Slovenian Collaboration during World War II

Slovenian collaboration in Slovenia during the Second World War. What was this about? Slovenia was part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (known as Drava Banovina). After the German invasion of Yugoslavia (1941) Slovenia was partitioned by the Axis: the Hungarians, the Italians and the Germans. In the Italian zone the Slovenes set up the Liberation Front of the Slovene Nation (OF) and its armed branch were the Slovene Partisans. There was also collaboration: the Italians set up the Anti-Communist Volunteer Militia (MVAC / White Guard) to combat the partisans. Later the Germans set up the Slovene Home Guard.
History Hustle presents: Slovenian Collaboration during World War II.
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SOURCES
- Axis Forces in Yugoslavia 1941 - 45 [Men-at-Arms 282] (N. Thomas & K. Mikulan).
- Hitler's New Disorder. The Second World War in Yugoslavia (Stevan K. Pavlowitch).
- War and Revolution in Yugoslavia, 1941-1945. Occupation and Collaboration (Jozo Tomasevich).
IMAGES
Images from commons.wikimedia.org.
MUSIC
"The Descent" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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SOUNDS
Freesound.org.
Wanna ask some something? Send me an email at: [e-mail]

[@HistoryHustle]

SLOVENIA DURING WORLD WAR II: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWalaJmFZc-GqMU CROATIA DURING WORLD WAR II: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqHSpmZpnZJ-qLc

[@Fr34k78]

I'm from slovenia and this is still sensitive topic. Keep the good work teaching history world wide👍

[@altergreenhorn]

Not really a sensitive if you know how to read real facts and you have also a functional brain, you are aware that collaboration havely backing with the higher ranking catholic team back then was very clear on their goals and goals wasn't prosperity for slovenian nation alhought they in the last 20 years working very hard to justify collaboration with the worst enemy history known since along time

[@europaeuropa3673]

They collaborated because they hated the commies. Actually the hatred of communism is what drove the entire war.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for watching!

[@tonskimojster]

​​@@altergreenhornt's not so simple. You are judging from a position of knowledge they did not have at the moment. In the US this is called "Monday morning quarterbacking" In other words: Monday morning, after you've seen the game, it is very easy for you to criticize what was done during the football game. We're all good quarterbacks after analyzing the game and sleeping over it. There were a lot of good people, who wanted good for Slovenia on both sides, I'm sure. A lot of them did not think that the forces backed up by the Soviets were a good option for the country and did the best they knew, with the information they had. Unfortunately, under a situation of war and revenge, any difference between approaches to the good of the country becomes an "us vs. them" situation. In other words: It's not as simple as it seems. Peace to you.

[@tonnywildweasel8138]

What a chaos, lots of conflicting intrests and groups. Glad you shed some light in this ! Greets from the Netherlands 🌷, T.

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks as always, T.!

[@markobavdek9450]

There's very heated public debate about this topic here in Slovenia. People often become rude and unpolite because there's so much ideological dividing... I wanna say, this is very slippery ground.... I've seen it by first hand...

[@altergreenhorn]

Heated debate indeed fueling by the peoples who want to somehow justified collaboration with the worst kind of regime namely with the Nazis a big role in that fueling have also Catholic church because they were on the nazi side at least the leaders of the Catholic church in Slovenia was, many low ranking priests was on the anti nazi side .

[@HistoryHustle]

Hi Marko, thanks for your reply.

[@markobavdek9450]

@@altergreenhorn It is not so simple. Soviet Union and Nazi Germany also collaborated with each other. Common communist policy, dictated from Moscow, until june 1941 was not to resist the Germans. They only formed resistance after. They stepped into action just when their political goal, the conquest for power, was possible. There were attempts to form democratic resistance, but was suppressed, here that's very little talked about.

[@altergreenhorn]

@@markobavdek9450 WTF are you talking about? First resistance in Slovenia by the young communist was in Maribor 28.04.1941 (they burned down 2 german police cars), only two days after Hitler visited Maribor. Tell me when Hitler attacked soviet union? You really need to work on your knowledge if there is a room for it in your head of course. About Stalin yes he signed a deal with the Hitler after the west powers dumped him completly and gave Hitler a green light to tear apart the Czech and deleted Austria as independent state, did you ever heard about the Munich agreement? Every sane person on the world would signed a deal with Hitler in those circumstances.

[@markobavdek9450]

@@altergreenhorn I have plenty of space in my head... I didn't talk about first incident that you mentioned. And it wasn't a start of more widespread resistance. My knowledge of history is satisfactory. I say really realisticly, maybe you don't know something that I do and I don't something you do. And, yeah, every day, we learn something new, isn't it?

[@kampfgruppepeiper501]

I don’t think I could ever get tired learning from your very well done and concise uploads you present, thank you very much for the research and interesting content. Wishing you well over the holidays my friend!

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks. Merry Christmas 🎄

[@Neo-wy3fl]

You should make a video dedicated to Slovene partisans, Greetings from Slovenia.

[@HistoryHustle]

Will do one day. For now I have this video about Slovenia during WW2: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWalaJmFZc-GqMU

[@titnesovic4522]

A very nice summoning up of our ww2 history from the domobranci side. I'd say you hit the most important points but of course, you could extend this topic into a really long video, if you had the time: the divisions that escalated into our civil war were already there at end of the 19. century, the rise of communism in the first Yugoslavia, the facts that the first home guards formed because the partisans were constantly robbing villages, the horrible fate of the war refugees that were forced back from Austria ... Lots and lots of stories. Even after almost 80 years lots of bones are still buried and the people are still careful about these topics. The emotional memories are clearly still there. Good video!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply.

[@Neo-wy3fl]

Home guard were actually nothing more than reserve SS units, they actually arrested all of Ljubljana Jews in 1944, they tortured and killed pro partisan citizens and peasants in basements of churches and their outpost, they helped germans with burning the pro partisan villages and they even helped germans run infamous concentration camp in Trieste build mostly for Slovenes in which around 5000 people were killed. They were nothing more then german tool for repressions of Slovene people.

