Dražgoše - Memorial to the Victims of the Jelenščah Shootings

DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT: The monument, unveiled on 29 November 1978, has the shape of a standing granite block made of grey Jablaniški granite, measuring 150x50x25cm, with the names of twenty-two Dražgošan residents, who were killed on this site on 11 January 1942.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT: On 11 January 1942, the third day of the battles in Dražgoše, the Germans began shelling houses in the settlements of Na Pečeh and Pri Cerkvi with artillery. They pressed on the entire front, not sparing the victims, who were also numerous that day. With the onset of darkness, the Cankarjev battalion withdrew in an organized manner along a snow-covered forest path to Jelovica on the Kališnik plateau. Only a few of the Dražgošan residents went with them, since many did not expect the harsh German retaliation.

On Jelenščah, the Germans raged all afternoon. In the cellar near Grogovcu, several villagers were hiding, when a German soldier threw a bomb, killing two and wounding more, while two were shot at the house. Sixteen villagers from the settlements of Jelenšče and Na Pečeh lined up by the fence facing the Šturmovi house and fired at them. Two villagers were shot by the Germans while fleeing.

Data on the victims:

AMBROŽIČ PRIMOŽ, born 9.6.1876, Zali Log, forest worker

BENEDIČIČ VINKO, born 3.5.1927, Podblica, shepherd

BERCE TOMAŽ, born 22.12.1875, Dražgoše, forest worker

BEŠTER ANTON, born 22.7.1930, Dražgoše, student

FRAKELJ PETER, born 18.2.1885, Dražgoše, worker

FRAKELJ ZDRAVKO, born 1924, Dražgoše, forest worker

HABJAN JANKO, born 19.5.1909, Lajše, forest worker

JELENC FRANC, born 22.11.1922, Dražgoše, forest worker

JELENC LEOPOLD, born 7.12.1924, Dražgoše, keymaker apprentice

JELENC MAKS, born 16.11.1920, Dražgoše, forest worker

JELENC MATIJA, born 16.2.1889, Dražgoše, forest worker

LOTRIČ ANTON, born 12.6.1929, Dražgoše, student

LOTRIČ CIRIL, born 28.6.1923, Dražgoše, keymaker apprentice

LOTRIČ FRANC, born 2.10.1881, Dražgoše, forest worker

LOTRIČ FRANC, born 10.9.1923, Dražgoše, factory worker

LOTRIČ FRANC, born 8.9.1925, Dražgoše, forest worker, killed while fleeing

LOTRIČ JAKOB, born 22.7.1875, Dražgoše, forest worker

LOTRIČ TOMAŽ, born 21.12.1889, Dražgoše, forest worker

MARENK STANKO, born 6.5.1921, Dražgoše, forest worker

PETROVIČ ALOJZ, born 22.6.1906, Gradec, bakery assistant, killed while fleeing

ŠOLAR JAKOB, born 22.7.1882, Kališe, road worker

ŠOLAR REZIKA, born 9.8.1938, Dražgoše

SOURCES: Stane Krapež, ur., Pomniki NOB na Škofjeloškem, Ljubljana: Borec, 1986, pp. 99–103.

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EŠD 21191