A total of over sixty people worked in all the hospital’s wards. Some were sent there from other partisan units, while others were former patients who joined its staff after recovery. Before the war, the hospital staff were engaged in various professions; most of them were workers, farmers and craftsmen, while some were students and officials. Compelled by current needs they turned into nurses, builders, stewards, etc.
List of the staff
Search the list of the staff
The list is not complete, any corrections and additions can be reported to: info@muzej-idrija-cerkno.si
Troha, Jože, steward, courier
Date and place of birth
15. 03. 1919 - Gorica
Ward
B, Medical Supplies Department PBF
Time of operation
December 1943–5. 5. 1945
Tronkar, Tone, steward
Date and place of birth
29. 06. 1902 - Podgora (Gorica)
Ward
B, Pokljuka 10
Time of operation
December 1943–5.5.1945
Trpin, Jakob, guard
Date and place of birth
04. 07. 1911 - Zakriž (Cerkno)
Ward
B
Time of operation
29. 1. 1944–5. 5. 1945
Trummel, Alois, shoe maker
Date and place of birth
11. 05. 1903 - Wagna (Leibnitz) / Austria
Ward
B
Time of operation
6. 11. 1944–5. 5. 1945
Tušek, Franc, driver
Date and place of birth
?
Ward
B, C, Medical Supplies Department PBF, Pokljuka 10
Time of operation
?
Valenti, Dr. Davorin, assistant manager
Date and place of birth
30. 09. 1914 - Ilirska Bistrica
Ward
Pokljuka 10
Time of operation
22. 4. 1944–May 1944
Valentinčič, Anica, assistant nurse, for a while manager of D
Date and place of birth
03. 01. 1922 - Morsko (Kanal)
Ward
B, D
Time of operation
31. 10. 1944–5. 5. 1945
Valjavec, Kristijan, worker, stretcher carrier, guard, intelligence operator
Date and place of birth
22. 12. 1903 - Tržič
Ward
D
Time of operation
?
Vladimir, Jože, guard, carrier, scout
Date and place of birth
?
Ward
B, occasionally v A
Time of operation
27. 4. 1944–23. 9. 1944
Volavšek, Jože, assistant nurse, guard
Date and place of birth
? - Ljubljana
Ward
B
Time of operation
April 1944–5. 5. 1945
Volčjak, Dr. Viktor, doctor, managerRead story
Date and place of birth
15. 09. 1913 - Virmaše (Škofja Loka)
Ward
B
Time of operation
9. 11. 1943–6. 1. 1944
Vovk, Jože, carpenter
Date and place of birth
02. 10. 1910 - Vrbnje (Radovljica)
Ward
B
Time of operation
10. 12 . 1944–5. 5. 1945
Weingerl, Albin – Čriček, cultural animator
Date and place of birth
25. 02. 1923 - Šentjernej na Dolenjskem
Ward
B
Time of operation
9. 5. 1944–5. 5. 1945
Žagar, Jolanda, nurse, assistant worker
Date and place of birth
03. 09. 1925 - Žaga (Bovec)
Ward
B, Medical Supplies Department PBF
Time of operation
24. 12. 1943–5. 5. 1945
Zanitti, Adelina, assistant cook
Date and place of birth
04. 09. 1925 - Artegna (Videm) / Italy
Ward
B
Time of operation
February 1944–5. 5. 1945
Zlatoper, Lidija, head nurse, medical assistant, pharmacist
Date and place of birth
27. 09. 1920 - Cerkno
Ward
B, Pokljuka 10
Time of operation
November 1943–5. 5. 1945
Zupan, Franc, worker in elec. power station
Date and place of birth
?
Ward
B
Time of operation
2 months, autumn 1944
“Trustworthy people are of great support in our life. For me, one such person was Dr Viktor Volčjak.” (Dr Franja Bojc Bidovec)
Viktor Volčjak was born in Virmaše near Škofja Loka, into a working family. He completed his medical studies in 1938 and, three years later, opened a private medical practice in Žiri. In 1943, he started offering medical help to the partisans; in November that year he came to Cerkno to treat the wounded of the 31st Division. He was the founder and the first manager of the hidden hospital in Dolenji Novaki near Cerkno, which he named Franja. By naming hospitals after real people he wanted to highlight the importance of women such as Dr Franja Bojc, who cared for the sick and wounded during the war. In the beginning of 1944 he was appointed head of the Ninth Corps’ Medical Section, yet he frequently continued visiting the Franja Hospital. One day, when he rode to the hospital on a motorcycle, he came upon a German convoy heading to Idrija. Fortunately, he turned towards Cerkno at Želin and passed unnoticed. In July 1944, at the same time as Dr Franja Bojc, criminal proceedings were brought against him. He was suspended and detained, but after two months released due to the lack of evidence. In his memories, Dr Franci Derganc gave an interesting explanation as to what may have triggered the accusations. “When I first saw Dr Volčjak at Lokve, he wore a long beard and long hair. This may have given to some the impression that he was a sympathizer of the chetniks and a professional saboteur.” This statement is very indicative of the wartime paranoia. Even the slightest suspicion could lead to serious consequences. Subsequently, Dr Derganc established new hospitals in Brda.
For more on the above investigation, see the publication by the Archival Association of Slovenia: Mateja Jeraj, Jelka Melik, Partizanski zdravniki in pravniki med stroko in politiko (Partisan doctors and lawyers between profession and politics), Ljubljana, 1996.