[@HistoryHustle]

Think that's not far from the truth. Atrocities were carried out by these men.

[@Neo-wy3fl]

@@HistoryHustle Yes I agree but I also don’t deny crimes committed by partisans because every army committed war crimes no matter the ideology, I know about crimes committed by Home guard because of family stories Edit: great videos, ww2 in Yugoslavia is often underrated subject so glad to see someone do it

[@Neo-wy3fl]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars Yes I see, thing that i wrote sounded a bit weird so let me get this clear. Germans and their puppets were biggest war criminals who declared ‘’sacred war’’ against so called ‘’inferior races’’ and i am very proud of my grandfathers and grandmothers who were all part of Yugoslav partisan movement and fought against occupiers. I just wrote ‘’all armies committed war crimes’’ because I thought that the comment section would be overruned by misled Slovenes who are like in Ukraine more and more misled and sympathize with collaborators with nazis in WW2 but also admit that my side (partisans) did crimes against Croatian and Slovene home guard who were at lots cases forcefully mobilized in axis formations and after the war they were shot without trial (in some cases even their families), this is in my opinion biggest mistake of Yugoslav partisan movement thats all. Eternal glory to partisans who fought for our freedom.

[@Neo-wy3fl]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars It was not actually 100 percent so in Yugoslavia’s case, for example Ustasha movement notorious for its genocide of Serbs, Jews and Roma during WW 2 was actually pre war organization which did its dirty work pre war without help of Germans for example terrorist attacks on various Jewish establishments, starting street fights and shootouts with communists and other left wingers and during axis attack on Yugoslavia sabotages of Yugoslav weapons and vehicles so they can preform more poorly in fight against axis. Base for Slovene home guard had its prewar base in shapes of various legal clerical organizations who in order to remain in their pre war positions decided to collaborate with Germans and Italians and form its Clerical militia which in later stages of war began to forcefully enlist neutral Slovenes to their ranks. Thats why I used word puppet, for egoistic politicians and their armed mercenaries who blinded by money and status started listening to every order of nazi and fascist oppressors and committed numerous war crimes against its own nation.

[@Neo-wy3fl]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars Yes, we finally understand each other, Ustashe, and others came to power with the help of Germans and Italians that is very clear, If axis never invaded this would never happen. It was my fault because i understood you wrong.

[@tng2057]

Thanks for the coverage of this very overlooked part of WW2 history. Much appreciated. I suppose without the break up of Yugoslavia, most normal people outside this region would not have bothered studying or investigated this part of history and would have listened only to Tito’s version of history which during communist rule era called all their wartime local opponents ‘Quislings’ and portrayed the conflict as a simple struggle between the good partisans backed by the Allies vs the bad Nazis.

[@julianshepherd2038]

It was a distortion of history but how do unite the place and bring peace?

[@HistoryHustle]

@T NG: thanks for replying!

[@tsar389]

Fun fact about the Bishop of Ljubljana: Gregorj Rozman, Post-WWII he fled to Cleveland, Ohio. Where I live

[@HistoryHustle]

Interesting!

[@nickpapagiorgio5056]

Great video professor Stefan! I was fortunate to visit Ljubljana and the surrounding countryside a little bit when I traveled around Europe years ago and it really is nowadays such a beautiful place especially the architecture in the capital and lake Bled in the countryside. You can still see a great deal of italian culture there but they are Definately their own people and thankfully they were able to form a beautiful country for themselves eventually!

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks Nick. Ljubljana is a nice city to visit!

[@paulkoza8652]

My maternal grandparents were from Slovenia. I was in Ljubljana a few years ago and went to Ljubljana Castle. There is a nice history of Slovenia on display there. I don't remember anything about the collaboration, but there was a section on the Yugoslav partisan movement in Slovenia. Like my mom's generation, I suspect that many of these individuals have died, so obtaining primary source information would be difficult if not impossible. The Slovenians were lucky that their country was mostly populated with Slovenians when Yugoslavia broke up and did not have to go through the bloody national and religious conflict like other areas of the former Yugoslavia. Nice video. I will share it with my cousins.

[@VendPrekmurec]

Today the picture is different. Serbs already demand Serbian as official language and also Serbian "minority" in Slovenia. They have even founded so called "Serbian party". They claim that "Slovenia is part of Serbia"... Ljubljana, Maribor have Serbian major. Not to mention the court, school system, repressive organs, they are all infested with Serbian mafia... Slovenian language is rather a rarity on a street in Ljubljana (ex Slovenian Lublana) today. You will mostly hear Serbian or Albanian or Bosnian

[@thomasburke2683]

@@VendPrekmurec I'm sorry to hear that. I previously thought that Slovenia had escaped the Serbian jackboot because Serbs had no great presence there. Thankfully Slovenia was spared the horror of Bosnia and part of Croatia.

[@VendPrekmurec]

@@thomasburke2683 If you would live there you would "know"... I live in Hungary currently actually... that's why I am not afraid so much to be "suicided" (if you know what I mean), but people (my friends) live there and they tell me about these things... and are afraid to speak about the whole issue... Slovenia has a "government" and a shadow government, but this government survived unchanged (unlike Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania) since 1991, the "great Serbia" is lurking behind the excuse of the "left" (which is parallel with "modern" Soros and the so called "politically correct" "EU" Bolshevism which is dissolving national identity... When this national identity becomes dissolved, the "greater Yugoslav" apparatus takes over... all media, school institutions, court and repressive organs... As a result a "shock" follows - "demands for Serbian minority and serbian language in Slovenia"... They have already succeeded with the Serbian language in school curriculum. Now they try to implement the so called "Serbian minority" and Serbian language as official language... And EU is already demanding that BTW ... Slovenian nation or territory was historically occupied by several countries, starting with Avars (Obric; Iverians) -in Carantania... As a result Slovenians tried to made an alliance with the Franks and Bavarians and in exchange for the protection, they were forced to become part of Bavaria (which was already part of Christian Frankish empire) and to abandon the "pagan" faith... As a result Bavaria established Austrian empire and later Austro Hungarian empire... Yugoslavia was only an "echo" from old grand fathers, who wanted to become independent ... that's why they were again seeking an alliance in so called "south slavic tribalism"(which historically NEVER existed in Slovenia with Serbs (ex Avars).... And behind this "Yugoslav" state was of course "national identity" of Greater Serbia and Greater Croatia which collapsed Yugoslav artificial state in 1991, while Croats made so called "Lustration" of Communism and ex "elites", those elites survived normally without any change in Slovenian state until today... PS Serbs wanted the same situation like in BiH. Their Milošević's "mitingaši" were stopped on the border... and JLA was quickly stopped with less victims of war... and I think that also Kučan played an important role, probably "promised" Milošević that the "old forces" (which included UDBA (Yugoslav "KGB") can stay untouched...that's why Milošević moved out...

