Cemetery of Jelendol Hospital, Kočevski Rog

Pod Daleč hill, not far from Podstenice, near the partisan hospital Jelendol, is a neatly arranged cemetery of fallen partisans.

Hospital Jelendol began operating in May 1943. The hospital was part of the administration of the Slovenian Central War Hospital (SCVPB).

On the forest path, 50 meters before the cemetery, there is a rectangular stone. On the memorial are verses written by the poet Lili Novy.

In an irregular hexagon, formed from natural stones, there are 34 graves. The graves are surrounded by natural stone.

In reality, 53 fallen wounded and sick were buried here, as the graves here also received those who died from the nearby partisan hospital Jelenbreg.

Academic dr. Janez Milčinski, who himself treated many wounded during the war, recounted:

«I remember that we buried a second or third wounded person who died at Jelendol here. At first, I did not like the form of the burials. A simple grave, into which they placed the dead. Then we together with dr. Pavle Lunaček reached an agreement. First, from now on, we placed a glass jar with all personal details of the deceased into the grave, and second, that the burial of a soldier should have some dignified form. That is how it was decided and remained. Two, who carry the corpse — rarely could we afford more — performed the burial in a military manner. The commissar was the one who accompanied what we achieved. I also walked with them and was present at the burial. These were my patients.»

Author of the cemetery and memorial is architect Miloš Lapajne. It was designed by the Main Committee of the Association of Fighters and the Municipal Committee of the Association of Fighters in Novo Mesto in 1956. The cemetery is maintained by the Society for the Maintenance of Partisan Cemeteries in Rog.

Monuments of our revolution, Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga, 1961, p. 170.