The barricade of the border with the NDH was built in 1943 at the foot of the Gorjanci Hills based on existing routes and posts. It was made up of a zone of barbed wire, bunkers, stronger fortifications and border crossings. By building it, they wanted to prevent the passage of Partisans from the Žumberak Mountains and the Gorjanci Hills to the villages below them. It ran from the Krka River (northeast of Kostanjevica) and continued towards the southwest. Construction began in January 1943 at the village of Šmarje near Šentjernej and was stopped, unfinished, on 8 September 1943 at the village of Dolž, 26km long.
Map of the barricade of the border with the NDH built in 1943, drawn based on sketches made by the Isonzo Division. The dating of the construction of bunkers (marked with Arabic numerals) and of stronger built fortifications (marked with Roman numerals) is shown with circles of various colours.
Unrealised plan for the barricade of the border with the NDH along the ridge of the Gorjanci Hills, 14 April 1942. Arhiv RS.
Jože Pirkovič (born 1934) next to a painting of his parents’ vineyard cottage in Vajndol (Gorenje Vrhpolje). Italian soldiers used it for food storage. There was a bunker about 150m from the cottage; it was partly dug into the ground, was made of wood, and covered with soil around the rim. They had to cut down vineyards along the route of the fortified border. Jože’s father made an arrangement with the Italian commander, so he did not have to cut down the vineyard; instead, he removed the stakes and fastened the vines to the ground. Author: Blaž Štangelj.
Albina Volčjak (born 1942) next to the remains of barbed wire near Dolenji Suhadol, where a fortified border ran across a deforested zone. Author: Blaž Štangelj.
A few border crossings were placed along the fortified border. The crossings were controlled by Italian soldiers and MVAC units. Rezka Paderšič (born 1932) in the location of the border crossing in Dolenji Suhadol and Mihael Rukše (born 1932) in the location of the border crossing near Gabrje. Both crossings had barbed wire gates. Author: Blaž Štangelj.
Remains of built bunkers on the Rutovca Hill and in Gomile near the village of Gabrje. Visible in the background of the below photograph are the Gorjanci Hills with the hill Trdinov vrh. Author: Blaž Štangelj.
