“Death to fascism, freedom to the people” echoed in the Valley of Heroes all day yesterday, while columns of visitors moved from the main road, over the stairs to the monumental memorial which symbolizes the anti-fascist battle of the people from the former Yugoslavia.
Anti-fascists from BiH, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro and other parts of the region arrived to Tjentište to mark the anniversary of the famous battle on Sutjeska.
Borivoje Boro Banović is on the head of the Association of the National-Liberation War and Anti-Fascists of Podgorica, and he says that snit-fascists come from all parts of Montenegro, not only from Podgorica.
“We must not forget the battles which were led in this area, and even more important is that we do not forget the victims who have fallen in those battles. I hope that the younger generations will follow this anti-fascist spirit,” Banović added, explaining that anti-fascists of Montenegro decided to arrive to Sutjeska with other anti-fascists from BiH, although it is known that this event is marked separately in the RS, one day later.
Anti-fascists were never divided, because the aim was the fight against fascism, which was proven 73 years ago during one of the largest offensives in this area. Participant in the fight Omer Maslo is a living witness of the resistance on Sutjeska. He was called “The little one” because he was the shortest among the fighters, but the most courageous in the Third Mostar Battalion, later the 10th Herzegovina Brigade and the division which was formed after the breakthrough in Sutjeska.
“When I remember my youth, I could cry. With these men here, I learned how to be a man. We never asked who Omer was, or Pero, Jure, Marica, Luca, Mara, Fatima… We were one soul, the 73rd birthday is pounding in my heart today. We fought like no one will ever fight in any war again, we were hungry, thirsty, naked, barefooted, I had wounds on both legs, but I did not give up. The youth of this country must not forget that, learn from us,” Omer said.
Marinko Vlašić, Secretary of the Association of Anti-Fascists in Dubrovnik, arrived to Sutjeska from Višegrad with numerous fellow citizens. They wanted to visit the cultural landmarks so they found it especially interesting to walk on the bridge.
Different flags, wreaths and songs in Sutjeska made it almost like the entire former Yugoslavia met in one place.
“Here are Bosnians and Herzegovinians, Dalmatians, Croatians, Slovenians, I think there are also Macedonians and Serbians, so here we have a group of people who were breaking through 73 years ago and because of that I am especially happy for managing to attract attention of all people who cherish the tradition of anti-fascism and the National-Liberation War and for managing to gather them in one place. Today we are celebrating on Sutjeska and I hope that we will brak to the other side as well, in those other battles that we are just launching, because the time has come for us to go back to the democratic creation of the civil BiH,” said Bakir Nakaš, President of the Alliance of Anti-Fascists and Soldiers of National Liberation War in BiH, adding that the anti-fascists of BiH are traditionally opting for the left anti-fascism.
The Battle on Sutjeska lasted from May 15 until June 16, 1943, and the triumph in the fifth enemy offensive which the Germans called “Schwarz” was a turning point for Yugoslavia in the Second World War. Around 7.000 partisans, or more than one third of participants, were killed on Sutjeska.
(Source: klix.ba/photo: bhrt.ba)
