On Wednesday, November 27, 2024, the Park of Military History inaugurated a new exhibition titled WAR STORIES – UKRAINE UP CLOSE.

Military museums typically focus on preserving and interpreting the history of past wars and conflicts. So why the interest in a current war, one that is still ongoing? At the Park of Military History i, we believe that the outbreak of war in Europe, along with the growing threat of larger-scale conflicts, has given us a new mission: to raise awareness of the horrors of war and the unimaginable suffering it brings—not just to soldiers but to everyone, including the most vulnerable members of society. Modern technology and increasingly powerful weaponry have made it so that the effects of war extend far beyond the frontlines, deeply affecting civilian areas as well. It would be difficult to convey this reality more effectively to museum visitors than through the photography of Eddy van Wessel, for whom bearing witness to the horrors of war through his lens is a lifelong mission.

The Park of Military History was invited to participate in this exhibition project, WAR STORIES – UKRAINE UP CLOSE, by the Netherlands’ National Military Museum. The photographic exhibition features images captured by renowned Dutch photographer Eddy van Wessel during his visits to the frontlines and hinterlands of Ukraine. It offers a harrowing insight into the devastation caused by aggression and the immense suffering of the affected population. Van Wessel’s photographs are the result of his persistence, determination, and genuine interest in the human condition. The war in Ukraine is not the first conflict he has documented—his camera has also witnessed the battlefields of Bosnia, Chechnya, Iraq, and Syria. In his work, he avoids focusing on the strategic military aspects of operations or the power of armed forces and their weaponry. While often described as a war photographer, he is more accurately a chronicler of war’s consequences. His lens consistently seeks to capture the suffering of individuals caught in the whirlwind of war and the trials of their everyday lives. The message conveyed by van Wessel’s photographs is a powerful protest against the horrors and futility of war. But his work speaks not only through images—he also provides captions for the exhibition’s photographs. No one can describe the moments captured in his photographs better than he can.

In addition to the exhibition at the Park, Eddy van Wessel’s photographs are currently on display at the Netherlands’ National Military Museum and the Leica Gallery in Amsterdam. As a documentary photographer, van Wessel collaborates with numerous renowned publications worldwide, including Stern, Paris Match, LeMonde2, Spiegel, and The Washington Post. His work has earned him numerous prestigious awards, such as Photographer of the Year, presented by the Årets Bild committee in Sweden. Furthermore, he has won the Silver Camera Award for the best photograph at the prestigious international competition an impressive four times.

As part of the WAR STORIES – UKRAINE UP CLOSE exhibition, the Park of Military History also features a presentation of one of the war’s poignant stories—the story of the orphanage for children from the Luhansk region No. 2, which found refuge in the village of Slavina, just 5 km from the Park.

The institution first faced the turmoil of war in 2014, when separatist forces attempted to deport it to Russia. Thanks to the determination and extraordinary courage of the orphanage’s head, Dr. Kateryna Dontsova, the children were able to return to Ukraine. The orphanage was re-established in the city of Severodonetsk, but in February 2022, due to Russian aggression, it was forced to relocate overnight to Lviv in western Ukraine, where conditions were extremely harsh due to frequent shelling. Thanks to a humanitarian campaign initiated by the Association of Friends of Youth Ljubljana Moste – Polje and POP TV, as well as collaboration between the Government Office for the Care and Integration of Migrants, relevant Ukrainian authorities, and the Ukrainian Embassy in Slovenia, the orphanage was relocated to Slovenia in early May 2022. 

With the support of Civil Protection, the Municipality of Postojna, the Secondary School of Forestry, Woodworking, and Health Postojna, and, above all, the Slavina Local Community, which offered the village cultural center for accommodation, a comfortable home was established in Slavina for twenty Ukrainian orphans aged one to six. Alongside the children, part of the orphanage staff also moved to Slovenia, including eight nurses and caregivers, as well as three doctors.

The keynote speaker and official opener of the exhibition, Mr. Vojko Volk, State Secretary for International Affairs and National and International Security, reminded attendees of how quickly we tend to forget. He drew a parallel between the situation the Ukrainian people have endured for over a thousand days and the experiences of Slovenians during World War II and the independence process. In this context, he emphasized that the Republic of Slovenia will continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary, with the aim of ensuring lasting peace in Europe.

