On Wednesday, June 7th, the Park of Military History hosted a group of ambassadors from NATO member states. The meeting, organized by the Ambassador of the Czech Republic, His Excellency Juraj Chmiel, was attended by 21 ambassadors or chargés d’affaires.

In the name of the Municipality of Pivka, the gathering was welcomed by the director of the Pivka Tourism Board, Ms. Jana Gržinič, who presented the Municipality of Pivka, its history, and the development path that the local community has taken since its establishment in 1994. Its director, Mr. Janko Boštjančič, introduced the Park of Military History. The distinguished guests were particularly impressed by the rapid development of the museum complex and, in particular, the utilization of European Union development funds, which played an important role in this development.

The guests also had the opportunity to visit the museum exhibitions and collections, with special attention drawn to the exhibition “Path to Independence,” which portrays the independence of the Republic of Slovenia, and the new exhibition “Enigma – The Mysterious Behind the Scenes of War.”

At first glance, the Park of Military History Pivka and the Computer Museum may seem to have little in common. However, the teams from both institutions recently joined forces and invited Dr. Mark Baldwin, widely known worldwide as Dr. Enigma, to Slovenia. He is considered a leading expert in the German encryption device Enigma field and the associated historical events. As a professional lecturer, he captivates cryptography and military history enthusiasts in numerous countries worldwide.

Dr. Enigma also impressed the participants with his lecture at the Park of Military History on Tuesday, May 23, and at the Computer Museum on Thursday, May 25. As an enthusiastic and convincing speaker, he left a lasting impression on all attendees by demonstrating the original Enigma machine. The impactful lecture on Enigma encryption mechanisms was complemented by a presentation from Mark Štamcar, the head of the Computer Museum’s laboratory. As an experienced technology demonstrator, he brought to life and tested an unusual toy from the Computer Museum’s collection: the Barbie typewriter, an innocent-looking children’s toy manufactured by the Slovenian company Mehano. The contrast between the presented devices prompted participants from both museum evenings to reflect on the role of cryptography in everyday life, where individuals are more exposed to information than ever before.

During his visit to the Park of Military History, Dr. Baldwin naturally also visited the new exhibition “Enigma – The Mysterious Behind the Scenes of War” and listened with interest to the story of the “Pivka” Enigma M4 and the German minelayer R 15, from which it originated. During a guided tour of the other museum exhibits, he praised the Park’s management for successfully managing such an extensive collection of military-technical heritage and the attractive range of museum exhibitions.

At the Computer Museum, Dr. Baldwin explored the museum’s collection, permanent exhibition, and temporary exhibitions “Escape: Journey to the Heart of Digital Cultures” and “Why Should You Care?!” which address pressing issues related to data protection, cyber surveillance, and digital sovereignty.

The Park of Military History will be open in May from Monday to Friday between 10 am and 4 pm and on Saturdays and Sundays between 10 am and 6 pm.

Prior reservation of the time slot is mandatory for visiting the submarine’s interior and testing the flight simulator with MiG-21 or Spitfire airplanes as an additional museum offering. This can be done by calling +386 (0)31 775 002 or emailing [email protected].

The Park of Military History was bustling with activity on Saturday, May 13th, as the museum once again hosted the international “World in Miniature” festival, organized by the eponymous society. Last year, the festival exceeded all expectations, attracting 169 participants from eight countries who showcased 521 models despite the rainy weather. They competed in various categories, including model building. In addition to the competition models, there were displays of model train compositions, remote-controlled aircraft, imaginative dioramas, and race track models.

The festival’s vibrant atmosphere drew many visitors to the Park, and they were further entertained by well-stocked sales booths featuring models from various manufacturers, model-building workshops, club presentations, a book fair, and guided tours of the museum exhibitions.

On this occasion, the Park of Military History in Pivka also opened an exhibition of Mr. Marko Mav’s models, showcasing the Yugoslav Air Force from 1945 to 1991. The show will remain open until the end of summer.

THE PARK OF MILITARY HISTORY and THE SLOVENIAN COMPUTER HISTORY MUSEUM

invite you to a LECTURE by DR. MARK BALDWIN “ENIGMA – THE SECRET WAR”

which will take place on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at 6 p.m. at the Park of Military History.

Dr. Mark Baldwin, widely known as Dr. Enigma (www.drenigma.org), has established himself as a leading expert on the German encryption device Enigma over the past twenty years. As a professional lecturer, he has enthralled cryptology and military history enthusiasts in numerous countries worldwide. The original Enigma, which Dr. Baldwin uses for a demonstrative display of its operation and which participants can also try out, adds a unique insight to his lectures.

This will also be the case in Pivka, where we are especially pleased that the lecture by this esteemed expert will be one of the principal events accompanying the new exhibition “Enigma – The Mysterious Behind the Scenes of War.”

The lecture will conclude with a presentation by Marko Štamcar from the Slovenian Computer History Museum, unveiling some cryptographic curiosities from our national history.

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Dr. Baldwin’s lecture will be conducted in English.

The number of seats is limited. Applications are possible until all seats are filled by calling +386 31 775 002 or emailing [email protected].

The Park of Military History will once again host the international miniature festival called “World in Miniature” organized by the Society “Svet v malem”. The festival will bring together hundreds of modelers from different countries who will compete for the best miniature in various categories. The displayed intricate miniatures of military vehicles, vessels, and scenic displays will complement the museum’s exhibition of military-technical heritage on that day. As part of the festival, there will also be demonstrations of model making and a modelers’ flea market.

Saturday, May 13, 2023:

10:00 am – 5:00 pm: Plastic Model Competition

10:00 am – 5:00 pm: Exhibition of Plastic Models

10:00 am – 5:00 pm: Presentation of the World in Miniature Society

10:00 am – 5:00 pm: Model Making Demonstration for Visitors

10:00 am – 5:00 pm: Modelers’ Flea Market

11:00 am: Guided Tour of the exhibition “Fighting behind the Trenches: Military Transport on the Isonzo Front”

1:00 pm: Guided Tour of Ravne Manor Exhibition

2:00 pm: Guided Tour of the exhibition “Enigma – The Mysterious Behind the Scenes of War”

4:00 pm: Guided Tour of the exhibition “The Story of Our Neighbor”

VISITOR INFORMATION:

The organizer reserves the right to change the program.

Reservations are required for visiting the interior of the submarine. Please call 031 775 002 or email [email protected]. Admission fees apply as per the valid price list.

The event will be photographed.