[@VendPrekmurec]

@@thomasburke2683 What I find here dangerous is not only this "Greater Serbia", "Greater Croatia", "Greater Albania", but politics, COURT ("LAW") which is currently creating "alliance" or better said criminal pacts between Serbian and the South American Latino mafia... Serbian mafia killed many people and chopped their people and some were even eaten by their mafia bosses... Those "Local" smaller serbian bosses were then locked up in Slovenia and Serbia - but were recently released as free men from slovenian prison. AT THE SAME TIME(!) also Serbians released their mobsters to freedom... and the same guy (so called "Judge" called Branko Masleša who released them, is recently part of Slovenian "right" media headlines... because of his fake Diploma... and leftist media did not write even 1 statement about that... So this is the situation in current Slovenia... Perhaps a civil war will follow soon.

[@VendPrekmurec]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars Yeah above OTHER states, like in BiH or Croatia, with war! Only 1,5 million of Slovenes in Slovenia and the Serbs as "endangered" species... Serbs are Turkish or Avaric in origin, i know you most probably want to play on that "christian card"... the same thing could be then said also for Albanians - but I guess, you will not say that thing for Albanians, because they have "issues" with Serbs right? Well, speaking about Poland. I see you are Polish... Russians have all rights to claim Russian rights and Russian language there too...!

[@HowlingWo1f]

If only I history teacher like you, I would’ve paid more attention to history. Congratulations on reaching over 100K mile stone, Now on to A million 🤩

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes, Zev! Let's do it.

[@mladentomic7249]

The general ratio between partisans and home guard was 2,5:1. 20-30000 partisans (1944/45) and 13000 collaborators.

[@HistoryHustle]

I don't have to exact numbers. This could be the case yes.

[@altergreenhorn]

Those could be active numbers, my forefathers as I know wasnt on any side despite the fact that half of them had german surnames, but they for shure wasnt on the colabortaion side, my great grandfader suposedly helped partisans as civilian persons. He was cought and send to croatian concentration camp Jasenovac. My grandfader (his son) never spoke about that, I figured that only after my grandad died Other than that I have no knowlege if any of my forfathers had any role in WWII. Aproximitly 15 % of slovenian standed behind domobran forces, 2/3 of them becuse a church active cheer for it. Today similar percentage Slovenians again with the help of the Church want to rewrite the history in the favor of collaboration Not to forgot that majority of colobarations come from area where before WWII wasnt italian ruling and also not many of them come from area where germans ruled during WWII, majority of them come from the area where the Catholic church had a major power and was also under italian ocupation (south and central slovenia). Which has a logic namely Vatican is in Italy. You can find articles with a deceased well known slovenian psychiatrist Dr. Janez Rugelj who also fought in WWII in partisan unit, he said about domobran members, that he know a lot of domobran members before WWII started and all of them were intellectual inferior person also known as a humble church mouses, because only such a person would join the forces who want to eradicate jour own nation....well Im not psychiatrist to judge but he was.

[@madserbz4912]

✋🏻😉 RESPECT FOR MY SLOVENIAN BROTHERS FROM SERBIA ... (SDK) 🌾🗡

[@HistoryHustle]

Ok.

[@theboss19844]

Gretings, anti communist🇸🇮✝️

[@madserbz4912]

@@theboss19844 SLAVA ! 🇸🇮✝️🇷🇸 OUR GRANDFATHERS FOUGHT THE CRIMINAL COMMUNIST PARTISANS HARD AND WE ARE STILL CONTINUING AS THEIR OFFSPRING TODAY! GOD BLESS

[@theboss19844]

@@madserbz4912 in Slovenia communists kill 50-80 thousand slovenian civilists, we gona win and god bles you to🙏🏻

[@Gamerz5GT]

Thank you so much for your content, hello from slovenia!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply 👍

[@mikewest5529]

Nice work!! We all want a 100k special!! Very sharp and professional!!

[@HistoryHustle]

Hope you liked the Q&A!

[@StephenS-2024]

I could listen to you all day ,brother. Keep them coming, and thanks!

[@HistoryHustle]

Cheers, Stephen, very nice to read!

[@REPOMAN24722]

10 Slovenians for every German soldier killed or wounded. My grandfather would never forget seeing people shot on sight as a child until his death. The collaborators were called the white guard, "Belogardisti"

[@HistoryHustle]

I can imagine. Thanks for sharing.

[@xvsj5833]

Excellent work Stefan ❤️ 👊 Merry Christmas 🎄

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks, Jesse. Merry Christmas 🎄

[@buco5613]

I was wating for this video for so long... Thanks!

[@HistoryHustle]

You're welcome.

[@ipsylon7297]

Another great history lesson to learn. Thank you.

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@georgebrown8312]

Good educational material for history buffs. Keep up the good work.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for commenting, George!

[@hike2fish]

It is interesting to note that many of the Domobrance escaped to Toronto, Canada where they still kept up acquaintances and groups. The Catholic church in inner city Toronto put a marble plaque in the foyer acknowledging the Domobrance heroes who fell as patriots. Yet not one word about their collaboration with the Germans nor actions in suppressing the civilian population with brutality, murder and acts of horror. We knew several of these people who confirmed what they did and about the horrors they involved themselves with. Sadly Canada let these people in who by rights could have been prosecuted as war criminals.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing this.

