The Italian Army occupied Bela krajina in the first days of May 1941 and captured Metlika, Črnomelj and Semič. They also took control of the settlements along the border Kolpa River, which were occupied by units of the Border Fascist Militia and the Royal Financial Guard.
Due to partisan resistance, the Italian occupier abandoned some of its posts and in the first half of 1942 fortified others with bunkers and trenches and enclosed the areas around its posts either fully or partially by barbed wire. The most fortified towns were: Metlika with 21 bunkers, Črnomelj with 64 bunkers and Semič with 11 bunkers. All those towns were entirely surrounded with barbed wire, which prevented people from passing through.
Partisan informants collected as accurate information as possible about the enemy posts, forts and bunkers along the railway line in Bela krajina. They reported the number of soldiers, the units (»Royal Army, Financial Guard, Fascists, Carabinieri, Railway Militia, the White Guard«), the type of fortified buildings (bunkers, barbed wire), the type of armament, the movements of units away from their posts, and their supply. The intelligence service was performed by informants of the partisan units that were either permanently or temporarily active in Bela krajina. Civilians and ground activist also helped to gather information.
A sketch of the Fascist and Financial Guard post in Sinji Vrh. Archives of the RS. Remains of the Italian inscription VINCEREMO (WE WILL WIN) on the outer wall of the rectory in Sinji Vrh, where a Fascist post was located between 26 May 1941 and 8 September 1943. Author: Blaž Štangelj.
On 8 April 1942, Fascists occupied the school in Griblje, while the Financial Guard occupied a civilian house. The post in Griblje was enclosed by barbed wire and fortified with five concrete bunkers and three bunkers dug into the ground, as well as with a stone and concrete wall. They also dug connecting trenches. The partisan sketch and description of the Italian post in Griblje was most likely created at the end of 1942 or in the first half of 1943. Archives of the RS.
A partisan sketch of the Fascist and Financial Guard post in Pobrežje near Adlešiči drawn at a scale of 1 : 1000. It was most likely created at the end of 1942 or in the first half of 1943. Archives of the RS.
The first Italian post in the village of Podzemelj was in the old school building; one of the classrooms was occupied by the Border Militia on 28 May 1941 and it stayed there for about two months. Afterwards, on 2 April 1942, members of the Financial Guard moved into two civilian houses, forcing the owners and their families to leave, while the Fascists occupied the new school. They enclosed the occupied buildings by barbed wire, built three bunkers and a stone wall, and dug a firing trench. The villagers had to take part in the fortifications by transporting building material. Archives of the RS.
In July 1942, the Italian Army enclosed Semič by barbed wire and then fortified it with 11 bunkers and firing trenches. At least three crossings led from Semič, which was enclosed by barbed wire, and all were protected by knife-rests. The church bell tower was used as an observation post, armed with a heavy machine gun and mortar. According to a partisan report dated 13 February 1943, there were around 180 Italian soldiers and between 140 and 180 members of MVAC in Semič. Archives of the RS.
The Karlovac – Ljubljana railway line was of strategic importance for the Italian Army, because it was used to transport strategic raw materials and military material from the Balkan Peninsula towards Italy. The railway line was protected by bunkers and by fortifying the railway stations and guardhouses. The partisans often attacked them and demolished individual sections of the railway. The Otovec viaduct; at 225 m it is the longest bridging structure on the Bela krajina railway line. The Italian Army enclosed it by barbed wire and stationed armed guards on each side of the viaduct and under it. A description and sketch of the guarded viaduct were included in a report of the 25th Partisan Division, dated 7 August 1943. Archives of the RS.
An intelligence report by an informant of the Črnomelj Company of the Detachment of the Eastern Dolenjska Region about the number of Italian and MVAC soldiers and their armament at the posts in Bela krajina, dated 7 January 1943. Archives of the RS.
