German occupation

With the occupation of Idrija, the Germans mostly expected to be able to make use of the mercury, which was desperately needed by the German military industry. The town also served as the base of the occupying forces for their many marches towards the Gorenjska region and towards the liberated territories in Cerkno region and in the Trnovski gozd forest, which served as refuge for Partisan military units, hospitals, and printing works. In Idrija, the German units were billeted in civilian buildings, while not making use of the Italian military facilities. Soon after their arrival, the Germans surrounded the whole of Idrija with barbed wire and laid mines in some areas. The area was fortified with about fifteen dug bunkers, where about 200 guards were placed to constantly control all road communications. If the locals wished to leave the barbed-wire circle, they needed a special pass, which was issued by the German command of the town. About one hundred miners who lived outside of the circle also needed to enter the town through the crossings every day.

Living under German administration

Despite the German military occupation and the establishment of the so-called Operational Zone of the Adriatic Littoral, the administration of the area of Idrija was still officially under the command of the Italian prefecture in Gorizia. The mine in Idrija remained in possession of the Italian company Monte Amiata, even though it was the Germans who were overseeing the extraction of mercury. Wishing to placate the local population, the German occupator allowed Slovenians to run their municipal administration. In September of 1944, a Home Guard garrison was established in Idrija. The crew assisted the Germans in their police work, while trying to reawaken the Slovenian education system by running an education office. They also published their own newspaper called “Idrijčan”.

Between February and April of 1945, the town suffered ten air raids of the British air forces. The units of the 2nd battalion of the 10th SS Police Regiment and the Home Guard garrison suddenly left the war-torn Idrija on 28 April 1945. The Partisan army took over the town the following day.

German military formation in Idrija’s main town square. Between 1943 and 1945, German Nazi flags replaced the Fascist bundle of sticks on top of the former restaurant Pri črnem orlu. The photograph was taken during the celebration of the Day of the Wehmacht in 1943. Author (presumably): Peter Weissbacher, partly colorized. Idrija Municipal Museum.

Armoured vehicle at Debela Skala protecting a road block on the main road between Idrija and Godovič. A special pass needed to be presented to the guard in order to exit Idrija, which was surrounded by barbed wire. Author: Stane Kobal, personal archive of Matej Kobal.

A simulation of German fortified positions and the trail of their barbed-wire obstacles around Idrija between 1943 and 1945, based on oral sources and a sketch made by the 9th corps’ intelligence service. The diameter of the barbed-wire circle was 6 kilometres.

The number of German soldiers in Idrija ranged between 400 and 800. The photograph shows the German crew that in 1945 guarded the positions by the road between Idrija and Vojsko. They settled in the Ferjančič, Murovec, Bezeljačka, and Medved family houses. Private archive of Miha Ferjančič.

Since mercury is highly significant for war industries, having control over the mine in Idrija was of strategic importance to the Germans. The war, however, did cause a drop in production, mostly due to Partisan sabotages and air raids. The crisis was made even worse by the mobilisations of the locals and their joining the Partisans. Only 4,100 flasks were filled with mercury in 1945. The photograph depicts one of the mine buildings burning, which was caused by Allied air raids in the spring of 1945. Idrija Municipal Museum.

Members of the Slovenian National Defense Corps (Littoral Home Guard) marching through Idrija. The group in Idrija was about 50 strong. Private archive of Slavko Moravec, Idrija War Museum.