Hill near Fari

Early in the spring of 1942, the wave of mass uprising swept through all of Kočevsko. At the end of March 1942, the deputy commander of the main staff, Aleš Bebler, with a group of 19 fighters from Šercer's battalion, arrived in the area around Kočevje.

They set up camp near Ledeni jama on Stojni. On April 16, 1942, the unit formed the Southern Dolenjski Battalion, which in the Notranjski Detachment was named the 2nd Battalion of the Notranjski Detachment, or briefly the Kočevski Battalion.

Partisan units had established their base on Stružnica in early April 1942 and continuously attacked the enemy. As a result, the Italian army took retaliatory measures against the civilian population. On April 17, 1942, the Italian army entered Kuželič, where they arrested all the men. However, a partisan patrol attacked them. Only one captured boy managed to escape. The next day, the Italian army burned down the village of Kuželič. From the ruins, they built a bunker with which they controlled the entire surrounding area.

On April 24, 1942, the occupier surrounded Stružnica and the surrounding areas and set fire to the houses.

The conceptual design of the monument is the work of engineer Miha Papič from Kočevje, the project was developed by engineer architect Janez Vovko from Ljubljana. The construction work was carried out by a stonemason from Gradec in Bela Krajina. The monument to 49 fallen partisans and other victims of the National Liberation War was unveiled on September 5, 1965.

The restoration took place in 2003. It was financed by the Municipality of Kostel, the Municipality of Kočevje, the Local Community of Kostel and the Local Community of Kočevje.

Source: mag. Irena Škufca, Memorial Monuments of the National Liberation War on Kočevsko, 2005

Guide to Partisan Paths, Ljubljana: Založba Borec, 1978, p. 125.

The stone obelisk is composed of four upright blocks and has two stone slabs with inscriptions placed on its sides. A longer staircase leads to it, surrounded by trimmed shrubs.

EŠD 29316