Grumo Apullia, Italy, grave in the cemetery

On the black-and-white photograph, a cross on top of the memorial and the lower two arms of a star, which was placed above the inscription, are visible.

At the Grumo Appula cemetery memorial, a certain element stands out due to the simultaneous presence of a cross and a five-pointed star, unlike other partisans' memorials in Yugoslavia, which usually do not include religious symbols. It seems, therefore, that this is a syncretism, rare in the context of collective burials, since alongside Christian partisans (of various faiths) there were also Muslims and those who did not belong to any faith; in reality, the connection between Yugoslav partisans and religious presence (specifically Catholic) does not mean an absolute uniqueness. Also in Salento, in Leuca, the presence of Slavic soldiers is associated with the presence of "their" priests (although Slavic and related to others). In addition, the star was not a specifically political-Marxist symbol, but a symbol of the new Yugoslavia, and in this regard, it was not in clear opposition to the cross. This cross can hypothetically be considered as a reflection of the prevailing composition among the partisans, namely the Christian ones, who were stationed at the Grumese hospital.

The date on the inscription - November 29th - is a festive day of the Republic, a state holiday in socialist Yugoslavia, established on November 29, 1943, at a conference in Jajce: a detail that gives the engraved text an additional festive meaning.

The remains of Yugoslav soldiers, buried in Grumo Appula, were later moved to the cemetery in Barletta.

Motto: unfinished123

Source: cnj.it/partigianijugoslavi.it