In Park of Military History, yesterday, on November 29th, a museum evening screening of the Polish documentary film “1939: The Siege of Warsaw” took place. The film features original archival footage from American correspondent and filmmaker Julien Bryan (1899–1974), who, with exceptional courage, traveled to Warsaw during the German invasion of Poland, documenting the tragic events of the German bombing and the siege of the Polish capital with his camera and camera. The film’s treatment of previously almost forgotten video material earned it the Golden Insurgent Award for Best Polish Documentary at the 14th Unconquered/Cursed International Film Festival.

The event, organized in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Ljubljana, was attended by His Excellency Krzysztof Olendzki, the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland, Consul Szymon Bialek, and Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Pivka, Majda Godina, representing the local community. The documentary, with its historical yet still relevant content, attracted not only local viewers but also representatives of the Polish community in Slovenia.

The director of the Park of Military History, Mr. Janko Boštjančič, welcomed the audience and emphasized the importance of reviving historical memory in his introductory address. He pointed out that forgetting historical lessons leads to their repetition. The Polish ambassador also addressed the horrors of war, particularly felt by Poland, highlighting the ongoing issue of compensating for the immense war damage caused by Germany in Poland during his welcoming speech.

At the conclusion of the event, the Polish ambassador signed the Guest Book, expressing sincere gratitude to the Park for the opportunity to screen the film, which serves as a warning against the repetition of future wartime tragedies. On this occasion, the Park of Military History received a copy of the study “The Report on the Losses Sustained by Poland as a Result of German Aggression and Occupation During the Second World War, 1939–1945,” as a gift from the Polish ambassador, for which they sincerely thank him, as it will be a valuable addition to the museum’s library.

Between October 23 and 28, the annual meeting of the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Arms and Military History (ICOMAM) took place in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. ICOMAM operates within the framework of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), which includes the majority of museums worldwide. ICOMAM connects military history museums and collections of weapons from around the world with the aim of networking with museum professionals involved in military history, exchanging knowledge and experiences, and raising heritage protection standards. An international executive committee of museum experts leads the association. In 2022, at the fall general assembly of ICOMAM, the director of the Military History Park, Mr. Janko Boštjančič, was elected as the representative of Central Europe to the committee for a 3-year term.

The Park of  Military History hosted the ICOMAM conference in Slovenia in 2018, and this time, it actively participated in the event. Mr. Janko Boštjančič presented a paper on the new permanent exhibition at the Park titled “Enigma – The Mysterious behind the War.” The presentations by other participants covered a wide range of topics and questions related to military history, with particular attention given to the possible reparations of museum objects to their countries of origin, a challenge faced mainly by many Western museums with a colonial past.

As hosts of the event, members of the Bulgarian ICOMAM prepared a rich program for participants, including visits to museums in Sofia and Plovdiv, the second-largest city in Bulgaria, and its surroundings. Participants had the opportunity to learn about Bulgaria’s rich history, reflected in numerous museums, local monuments, and the attitude towards heritage that the locals rightfully take pride in. Particular emphasis was given to the military history heritage during visits to the National Museum of Military History in the capital and the Aviation Museum in Krumovo near Plovdiv.

The meeting was also crucial for establishing new connections with partner institutions and individuals, and valuable relationships were established with Bulgarian partners. We want to thank the organizers, led by retired Colonel Dimitar Minchev,  for arranging the exciting conference and study tour.

The next ICOMAM conference is scheduled for the fall of 2024 in London.

On Saturday, November 11th, the collective of employees from Armas d.o.o. from Ravne na Koroškem, led by director Matej Miklavčič, visited the Park of Military History.

On this occasion, Armas d.o.o. handed over a precious donation to the museum, consisting of models of two prototype vehicles produced by the former company Sistemska tehnika, a predecessor to Armas. The models represent the Valuk 6 × 6 and Krpan 8 × 8 vehicles in a 1:6 scale.

During the handover of the models, Mr. Miklavčič, the director of Armas, emphasized to the director of the Park, Mr. Boštjančič, that these models are part of the heritage of the former company Sistemska tehnika, which had a rich tradition in dedicated military industry, even in independent Slovenia.

The Valuk 6 × 6 vehicle is considered one of the most recognizable and successful assets of the Slovenian Armed Forces, serving its role in the military for almost 25 years. In addition to military duties, the vehicle performed excellently during natural disasters, including this year’s floods, where Valuk, in a medical version, was one of the first vehicles to reach Ravne na Koroškem, where they were once produced.

The company Sistemska tehnika participated in the Ministry of Defense’s tender in 2006 for a new 8 × 8 armored vehicle with the Krpan 8 × 8 vehicle, a licensed version of the eight-wheeled multipurpose infantry fighting vehicle SSF Pandur II 8 × 8. The vehicle was not selected in the tender, and the prototype was not preserved. In light of this, the model becomes even more important. Symbolically, the scaled-down Krpan 8 × 8 will be exhibited in the municipality of Pivka, which carries the image of Martin Krpan in its coat of arms.

We sincerely thank Armas for both the donation and their high awareness in preserving the national military-technical heritage.

On November 13th, the Park of Military History was visited by the Ambassador of the United States of America to Slovenia, Her Excellency Jamie Lindler Harpootlian, accompanied by the U.S. military attaché, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Mayede, and the Deputy Public Affairs Officer, Jeremy Jewett.

The delegation was welcomed by the director of the Park, Mr. Janko Boštjančič. He provided a brief overview of the Parks establishment process as a modern museum center and outlined plans and vision for further development. Particular emphasis was placed on presenting the longstanding and rich connections between the U.S. Embassy and the Park of Military History.

The ambassador summarized her impressions during the visit in the Guest Book of Honorary Guests, expressing commendations to the Park of Military History for successfully presenting important chapters from our shared history. She also praised the noble mission of reminding everyone of the merits of all those who served courageously during the war.

The Park of Military History will be open in November from Monday to Friday between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM and Saturday and Sunday between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

Prior reservation of a time slot is mandatory for a tour of the submarine interior and a test flight on the flight simulator with MiG-21 or Spitfire aircraft as an additional museum offering. You can make a reservation by calling +386 (0)31 775 002 or emailing [email protected].

You are invited to the screening of the documentary-animated film by the band Sabaton at the Park of Military History Pivka!

The Swedish band Sabaton presents the film “The War To End All Wars” – an animated musical and historical adventure that includes songs from their tenth studio album and vividly tells the stories of World War I.

Join us for this global museum projection event at the Park of Military History Pivka.

PREMIERE:

The film premiere will occur on Saturday, November 4th, at 5:00 PM among the museum exhibits at the Park.

Prior reservation is mandatory to attend the film premiere and can be made via email at [email protected] or by calling +386 31 775 002. Tickets can also be purchased on the day of the event according to the valid price list for visiting the Military History Park (2023 price list for the Military History Park).

Participants can explore the museum collections and exhibitions before the event.

For those attending only the film premiere, there will be a 50% discount on the ticket price due to limited museum access.

Hurry and make your reservation, as seating is limited.

FILM SCREENING:

We will screen the film for our visitors from November 5th to 19th, 2023. The showtimes will be Monday to Friday at 12:00 PM and on Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM.

The film will be translated into the Slovenian language and is suitable for older teenagers and adults.

ABOUT THE SABATON BAND:

Sabaton, a five-member power metal band, was founded in 1999 in Falun, Sweden. They are internationally renowned for their fact-based historical music. The band takes pride in narrating history from a non-political and unbiased perspective.