Franc Rozman,nom de guerreStane(Slovene convention:Franc Rozman – Stane) orStane Mlinar[1](27 March 1911 – 7 November 1944),[1]was aSlovene Partisan commanderinWorld War II.
Franc Rozman | |
|---|---|
 Rozman in 1943 | |
| Other name(s) | Stane Mlinar |
| Born | 27 March 1911 Spodnje Pirniče,Carniola,Austria-Hungary |
| Died | 7 November 1944(aged 33) Lokve, Črnomelj,Adriatic Littoral,Nazi Germany (nowSlovenia) |
| Allegiance | Royal Yugoslav Army International Brigades Liberation Front of the Slovenian People. |
| Years of service | 1932–1939; 1941–1944 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands | Slovene Partisans |
| Awards | People's Hero of Yugoslavia |
Early life
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Franc Rozman was born in theCarniolanvillage ofSpodnje Pirniče[2]nearLjubljana,in what was then theAustro-Hungarian Monarchy(now in Slovenia) in aSloveneworking-class family. His father Franc Rozman was a railway track-worker, while his mother Marjana (née Stare) was a housewife. He was the third of four children, with two elder sisters, Marjeta and Terezija, and a younger brother, Martin.
At the age of three, Rozman's father died on theEastern Front,where he fought as a soldier in theAustro-Hungarian Army.Rozman had a poor and hard childhood. His sisters Marjeta and Terezija were sent to an orphanage, while Franc and his brother Martin remained in Pirniče. At the age of 15, he worked in a tavern and then trained as an apprentice baker.[1][3]
As a young boy he had great enthusiasm for a military career, but his application to the military school was rejected. In spring 1932, he did his military service in theRoyal Yugoslavarmy.[citation needed]
Military experience prior to World War II
editIn 1935, after theItalian invasion of Ethiopia,Rozman tried unsuccessfully to join the Ethiopian forces fighting the Italian invaders. Soon after the outbreak of theSpanish Civil War,he decided to travel to Spain. Rozman was among the first Yugoslav volunteers in Spain, where he, on 1 October 1936 joined theInternational Brigades.In November 1936 he became a member of the Spanish Communist Party.[1][3]
InJaramahe completed non commissioned officers' school, became a lieutenant and a commander of a company, then captain and commander of a battalion. His comrades in arms remembered him as an energetic and earnest person. After the Spanish Civil War, he was imprisoned in France.[why?][1]He became a member of the Yugoslav Communist Party in 1939.[3]In April 1941 he was imprisoned and sentenced to forced labor in Germany. In July the same year he fled Germany and returned to Yugoslavia.[1]
World War II
editFor a while, Rozman lived with an activist of theLiberation Front of the Slovenian People.In early December 1941, he visited his younger brother, Martin, after which he joined theSlovene partisan resistance.Soon he became a military instructor with the High Command of the Slovene partisan forces. He was given the task of setting up the Styrian Battalion (Štajerski bataljon), which would consist of the partisan troops, the Revirje and the Savinja companies (Revirske in Savinjske čete), which were active inStyriain the autumn of 1941. He participated in the attack onŠoštanjand later in theBattle of Čreta.The Germans repeatedly tried to liquidate Rozman, setting many ambushes.[citation needed]
In the April 1942 Rozman became the commander of a Slovene partisan brigade,[1]established on 5 April 1942 at Kremenik inLower Carniola,and numbering more than 300 fighters. Measured by composition, organization, training, and fighting power, this was the most powerful Slovene partisan unit at that time. On 13 July 1943, he became a commander of the High Command of the Slovene partisan army[1]with the rank oflieutenant general(generallajtnant), which he held up to his death.[citation needed]
Rozman died on 7 November 1944, aged 33, inWhite Carniolaas a consequence of a serious wound received while testing newly arrivedPIATweapons sent to the partisans by their BritishAllies.There were some rumors that he was killed by sabotage by theChetnikmilitary authorities or at the behest of Partisan commanderArso Jovanović,[4]but they have never been proven. He was proclaimed aPeople's Hero of Yugoslaviafour days later, on 11 November 1944.[1]
Legacy
edit"Commander Stane", as he was nicknamed by the partisan fighters, was one of the most prominent figures of the Yugoslav front of the Second World War. His legacy is controversial and questions have been raised about his involvement in wartime liquidations of civilians.[4][5]
His legacy includes the following:
- There is a plaque on the house in Spodnje Pirniče where he was born,[2]which has also been turned into a small museum.[6]A bust of Rozman also stands in front of the house.[7]
- There is a monument in downtown Ljubljana, at the corner of Slovene Street (Slovenska cesta) and Šubic Street (Šubičeva ulica), dedicated to Rozman.[8]
- The well-known partisan song "Komandant Stane" ('Commander Stane') is dedicated to him.[9]
- Many Slovene schools bear his name; for example, the Franc "Stane" Rozman primary schools in Ljubljana[10]and Maribor.[11]
- On 21 March 2011, Slovenia issued atwo-euro commemorative cointo mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Franc Rozman.[12][13]
- The formerFranc "Stane" Rozman Barracks(Vojašnica Franca Rozmana–Staneta) at Ljubljana-Polje were named for Rozman until July 2012, when they were renamed in honor ofEdvard Peperko(1966–1991), one of the first to fall in the SlovenianTen-Day War.The renaming was opposed by the Partisan veteran organization, opposition parties, and one of the coalition parties.[14]
References
edit- ^abcdefghiKlanjšček, Zdravko. 1996. "Rozman, Franc – Stane."Enciklopedija Slovenije,vol. 10. Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga, pp. 297–98.
- ^abSavnik, Roman, ed. 1971.Krajevni leksikon Slovenije,vol. 2. Ljubljana: Državna založba Slovenije, p. 384.
- ^abcMala splošna enciklopedija,vol. 3. 1976. Ljubljana: Državna založba Slovenija, p. 257.
- ^ab"Čaščenje vojnega zločinca"Archived2013-02-13 atarchive.today,Demokracija.eu, 22 March 2011.(in Slovene)
- ^Kolednik, Aleksander. 2012. "Franc Rozman Stane – vodja II. grupe, ki je mesečno likvidirala do 60 ljudi"Archived2013-04-18 atarchive.today,Times.si, 8 July 2012.(in Slovene)
- ^Slovenian Ministry of Culture register of national heritagereference number ešd 5686
- ^Slovenian Ministry of Culture register of national heritagereference number ešd 5687
- ^Slovenian Ministry of Culture register of national heritagereference number ešd 5659
- ^Rozman, France, & Peter Stante-Skala. 1977.Komandant Stane: zbornik.Ljubljana: Borec, p. 421.
- ^Ljubljana Franc "Stane" Rozman Primary School website(in Slovene)
- ^Maribor Franc "Stane" Rozman Primary School websiteArchived2012-07-07 at theWayback Machine,o-frs.mb.edus.si; accessed 12 March 2016.(in Slovene)
- ^100th anniversary of the birth of the national hero Franc Rozman–Stane
- ^"OJ 2011/C 57/05"(PDF).Official Journal of the European Union.23 February 2011.
- ^"DL: Franc Rozman - Stane" očitno ni padel za samostojno Slovenijo ""[DL: evidently Franc Rozman did not fall for an independent Slovenia].MMCRTV Slovenija(in Slovenian). 4 July 2012.
External links
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- Rozman in a drawing by Slovene artist Božidar Jakac,zzb-nob.si; accessed 12 March 2016.(in Slovene)