At the opening, Eddy van Wessel expressed his gratitude to the Park for showcasing his profoundly moving photographs, which leave no one indifferent, in this part of Europe. Reflecting on his recent journey to Ukraine, from which he had returned only a few days prior, he stressed that Ukraine must not be forgotten. Even when the fighting ends, the country and its people will face a long road to recovery.

The opening ceremony was also attended by the Dutch Ambassador, His Excellency Johan Verboom, who expressed his pride and admiration for the courage continually demonstrated by Eddy van Wessel. Through his journeys to war-torn regions of Ukraine, van Wessel brings back photographs that tell the world stories from the frontlines and the hinterlands. Ambassador Verboom emphasized that the world must not only see and hear these stories but also act on them, supporting Ukraine in its defense of its sovereignty.

The Ukrainian Ambassador to Slovenia, His Excellency Andrii Taran, highlighted the suffering and loss caused by attacks on schools, universities, churches, and other institutions that form the heart of Ukrainian identity. He also praised the courage of Eddy van Wessel, who risks his life to bring news from Ukraine to those living in freedom, where the same values are being upheld.

The event was attended by several ambassadors and other high-ranking foreign diplomatic representatives from EU and NATO member states, as well as the head of the Regional Orphanage of Luhansk Region No. 2, Dr. Kateryna Dontsova, along with the institution’s staff, and many other guests.

Following the formal opening of the exhibition, there was a screening of the film Eddy’s War, produced by Zeppers Film & TV and directed by Joost van der Valk. The film offers a behind-the-scenes look at Eddy van Wessel’s work and showcases the process behind the creation of the photographs, which will be on display at the Park of Military History until spring.

We are delighted and proud to announce that the Slovenian Tourist Association has awarded the Park of Military History the Silver Hospitality Award 2024 in the category of excursion destinations.

The prestigious award was presented to the Park at the official ceremony of the Slovenian Tourist Association during the Slovenian Tourism Days 2024 in Laško on Monday, 18 November 2024.

We are very pleased that our Park has been recognised as one of the most visitor-friendly destinations in the Republic of Slovenia. We are especially proud because we have already received the Valvasor Award this year, the highest professional recognition, and the Hospitality Award is therefore an important confirmation that we are on the right path – that we know how to and are capable of presenting heritage to our visitors in an engaging way.

The Park of Military History will be open in November from Monday to Friday between 11:00 and 14:00, and on Saturdays and Sundays between 10:00 and 16:00.

RESERVATION IS REQUIRED for a tour of the interior of the submarine and to try out the MiG-21 flight simulator. You can reserve your time slot by calling +386 31 775 002 or by sending an e-mail at: [email protected].

The Park of Military History also offers a motorhome stopover with eight parking spaces and complete infrastructure with acess to water and electricity. Additionally, two people can visit the museum collections and exhibitions free of charge with an overnight stay.

Between the 29th of September and the 4th of October, the annual professional conference of the ICOMAM association took place in London. The International Committee of Museums and Collections of Arms and Military History (ICOMAM) operates within the framework of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), which includes the majority of museums worldwide in this field. ICOMAM connects military history museums and arms collections from across the globe, aiming to network museum professionals in the field of military history, exchange knowledge and experience, and raise heritage conservation standards. The association of museum professionals is led by an international executive committee. In 2022, during ICOMAM’s autumn general assembly, the director of the Park of Military History, Janko Boštjančič was elected as the representative of Central Europe to the committee for a three-year term.

This year’s conference was organised by the British National Army Museum, based in the Chelsea district of London, and the Royal Armouries, which operate across three locations: the Tower of London, Leeds, and Fort Nelson in Portsmouth. The hosts highlighted the fact that although the event was organised by two related institutions, they differ significantly in terms of their age. The National Army Museum, founded in 1960, is one of the youngest national museums, whereas the Royal Armouries is one of Britain’s oldest museums, with its origins dating back to the 15th century.

This year’s international conference was attended by over 80 experts from around the world. It began with a formal reception at the Tower of London. During the first two days, participants presented professional papers on topics such as the conservation of exhibits, the development of military equipment and weaponry, the use of the latest technologies in museums, and much more.

The organisers made exceptional efforts in arranging a study tour, which included a visit to the storage facility of the National Army Museum in Stevenage. There, alongside the use of the most modern conservation approaches for preserving museum artefacts, they also adopt a highly pragmatic approach in both collection policy and the protection of the collections.