[@nikkibaugher2427]

Another nice lecture, Professor.

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks.

[@LordChlCha]

Nice video, thank you!

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@mosinnagant412]

Thanks. Another interesting history of a less-discussed aspect of WWII.

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@8000296]

Thanks Stefan!

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@Mergor_X]

Great video as always, well deserved 100k subs! Keep posting and if you havent already i would recomend making a video on the defector chetniks that joined the government of national salvation or about the Handschar division and the muslim detatchments of Croatia.

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks. One day I'll cover these. Can't say when.

[@jamie7026]

Like they'll have said we'll done on another sensitive topic, nicely balanced. Also well done on all-out subscribers,its good to see an unbiased channel get the support it really deserves, again the Slovenia volksdeutche would be a good episode, keep up the great work 👍

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks as always for watching and commenting! Much more interesting stuff te cover.

[@milankrishna2550]

A totally amazing video. Thanks Stefan for making us learn the true facts about history like the difference between reasons for collaboration in different countries. Can you do a video on the Greek Hellenic State?

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks, Milan! Yes, Greece is on my list. I want to travel there first and make vids on location. Can't say when though.

[@milankrishna2550]

@@HistoryHustle thanks sir. if you dont mind, do you by any chance have a discord server?

[@milankrishna2550]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars yea not exactly the germans but the ss not waffen ss but the allmaigne ss yes they administered the occupied terrotories not the armed forces

[@davidraper5798]

A well presented introduction to a complex subject.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thank you for watching.

[@danielgreen3715]

Thanks for explaining as simply as possible such an obviously murky History Stefan 😊

[@HistoryHustle]

Cheers, Daniel!

[@luxembourgishempire2826]

Another excellent video Stefan! Keep these videos coming! I really enjoy them! Slovenia is a beautiful country. I went there a few years ago...

[@HistoryHustle]

Great country indeed. Many thanks for watching as always!

[@cp05124]

Great presentation Stefan! Especially this episode covering the Topic of my Country! Love your work!

[@HistoryHustle]

Glad to read, Danilo. Thanks!

[@humphreygokart2135]

So interesting Stefan! The Nazis really had a talent for going into other people's countries and turning existing disagreements into a bloodbath. (BTW I love the way you have photoshopped an older-looking version of yourself into the picture at 5:30, no 2 from the left😜.)

[@HistoryHustle]

Lol, thanks for replying!

[@ShubhamMishrabro]

Great video

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

Great video, with a comment on the fact; American fliers hidden by the Home Guards were not discovered by Germans. The Slovene Home Guards commanders decided to hand them over to the Germans.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply. As for what you mention, I think it differed: some were handed over, others hidden, others discovered.

[@yarpen26]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars Stop copypasting this crap already, Jesus Christ...

[@johnryder1713]

I just heard about the terrible lockdown in your country Stefan, be very careful, you, your family, and your students over there and Merry Christmas

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks👍 We'll live.

[@johnryder1713]

@@HistoryHustle Okay stay safe

[@tng2057]

Interestingly while Slovenia seemed to have been dragged into the war and got occupied due to acts by non-Slovenians, ultimately Slovenia gained territory post war and even got an outlet to the sea, from Trieste south to Portoroz which is a now good seaside resort.

[@figaroo4816]

slovenia lost about 35% of their territory from ww1 though. the coast line was much longer aswell.

[@HistoryHustle]

More on Slovenia in WW2 here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWalaJmFZc-GqMU

[@nuclearblitzkrieg7734]

congrats on 100k subscribers!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks 👍🏻

[@jackavery7179]

Thank you for the History. More information about the Italians fighting the USSR

[@HistoryHustle]

For sure! Upcoming Saturday :)

[@vitobracko5384]

Thank you again there are not so many Slovene history videos but you make the best ones

[@HistoryHustle]

Thank you Vito!

[@vitobracko5384]

@@HistoryHustle that’s an interesting fact for me but idk if it will be for you my grandfather’s uncle was killed in the prison of Maribor or as other call it Marburg and I still have his letter where he wrote his goodbyes to family. Have a great day man I just love your videos keep up the good work and do you have a discord channel?

[@zoranpavlovic9540]

Ik dacht je komt uit England!!! 😳 Geweldige geschiedenis leraar (ben ook g.l. op de school) 👍🥇 Groetjes uit Servië.

[@HistoryHustle]

Bedankt, Zoran!

[@sirdarklust]

Another excellent video, but no door bell 🙁

[@HistoryHustle]

Haha, that door bell of my neighbor got you interested I see.

[@simonmarie83]

I'm from England but I'm part Slovenian. The last time I saw my Slovenian grandfather he told a story about when he was a kid in Jesenice. He was sent to the shops by his parents to get some bread and he saw a nazi truck pull up and get the captives out to line up in the street. They were all shot. When he took me to Kranj we saw the war memorial. Next to it was a building which still has bullet indentations all over it like spots on a dalmatian.He spoke some German, which was because of the occupation.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing.

[@altergreenhorn]

My forefathers in Slovenia had no significant role in the WWII they were just a civilians some had german origin as well . One part of my family lived exactly in area in which almost all yugoslav nazi collaborators flee in may 1945 it is basicaly on Austrian-Slovenian border. My grandmother never talked about, but then again I was too young to ask, later in my life my oldest ount told me that they were realy scared only once in WWII it was in May 1945 when some guys during the day broke in to the house or our land dont remember with a weapons on ready. Luckily for my family right after they broke in my grandmother spotted one German officer nearby and called him for help. According to my aunt (12-14 yers old at that time) officer come and save them, it was quite intense because that officer puled out his gun becuse those guys obuvisly didt want to listen. Because of that detail Im certain that those guys wasn't german soldier who was also in that large group, but rather yugo collaborators, namely German officer for shure didnt need a gun in his hand to command a German solder. After that incident my family left their house quite close to the main road and went for 1 mont to the safer place. Because of that personal experience I really dont have any problems with a cleaning operation done by partisan after Brits returned those nazi colaborators.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing this.

