The former »Franja« partisan hospital is located in a gorge near Cerkno in western Slovenia. Between 1943 and 1945, wounded partisans were treated in this concealed hospital.
Cerkno lies in the historic Primorska region in present-day Slovenia. After World War I, the region became part of Italy. Following Italy's surrender in September 1943, partisans began reconquering the formerly Slovene area. In October 1943, the German Wehrmacht took the Slovene territories previously occupied by Italy and tried to defeat partisan resistance.
In autumn 1943, partisans built a hospital hidden in a gorge of the Pasica stream at Dolenji Novaki near Cerkno. On December 23, 1943, the first wounded were treated in two barracks. The hospital was founded by Dr. Viktor Volčjak; it was later run by Dr. Franja Bojc Bidovec, after whom the hospital was named. The hospital was in a remote location in the gorge and it was secured by three defence lines. German units attacked the complex twice, yet they never made it through to the actual hospital and didn't cause any severe damage. On May 5, 1945, the last 98 patients of the hospital were moved to the Gorica (Italian: Gorizia) hospital.
In autumn 1943, partisans built a hospital hidden in a gorge of the Pasica stream at Dolenji Novaki near Cerkno. On December 23, 1943, the first wounded were treated in two barracks. The hospital was founded by Dr. Viktor Volčjak; it was later run by Dr. Franja Bojc Bidovec, after whom the hospital was named. The hospital was in a remote location in the gorge and it was secured by three defence lines. German units attacked the complex twice, yet they never made it through to the actual hospital and didn't cause any severe damage. On May 5, 1945, the last 98 patients of the hospital were moved to the Gorica (Italian: Gorizia) hospital.
Between 1943 and 1945, a total of 578 men and women who fought for the partisans received medical treatment at the »Franja« partisan hospital. 78 patients died and were buried on-site.
The partisan hospital remained intact after the war. Since 1963, the buildings have been administered as a branch of the Idrija municipal museum. In 2007, a large part of the complex was destroyed following torrential rainfalls and flooding. The partisan hospital was rebuilt in 2009; most of the buildings could be reconstructed.
- Name
- Partizanska bolnica Franja
- Address
-
Dolenji Novaki
5280 Dolenji Novaki - Phone
- +386 (0) 537 231 80
- Fax
- +386 (0) 537 231 81
- Web
- http://www.muzej-idrija-cerkno.si/
- info@muzej-idrija-cerkno.si
- Open
- April to September:
9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
October:
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Between March and November:
only by appointment and weather permitting