Boris Kidrič, Maribor

The placement of the memorial to the politician Boris Kidrič in Maribor was planned beginning in 1959. The sculptors, who were invited by the city council and the Union of Fighters to participate in the competition, were given free rein in designing the memorial. None of the preliminary sketches fully satisfied the commission, so they brought in the academic sculptor Stojan Batič to collaborate. Batič designed the monolithic granite block, weighing 54 tons, from which the face of Kidrič (the work of the stonemason Ivan Štreklj, who worked on the face of the city) looks out. The face is mounted high in the air with the help of a wreath of iron rods, above the bronze relief of the crowd. According to the idea, the monolith was meant to symbolize the weight of Kidrič's struggle, his strong character, and the protection he offered the people. However, many observers interpreted it as a threat hanging over the people. The inscription with Kidrič's name was added later, as his image was often replaced by Tito's. The granite block had to be carved, as it was feared that the weight would cause it to collapse. The memorial was unveiled in 1963. The architect Jaroslav Černigoj also collaborated on its placement.

Rakovec, Andreja.
"Mariborski spomeniki znanim osebnostim: o vlogi naročnikov in umetnikov v drugi polovici 20. in na začetku 21. stoletja." Acta historiae acta Slovenica, vol. 20, no. 1 (2015), pp. 205–207.

Rakovec, Andreja. Spomeniki znanih osebnosti v Mariboru (zloženka).
Maribor: Umetnostna galerija, s. d.