[@gibraltersteamboatco888]

Thanks. Another excellent video. BZ Steirischen Heimatbund engaged against Partisan as early as 22 June 1941. Slovenia like Luxembourg and Alsace-Lorraine was never annexed, requiring "Germanization".

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes, soon more on AL during World War II.

[@gibraltersteamboatco888]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars Interesting. If as you claim "Besides, an occupation is in fact an annexation!" is correct, then by occupying Germany post war the Allies annexed" it. Yes Adolf and his people. caused an unfathomable amount of suffering, death and destruction.

[@gibraltersteamboatco888]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars I was not comparing them. It was to point out that in fact occupation is NOT an annexation as you had stated.

[@gibraltersteamboatco888]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars Sorry to hear the fate of your grandfathers. Sadly there is nothing less valuable than life during war while at the same time being the highest price paid.

[@gregabregar4105]

A hot potato, even today. Especially today. It is true that some of the collaborators and even civillians were unlawfully tortured and massacred by Partisans, but the victors acted (mostly) under the law of the defunct kingdom of Yugoslavia, which had clearly stated that any sort of collaboration with the enemy during war time is a capital offense.

[@HistoryHustle]

@grega: thanks for your reply.

[@gregabregar4105]

​@@GreatPolishWingedHussars If someone gives you a gun and tells you to shoot someone, will you blame the murder on the one who gave you the gun, should you obey?

[@gregabregar4105]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars your reply is utterly out of the context now.

[@gregabregar4105]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars by that logic the Germans were controlled by Hitler and because he had established a terror state, in which the citizenry was forced to obey the Nazis and fight other nations, they also can't be held accountable.

[@gregabregar4105]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars i have zero idea how you somehow assume that i hold an apoloogetic stance towards Germany. For more information, read Peter Hayes' book Why.

[@dapero4448]

I am from Slovenia and I am very inderested in ww2

[@HistoryHustle]

Great, hope you found the video interesting.

[@Xenia9]

@@HistoryHustle no

[@Devsfan202]

Sehr Interessant, Danke vel!

[@HistoryHustle]

Bitte schön.

[@crixusthenorman1603]

This video really hit home for me. My grandparents were Hungarians who lived in Slovenia. Lendava was the town. My grandfather was a Hungarian Jew but my grandmother was Catholic. My grandfather fought against the Nazis. Killed a few of them on his own right before they were going to rape my grandmother. He was also part of a tank crew. I never got to meet him but I'm proud of him.

[@HistoryHustle]

I understand. Thanks for sharing.

[@matthewwhitton5720]

This is simply astonishing ! Upon learning, previously, of the very militant collaboration of Andrei Vlasov, and sundry other Russian quislings, I was stunned enough ( Slavic closeness to Nazism seeming as mad as Jewish equivalents, such as the Stern Gang ),….but, now, we find ( thanks to you, Stefan ) that Slovenes ( ! ), so long the target for ill-treatment and severe harassment by Mussolinis regime, also included among their ranks horribly deluded people who signed up for ‘ the cause ‘ of people who held them in utter contempt ! What a revelatory video !

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks, Matthew!

[@canelo6881]

There was a civil war in Slovenia during 2ww and it is a conpleks subject.

[@marcusfranconium3392]

During the balkan war of the 90s weapons used during ww2 where still used , with SS markins still present.

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes, I've seen photos.

[@luishernandezblonde]

Slovenia is rather unique. It was divided into many different ranks, many supported Nazis and Partisans. The situation of Slovenia was not helped by problematic political divide.

[@HistoryHustle]

Indeed unique I agree.

[@awesomeboy4353]

Stefan how is French people living under italian occupation of a small part of France during ww2

[@HistoryHustle]

Good question. Will cover it one day.

[@roniberahaquartet477]

Can you make video about Bulgarian occupation of Yugoslavia

[@HistoryHustle]

One day for sure if I travel there.

[@borkokostic4388]

Good topic. I heard that in Ljubljana in April 1941 announced "Independent State" of Slovenia but Germany, Italy and Hungary did not "recognize that "state" " and they occupied Slovenia. Not only Slovenians did not got independence like 1991. Germans are banish them from their lands and put them In Central Serbia. But Nazis did not sent captured Slovenian soldiers in Yugoslav Royal Army in POW camps. Till June, 22 1941. there is no sirious resistance to occupation of Slovenia. On that day , USSR ordered all Communists in Europe to fight against the Nazi Germans and their fascist allies. Slovenian Communists formed Partizans in the mountains in Slovenia ( Osvobodilna fronta ) also some Slovenians went to hills and formed resistance recognize General Draza Mihailovic as their Commandant ( "Blue Guard").

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing this additional information.

[@borkokostic4388]

@@HistoryHustle Thank you for good topic. I am sorry that I can find source or link but in time...By the way there is more. In Spring 1945. many Slovenians are afraid of Tito`s Communist Army who will be on offensive and closing the Slovenia....to be continued....

[@Xenia9]

Draža" Mihailović was a Yugoslav Serb general during World War II. He was the leader of the Chetnik Detachments of the Yugoslav Army (Chetniks), ., not in SLOVENIA. .

[@Xenia9]

@@borkokostic4388 wrong information.

[@windex7934]

Can you do Thailand?

[@HistoryHustle]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKCUm3mLipeImqM

[@KristijanH]

hvala brt

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@keithehredt753]

Well done brother

[@HistoryHustle]

Cheers, Keith!

[@blaznovak574]

It's unfortunate, but You have quite deficient informations on why MVAC was created.

[@HistoryHustle]

Please explain.

[@blaznovak574]

@@HistoryHustle It seems you've studied only highly regulated history written by historians acredited by KPJ. Get some informations about the happening that led to constitution of MVAC.

[@HistoryHustle]

You are not explaining.

[@kupus7174]

👍👍👍

[@HistoryHustle]

👌

[@alanstrong3295]

Sorry that Germany and Russia did not just leave such places alone.

[@HistoryHustle]

It is what it is.