The study tour continued with a visit to the Royal Armouries in Leeds. This purpose-built museum, completed in 1996, cost £42.5 million to construct. A significant portion of the collection was relocated from the Tower of London to this new museum facility. The site in Leeds was chosen with the intention of decentralising and distributing the national museums from the concentration in London, while also aiming to revitalise the then-derelict area around the Leeds Docks. Nearly 30 years later, it is clear that the investment in the new museum was justified, as it attracts over 250,000 visitors annually, and the entire area has been revitalised with new development prospects.

In the final part of the study tour, the conference participants visited the remains of Kenilworth Castle and the museum complex at Bletchley Park, where a crucial part of Operation Ultra took place during the Second World War. This operation involved breaking the Enigma code, significantly contributing to the course and outcome of the war. The study tour was concluded at Windsor Castle, which is one of the royal residences and serves as a “working” castle still used by members of the British royal family, despite the crowds of tourists.

The meeting was significant for establishing new connections with partner institutions and individuals, and it certainly strengthened existing relationships while also creating new valuable links with foreign partners. We would like to express our gratitude to ICOMAM and all the conference organisers, particularly to Mr Mark Murray-Flutter from the Royal Armouries, who became a viral sensation on social media just days before the conference, bringing the museum and its collection closer to Generation Z.

The conference in the United Kingdom was attended by the director of the Park of Military History, Janko Boštjančič, and Boštjan Kurent.

The Park of Military History recently received an important donation – the company C-Astral has donated a Belin unmanned aerial vehicle to the Park. The UAV was handed over to the museum by the company’s director, Goran Gačnik.

The Belin unmanned aerial vehicle, a product of C-Astral from Ajdovščina, was selected through an international tender by the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia and was introduced into operational use by the Slovenian Armed Forces in 2015. The Belin UAVs are intended to support military units, primarily the motorised battalion battle group, by providing reconnaissance data. The Belin UAV is designed for reconnaissance, observation, and aerial surveillance missions. It allows for the acquisition of visual data using an integrated video camera or a photo camera, and this data provides intelligence support to commanders at the tactical level.

With this capability, the Slovenian Armed Forces gained an extremely reliable system for monitoring hazardous areas, as well as equipment that can assist Civil Protection in the event of natural disasters.

C-Astral is a provider of aviation solutions based in Ajdovščina, which from its founding in 2007 develops advanced UAV systems. The company is a leading player in the global market, with an established reputation in the production of small UAV`s with fixed wings.

One of C-Astral’s key achievements is the development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with the distinctive “blended wing body” (BWB) design. This refers to a merged wing configuration, which lacks the traditional fuselage structure of an aircraft, instead resembling a flying wing with only two control surfaces. This unique design offers enhanced aerodynamic efficiency and endurance, which earned the team the prestigious Red Dot – Best of the Best award this year, often referred to as the “Oscar” of design.

C-Astral’s UAVs operate on all continents, including in some of the most demanding and extreme conditions, such as high altitudes, deserts, mountain ranges, as well as in the Arctic and Antarctic. This level of adaptability and robustness demonstrates the exceptional quality and performance of their UAVs, which are used across a wide range of applications, not only in military contexts but also for surveying, mapping, and environmental monitoring.

The Park of Military History expressed great satisfaction for acquiring such an important museum exhibit. This is a pioneering product of the Slovenian defence industry, the result of a high level of expertise and the innovation of the C-Astral team, which has been and continues to be a step ahead of the competition both in Slovenia and globally. The Park has committed to displaying the aircraft to its visitors as soon as possible, as it represents a significant piece in the mosaic of Slovenian national military history.

BELIN – Basic Information

• Engine: Electric motor
• Maximum speed: 30 m/s
• Range: 40 km
• Flight altitude: 5,000 m
• Length: 960 mm
• Wingspan: 2,300 mm
• Crew: /
• Maximum allowed weight: 4.5 kg
• Payload: day/IR video camera

The Park of Military History will be open every day from 26th October to 3rd November, during the autumn school holidays, from 9 AM to 5 PM.

ADVANCE BOOKING IS MANDATORY for tours inside the submarine and the MiG-21 flight simulator experience. You can reserve your slot by calling +386 31 775 002 or emailing our web address [email protected].