstain from pursuing its goals. In such an event all the previous indoctrination must be counteracted which would have negative repercussions for the Communists. Even in the instance that Russia did enter into a formal agreement for peaceful co-existence with the USA and renounced all actions detrimental to the free world, it would still attempt to advance its goals through the other Communist countries and the world wide Communist parties. The Korean and Viet Nam affairs are primarily the work of the Chinese Communists and were and are being carried out by the North Korean and North Vietnamese Communists. The Cuban Crisis was the brainchild of Russia. Even in the USA there are different movements attempting to disrupt the existing institutions under the instigation of the Communists.
Peaceful co-existence is based upon trust. How can the free world trust the Communists when they recognize only one moral, that being, everything is right which furthers the Communists interests. The Communists respect the fundamental international law, Pacta sunt servanda, on which all international agreements are based, only when this serves their purpose. If the Communists were sincere about peaceful co-existence, they would have to discontinue their subversive activities through their puppet parties.
If he free world wishes to protect its principles and position, there can never exist a permanent peaceful co-existence between the free world and Communism.
This we have been taught by our bloody experience. It is our sincerest wish that America, which has given us a new home, need never live through this.
IV. Evolution
The evolution, the thaw or humanization of orthodox Communism, to the thinking of the free world, was a sure sign of the possibility of peaceful co-existence. But there is a big question whether these sings of thawing or humanization could really be considered as evolution.
What are the causes for the onset of this so called “evolution?” In Russia the younger intelligentsia considered the old, strict administrative police laws as unviable because the non-Communist masses are passive and apathetic, while the intellectuals themselves are and remain loyal Communists.
In the satellite countries there is yet another reason for striving to establish the so called “evolution”, namely, political and economic patronage of the Soviet Union. This dependence chokes satellite nations. In none of the above mentioned cases are the strivings for the “evolution” directed against the Communist ideology itself or its aims! Therefore, it is difficult to talk of evolution. All of these efforts have as their goal the improvement of life, or specifically, of the working conditions. In other words, the amelioration of police pressure. If the effort to establish the evolution was directed against the ideology itself, all of the attempts would have been stifled in their infancy as happened in Russia, Czechoslovakia, and elsewhere. Stalin would have buried Tito if a disagreement between Moscow and Belgrade had resulted over different interpretation of Communist ideology. The reasons for the disagreement were the political and economic exploitation on the part of Moscow. Peaceful co-existence and evolution do not result in any change in Communist ideology or its goals.
The effects of the “evolution” are interesting within the Communist system as well as in the non-Communist world.
In Czechoslovakia the Communist regime was the first to officially adopt the called for liberalization of he system, and in this way Communism actually did take on a more human face. The purpose of this was to make the Communist system more appealing, clever propaganda, and this increase the productivity and efficiency of the working masses. In short, Dubcek wanted to achieve the consolidation of the Communist regime. How accurately Dubcek calculated is shown by the fact that during the liberalization 5,000 people in the span of two months applied for Communist party membership, while Dubcek repeatedly assured the nation that, “I am and shall remain a devoted Communist.” It is understandable then that all, and especially those who volunteered for party membership, would sincerely and diligently work for the Communist ends.
It would be erroneous to conclude that because of the more liberal atmosphere the non-Communist elements would be strengthened in number and influence. As the example of Czechoslovakia shows, in a milder climate the Communist party gains strength both qualitatively and quantitatively and brings about improved relations between Communist and non-Communist elements and consequent reduction in tension, which also serves the aims of the Communist regime.
In this way Communism is revitalized and still more easily governs especially considering that it still possesses its policing powers upon which it had up to now primarily depended.
For the moment Russia is rejecting internal liberalization and also hinders such a movement in its satellites since it does not want to give up its political supervision and economic advantages. It is certain that Russia is diligently studying a possible movement toward liberalization and when the younger generation ascends to governing positions, it is almost inevitable that a greater thaw of the system in Russia itself will occur.
The free world will have to carefully study its relations to such an “evolutionary” Communist system. Today the free world sees in peaceful co-existence and the “evolution” a lessening of the Communist threat and aggression. It should not be forgotten that the Communist regime can overnight eliminate all experiments in peaceful co-existence and “evolution” when these ends no longer serve the Communist purpose. This is really a change in tactics corresponding to the time and circumstances prevailing.
In reality, this new “evolutionary” Communism is at least as dangerous to the free world as the old, orthodox variety. For the underdeveloped countries in the Far East, Africa and Latin America, this form of Communism with a “human face” is much more appealing and acceptable than the old form. Thus it will more easily implant itself, particularly since the uneducated masses are not aware that this foreign Communism will seize power in the same bloody manner as it did in those countries which may now be experiencing a liberalizing movement.
Such new Communism is internally consolidated and will have more influence and effective propaganda. Neither the old, orthodox or the new “evolutionary” form, despite all talk of peaceful co-existence and “evolution” has given the slightest indication that it has renounced the primary goal of its ideology, that of world domination. As long as the goals remain unchanged, the free world must not expect a relaxation and has no grounds for not maintaining its vigilance. If the free world is lulled into complacency it will be buried as Khrushchev promised.
That this should not happen is one of the purposes of this paper which wishes to alert the people of this great country that they should protect their freedom and “establishment,” even if it be as bad as some contend, and not to exchange this system for the yoke of slavery.
