During his recent visit to London, Jože Dežman, the director of Museum of Contemporary History of Slovenia, discussed the role that he has as Chairman of the Committee for Hidden Graves registration. Over 600 hidden raves have now been discovered which makes Slovenia one of the biggest graveyards in Europe. It is now presumed that over 100,000 victims of many European nations were killed in the late spring of 1945 in the two months after peace had been declared. He said that the discovery of the graves has brought peace to many relatives who did not know where their loved ones had disappeared to. However there is much to be done and the Commission is following the procedures developed after the Srebrenica massacres in Bosnia. Jože Dežman also emphasised the need for the establishment of a British Slovene Historic Commission along the lines of the British Polish Historic Commission, the Slovene Italian and Slovene Austrian. He said that only in this way, by gathering all the facts and opinions, can present and future generations of Slovenes and Britons have a complete view of relations. He particularly named the intensive period of historic connections of 1939 to 1954. He said that it is important for the health of all the nations of Europe to understand not only the good parts if their history but also the black moments.

 Source: Museum of Contemporary History of Slovenia

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