On the Veliko Polje on Mount Igman, the anniversary of the Igman March was traditionally celebrated again this year, more precisely the 82nd year since the great campaign of the People’s Liberation Army.
With a traditional march and laying of wreaths, numerous delegations, both domestic and regional, as well as thousands of citizens, paid tribute to the members of the First Proletarian Brigade, which participated in a great undertaking in the Second World War.
Members of anti-fascist associations and numerous citizens gathered at 9 a.m. yesterday in front of the National Museum in Sarajevo and laid flowers on Plandiste. After that, a column of participants was formed on Brezovaca, from where they all headed to Veliko polje on Igman, where an adequate program was arranged.
“After Lisbon, this is the biggest anti-fascist manifestation in all of Europe. We are proud that for many years, people – anti-fascists recognize and that dear souls, with big hearts and pride, bring their joy to Igman, and all this together creates a beautiful picture that they send anti-fascists,” said the president of theAlliance of Anti-Fascists and Fighters of the People’s Liberation War in Bosnia and Herzegovina – BiH (SABNOR) of Sarajevo Canton, Mirsad Catic.
The Igman March is a military operation from the Second World War, when the fighters of the First Proletarian Brigade from the siege of strong German forces in Romania started to break through to Sarajevo. Their plan was to reach the then liberated Foca. The breakthrough began on January 25th. In two days they came to Sarajevo field. The most difficult part was the beginning of the ascent to Igman.
The crossing over Igman was carried out at night between January 27th and 28th, in deep snow and extreme cold. That march became legendary for the 40 severely frostbitten fighters who were transferred to Foca for treatment, where they endured the superhuman pain of amputating frozen body parts without anesthesia, Klix.ba writes.
E.Dz.