[@stevep5408]

Are you being fair to the Slovenes? They weren't a country before the war, they weren't granted a puppet country during the war. Citizens were on both sides and represented all political persuasions. Many people responded to the Catholic leadership backed by the word of god. I'm not sure if one were a patriot who would one support. It sounds like many tried to stick with family, friends, and neighbors.

[@VendPrekmurec]

They were a country. Actually was Slovenia separated into "Marks". And Hungary divided Prekmurje into so called "Vendvidek" territorial unit. It remained separated since the time of Karantania and Panonia, with its own language.

[@HistoryHustle]

More on Slovenia in WW2 here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWalaJmFZc-GqMU

[@mitjapecek1383]

When will you have a video about post-war and inter-war massacres by partisans (communists) in Slovenia and other former Yugoslav republics. What happened during and after the war with the civilian population also gypsies. What kind of repression was carried out by the communist government until 1980. The murders took place not only during the war but after the war. More people were killed by communism after the war than in the whole war by all the occupiers combined. How the partisans dealt with Croatian, Italian, German soldiers and Slovenian home guards and members of the village fears. I can recommend you a gentleman who knows this story very well. Also how even today the descendants of the murderers cling to power and do not acknowledge the crimes committed by the communists. They cling to looted wealth, real estate, the authorities ... why not recognize the TIGER organization, which was the first, immediately after the SHS army, to fight against the Italian fascists.

[@HistoryHustle]

Hope to cover more on that in the future.

[@user-lw9yz]

my grandfather was a slovenian partizan.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing. What can you tell us about his experiences?

[@podmizje]

in slovenia at the time, the average person didnt excatly know what was really going on so if the neighbour you hate was on one side, you choose the other side. But i think it took more guts to join the partisans forces.

[@HistoryHustle]

I understand.

[@koalabear1984]

Yeah yeah. 40 hostages were being executed in our village. There was a whole ass armed partisan brigade 3 forests away who knew what was happening but they just observed. Among the hostages was a 14 year old curier who got dragged into their ranks to clean the dishes. Sad

[@koalabear1984]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars dont care, if they called and still call themselves the liberators of the nation, be it what you should stand against tyranny and cruely... exactly something they successfully implimented.

[@Albert-Arthur-Wison225]

Oh my word, it’s not at all easy to come up with the names of many other peoples so wretchedly jammed in the midst of so many ravenous neighbours.

[@HistoryHustle]

?

[@MBP1918]

Mario Roatta was an interesting guy

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes.

[@hayleybabyyu1282]

Dear Stefan, I wonder how much money and time on average do you spend on each of these videos? And how much on average do you spend on, on-location, videos?

[@HistoryHustle]

Hi Hayley. That's really hard to say. Let's take for example a video I record at home. For the decoration I may use a uniform or a helmet. These can be pricy but I use these props in multiple videos. Then there's books I use (or e-books). These are mostly used for one or two videos or multiple. There are these 'big works', the works of Robert Citono, David Glantz, Richard Overy and Antony Beevor that I used as source material in countless of videos. And than the on-location videos: that costs more because I have to travel, stay and eat there. In short: there is no definitive answer. I can tell you the time it takes me take produce one video and that is between 5 to 12 hours.

[@hayleybabyyu1282]

@@HistoryHustle wow, I am impressed! I definitely saw your dedication on making videos now. I will now watch your videos with utmost respect and praise. Thanks.

[@philbachmann6398]

I'm neither surprised or unfamiliar with this topic. Australia post war had something called the "White Australia Policy". In the McCarthy era these Axis people poured in. It wasn't embarrassing till the 70s when the ABC produced a documentary called SS Sanctuary, because they were trying to infiltrate political parties. Once authorities were alerted they were quietly sidelined. Now we are part of Asia and for the most part get along with migrants from all over the world. Mixed marriages are common. Most people have forgotten about these Axis people in this new Australia. Dutch people came here too Stefan. It was about 1965 when they first started to appear at school, with good English.

[@HistoryHustle]

I do know many Dutch went to Australia after WW2 but I don't know how many did collaborate with the Germans before.

[@philbachmann6398]

@@HistoryHustle Neither do I. But many Nazi fellow travellers from Eastern Europe and the Balkans came. Zionists and Nazis found themselves together in the Snowy Mountains Scheme. I'm aware of a Zionist hit squad. I assume there was retaliation. Some were lucky enough to resume productive lives in suburbia creating the Aussie immigration "miracle" Australia part of Asia now. In the 70s Ultra Right Wing left overs infiltrated the Liberal Park, known as the "uglies" They were exposed and quietly removed. Australia, now a Pacific Partner is in a new era geopolitics. 🇦🇺🙏

[@nerozero8266]

👍

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@michaelmallal9101]

What option does a civilian have?

[@HistoryHustle]

Depends on who aims a gun at him..

[@rexxarwatch9057]

Most Homerguard were not expelled. Around 13 000 were brutally murdered in May 1945 in Kočevski rog, Maribor, Laško and so on. I have spent countless hours researching this, being a Slovene from Celje, where there were also mass executions in 1945.

[@HistoryHustle]

True, many were shot.

[@madness8556]

My mother recently told me how she and others would go and pray the rosary and light candles at the mass grave sites around Celje. They did this at night so they wouldn't get caught and punished by the communist authorities as discussing those hundreds of mass graves scattered around Slovenia was taboo right up until the regime collapsed after Slovenia'a first democratic multiparty elections after WW2 in the spring of 1990.

