They were treated at Franja

Although the hospital was primarily intended for treating wounded and sick partisans, it did not refuse medical help to civilians. Nearly 900 patients of different nationalities were treated in its wards, most of them in the central B Ward located in the Pasice gorge. From there, many were sent for further treatment to external wards, which normally admitted the sick and those with minor injuries. Just over 6% of the patients were women. According to the data collected so far, 83 people died in the hospital.

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Stories of the wounded

List of the wounded

Read the stories of the wounded

The stories of those who were treated in Franja – most of whom were young – are a testimony to the suffering, loyalty, courage and eagerly awaited freedom which meant everything to them. In their yearning for freedom, they were all equal, regardless of social status or nationality.

Bilić, Salih (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Chevalier, Jean Baptiste (France)

Adams, Harold C. (United States of America)

Rappel, Vili

Blasigh, Rino – Franko (Italy)

Likar, Franc – Rafael

Kavčič, Zdenka with her daughter

Grosar, Marjan Justin

Kraigher, Živa

Kolenc, Janez

Toplikar, Mirko

Fon, Slavko – Andrej

Stories of the wounded

Fon, Slavko – Andrej

One of the wounded who were transported in August 1944

Slavko Fon was a courier of the 30th Division when he was wounded by the Germans near Lokovec in January 1944. His recovery was very long. First, he was admitted to the central ward of the Franja Hospital. As there was no isolation room yet, he was transferred back to Podnjivč the next day, after developing a dangerous infection. When the danger passed, he was brought back to the gorge. After the hospital was evacuated in April 1944, he was admitted into A Ward at Cerkljanski vrh. For more than a month and a half, his leg was in plaster up to the waist. Slavko was also moved back to the hospital in June, when it returned to the gorge. Since he was already able to walk, his time passed quickly. He helped with rolling bandages, which had been boiled and washed for reuse, and carved chess pieces in his free time. In early August, he was selected for transportation to allied hospitals in southern Italy, along with others who were able to withstand the long journey.

With this operation, the Main Staff of the Partisan Army and the Staff of the Ninth Corps wanted to evacuate the wounded from the area under their control to Notranjska. Some 3,000 combatants participated in it. 48 patients were evacuated from the Pavla Hospital and 31 from Franja. The route led from Cerkno to Želin, across Krnice towards Vojsko, Trnovski gozd, Predmeja, Otlica, Col and Podkraj. The most dangerous part was crossing the railway line at Ravbarkomanda. Slavko was in the first group of ten wounded who crossed the line on horseback. While crossing, a horse’s hoof struck the rail, producing a tinkling sound. Immediately, enemy shots were heard, as the rail was heavily guarded. Fortunately, the whole group crossed the track unharmed. Realising that their original destination, Nadlesk airport in the Log Valley, was abandoned due to constant enemy incursions, they embarked on another, unscheduled journey. With the wounded on horse-drawn carts they headed towards Kočevski Rog via Babno polje, Prezid and Čaber. At the beginning of September the wounded finally flew to Bari from Bela krajina.

In the photo: The wounded at Nadleško polje where the partisan airport was located.

Do you know?

As early as 1908, Cerkno’s mountaineering society opened the trail to the Pasice gorge, which was visited as a natural attraction. After the Italian occupation of Primorska, the trail was obliterated for many years, until a hospital was built there.

They were treated at Franja

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