Belokranjski Fighter, Metlika

Bronze sculpture of a Belokranjski partizan, in the wall there is a memorial plaque with the names of the fallen. The authors of the park arranged in 1954 are architect Gizela Šuklje and sculptor Julij Papič.

EŠD 10325

Vodnik, 7

On 26 November 1954, on the first anniversary of the municipality of Metlika, a bronze memorial Belokranjski partizan was unveiled in the newly arranged park in front of the castle, created by the Metlika native sculptor Julij Papič. At the same time, 11 plaques were unveiled on the nearby building of the former Sokol physical education hall – now the cinema hall – on which 236 names of fallen fighters and 132 names of victims of fascist violence from the Metlika municipality (before the annexation of the municipality of Gradac) are engraved. Among them are the names of three fallen national heroes: Ilija Badovinac, Janko Brodaril and Martin Južna. The design of the plaques and the arrangement of the surroundings was planned by architect Gizela Šuklje. The statues of the three national heroes were placed on Freedom Square on 3 July 1983.

Source: ZB NOB Metlika archive (64)

Guide to Partisan Paths, Ljubljana: Založba Borec, 1978, p. 140.