[@mariavelikonja5415]

While most of your overview is excellent, your understanding of "collaboration" is incorrect. For the Slovene Home Guard to have been "collaborators" of the Nazis, they would have to have a shared goal in desiring to become part of Nazi Germany, which they did not. The vast majority wanted a free, democratic-style Yugoslavia, and initially supported the King. I agree with you on Leon Rupnik being a collaborator, but ordinary soldiers in the Home Guard did not have access or knowledge of his collaboration. The ordinary soldier cannot and should not be given this label, when their goal was to preserve Slovenia as it had been. You also omit an important role of the Home Guard: they secretly shared German troop movements with the Allies throughout the war. Again, they did this because they supported the Allies. In 1941 when Germany attacked/assimilated Slovenia, those serving in the Yugoslav Army, who were Slovene, joined the Slovene Chetniks, and in 1943 they joined the Slovene Home Guard. They had knowledge of military radio systems and had the equipment to carry it out. It is important to interview Home Guard survivors in order to understand the history, because under communism all such discussion was banned. Most of the Home Guard were executed in a political genocide by Tito. Tito tried to kill all the witnesses. Another role of the home Guard was to provide police protection to civilians, as the Partisans did not do so, and in fact killed more civilians and military men from 1941-1945 than did either the Nazis or the Home Guard (or combined).

[@hike2fish]

I am not sure how one can describe these people as true soldiers when they waged much of their activities against the civilian population. We know a number of these people and they rarely talk about battles with Partisans. They instead kept the civilian population in check with atrocities of many kinds.

[@HistoryHustle]

More on Slovenia in WW2 here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWalaJmFZc-GqMU

[@Comrade2face]

There was also Slovenian Partisans with the Triglav caps loyal to Titos Yugoslavia

[@HistoryHustle]

True.

[@2ndTimPlayground]

third! i'm slovene. axis had no bussiness being in a slav country and that's it. and slavs (ussr) cracked hitler's back. and don't forget, tito was half slovene. it's nuts, but slovene politics still splits according to ww2 collaborators and partisans. that's a legacy of hitler's dark visions for mankind.

[@shpohtl]

It is interesting how Tito wqs half Slovene but never spoke a single word in slovenian, not even when he held speeches around slovenian cities. Tons of theories about this topic ;)

[@2ndTimPlayground]

@@shpohtl he was first a yugoslav and a communist, that's why. communists claimed, national identity is far below class identity, remember.. good to meet a slovene, talking in english on us website posted by a dutch guy, about slovenia haha!! that's the future of identities.. lep vecer, leon!

[@thomasburke2683]

If he was half Slovenian, what was his other ethnicity?

[@2ndTimPlayground]

@@thomasburke2683 croat. but.. marx was his real father..

[@VendPrekmurec]

Communists or better said Serbian Ljubljana banned Prekmurian - Lingua Vandalica language (which is an Ethnocide) after 1945, killed more than 10 000 innocent people(genocide). They have had no territorial right to do so. Communists or partisans there were robbing and killing people there, that's why there was almost no partisan movement there, only few communists, who were hiding in the middle of the war and after the war they came out furnaces, where they were hiding and started killing people with the help of Mongolians and Russians. This is how it was - similar situation like in Latvia, Lithuania in Prekmurje.

[@NickDanger0001]

The catholic church almost always supported fascism.

[@HistoryHustle]

Very over simplified.

[@amticfijavz]

ok

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@andrejskafar7781]

SF/SN

[@HistoryHustle]

?

[@andrejskafar7781]

It is the moto of national liberation front and partizan movement. Death to fascism/ freedom to the nation.

[@koalabear1984]

@@andrejskafar7781 yeah yeah, you ever wonder why so many fascists had the modo liberty or death? It's because commies only see liberty when everyone who they deem inapropriate is executed

[@bibimir]

Actually, it was the Partisans that were saving the pilots. Slovene Home Guard gave them directly to the Italians and Germans. General Leon Rupnik himself was pretty anti-semitic, and in one of his speeches, clearly spoke against both western and eastern Allies, as if they're Jewish, and so on. Home Guard had a base on a hill called Sveti Urh where they tortured and killed suspected resistance supporters, including my grandfather's brother, many of whom were innocent. Ljubljana ones often took women and innocent people, shot them without trial, and put their bodies in Ljubljana Marshes. And like many said, a touchy subject - some of the new supporters of said Home Guards want to paint Home Guard in a different manner as if they didn't really wanted to be a part of Axis, even though there's a lot of evidence of their war crimes.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing your insights.

[@eleanorkett1129]

Another eye opening episode highlighting the complex situation of the different belligerent parties under Nazi occupation.

[@HistoryHustle]

Glad you found it eye opening! Cheers.

[@Xenia9]

@@HistoryHustle ...your "informations" not credibility

[@serdradion4010]

Officially Slovenia was a part of K of Yugoslavia, and did participate in the Government and the Parliament assembly. Therefore official Army was the Royal Army, and guerilla organized by them were the chetniks. But quietly, behind the scenes, Slovenian politicians were secessionist, working on their indenpendance, like the Croatians. So they rejected the chetniks in major way, and Croatians did it totally. Partizans were the Soviet and Comminterna organized and run guerilla, and they fought for the same goals as the Bolsheviks in the October revolution 1917. Reformes of the state made in the USSR terrified the upper classes in the western Europe: confiscating all the private property, implementing the state ownership of all the agricultural land, forcing farmers to organize in collective state owned public farms kolhoz, shutting down churches, taking all the property of the Church, shutting down public Courts, forbidding the private ownership, one political party rule. So it was easy to be anti partizan, even it was justified for the many.

[@serdradion4010]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars In a way, those were both collaborations, one with the Axis, and one with the Soviets, each different and brutal in her own way. Necessary and unwillingly steps to winn the full indenpendance in the future.

[@serdradion4010]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars It is a complex thematic. In short, all leaderships of Communist Parties have been elected in the USSR, by Stalins personal supervision. Same goes for the YCP and it's subdivisional Communist Party of Slovenia. By Stalin orders, in the first war between the Communist Block and the Allies in the Civil war in Greece, participated and the Yugoslavia, including all of her 6 Republics. Untill 1949. Yugoslavia and her 6 Republic Communist Parties collaborated with the Stalin. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_Civil_War Communist parties existed in the democratic states, but no non communist parties were in the USSR.

[@serdradion4010]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars Tito was appointed a head of a YCP Yugoslav Comm.Party by the Stalin personally, with the help of Ivan Krajacic - Stevo , the NKVD head member, member of Croatian CP. On the bases of blind obedience Tito was selected and appointed. Communist are dictatorship rigid party even nowdays. They don't tolerate political competition and cooperation. You should study them more closely. As said, thematic is complex.

[@serdradion4010]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars During the WW2, Yugoslavia CP had only 2 subdivisional CP: CP of Slovenia and CP of Croatia. That was arranged by the Josip Broz Tito, being both Slovenian and Croatian. Each had it's own partisan units and separate HQ, as the armed formation. During the entire war, Tito was with the main Yugoslav CP partisan group, not with the slovenian or croatian partisans. So, on the end Slovenia was liberated by the Yugoslav partisans, not the Slovenian. That was not accepted as totally friendly cooperation by the Slovenian non communists. In other words, slovenian communists were brought to power by the main YCP.

[@serdradion4010]

@@GreatPolishWingedHussars Tito's Yugoslavia, was a creation of the Soviet and Cominterna communism . Untill 1948.Tito was a loyal allay of the Stalin, he supported the Civil war in Greece by Stalin's instructions. Check the wiki link on that topic please. Tito basically prevented the Croatia and Slovenia from disengaging in 1945 from the rest of the state by the communist dictatorship. They achieve that in 1991 when USSR finally collapsed . Yugoslavia was a temporary state starting from the 1918. Warsaw Pact was founded later May 14 1955.

[@haeuptlingaberja4927]

Now you're finally arriving at the key "difference" among all the fascist collaborators. Those who came from countries with democratic traditions were rightfully reviled as traitors (to both their own countries and also humanity.) Those from the Balkans and other lands without a strong democratic tradition are seen as "doing what they had to in order to survive," which sounds a lot like equivocation and rationalization. Thing is that this same dynamic is still operant in many of these places. Just consider what happened in the early '90s with the dissolution of Yugoslavia (and the wider collapse of the Soviet Union.) Einsatzgruppen and massacres, just like in the good old days.

[@julianshepherd2038]

The Balkans were fought over by empires for a looong time and you fought for the Empire that had conquered you.

[@HistoryHustle]

More on Slovenia in WW2 here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWalaJmFZc-GqMU

[@allbot9605]

Last words of Leon Rupnik before he got executed by the partisan firing squat were: "Long live Slovenian nation"

[@HistoryHustle]

I see! Thanks for sharing.

[@aftastosk6016]

Difficult to believe that someone with the surname "Hischegger" was not German/Austrian. Possibly someone from the Austrian minority that grew up in Slovenia and didn't want to associate himself with the Nazis, it seems much more possible.

[@HistoryHustle]

I understand. Who knows. I do know there were people with German surnames who identified themselves as not being German. Think of Poles with German names or vice versa.

[@aftastosk6016]

@@HistoryHustle when I was in university, I met someone with an Italian surname from Austria, that indentified himself as an Austrian and was saying that he didn't even understood Italian (I did not believe him back then, even more now). There is also the example of the people from Bozen/Bolzano who in public they claim that they are Italians, even if their Italian are with an Austrian (or something like an Austrian) accent. The only thought that I can do is that the Austro-Hungarian empire left deeply its mark in the mentality of the people in this region of Europe.

[@dmejz]

First time I heard the collaborators helped downed allied airmen.

[@HistoryHustle]

Yugoslavia WW2 was complicated.

[@nikolaj-zecic7895]

you look like vladimir lenin

[@HistoryHustle]

Lol

[@MrSLOFANS]

You have no idea about Slovenia's history. I am 100% Slovenian, I know history

[@HistoryHustle]

So you need to be Slovenian to understand Slovenian history? Lol.

[@mtljbc6568]

Catholic church again.....

[@HistoryHustle]

Again?

[@C0pperChpper]

I love how Slovenes just accept their history in WW2, but going just a bit south, you get fascist apologists and other weird opinions on history.

[@HistoryHustle]

Please explain.

[@C0pperChpper]

@HistoryHustle Well, Slovenes don't try to justify whatever they did in history, on the other side, croatians, bosnians, and serbs justify their collaboration and tyranny to the other ethnic groups.

[@jimmybuko2065]

The way you described collaboration sounds exactly what the connotation represents, which is indeed negative... supporting the Fascists against Anti-Fascists.

[@HistoryHustle]

Indeed.

[@lancegoodthrust546]

To add another detailed fact, the Homeguard wore German Police uniforms and overcoat. With Italian M33 helmets and small arms.

[@HistoryHustle]

👍 thanks for sharing.

[@randomrock4707]

They would wear all sorts of uniforms. From the Royal Yugoslavian army , Italian army, sometimes even British as they sometimes captured supply drops meant for the Partisans and they obviously wore Germam uniforms. On some pictures you can see them wearing M40 helmets with a police decal. If you are intersted in this matter you can read the book from Aleš Nose or at least look at the pictures.

[@Rich-xg2cg]

This dude is scary looking .....

[@HistoryHustle]

I know.

[@TheYeti308]

All Though Had I'll Duchy not been an amature the Germans crash into the Sowjets with more force and a more favorable jump off date .

[@HistoryHustle]

?

[@nickpeloquin5594]

First!

[@sgg6643]

Second

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes!

[@naoyanaraharjo4693]

Femboy gewehr Femboy gewehr Gemboy gewehr Femboy gewehr

[@HistoryHustle]

?

[@naoyanaraharjo4693]

@@HistoryHustle r/2balkan4you

[@christopherellis2663]

Klagenfurt, Kransky.

[@HistoryHustle]

?

[@av7987]

​@@HistoryHustle He meant that Klagenfurt - Celovec was a Slovene - Kransky city. Austrian Karnten - Koroška was before 1919 Koroška plebiscit mostly populated with Slovenes and has imported historical meaning for Slovenes because first Slovenian state in 6 - 7 century named Karantanija wich by the way was on two thirds of today Austrian territory had a main city near todays Klagenfurt on Gosposvetsko polje.

[@lenini056]

now we know why Serbs invaded them in 1991. So why did it end so quickly?

[@HistoryHustle]

The Serbs didn't find it worth it, since not many Serbs lived there.