On this day, December 23, 2003, in Tivat, Montenegro, the last dive of the midget submarine P-913 Zeta took place during a voyage. The crew on this dive consisted of sailors and officers of the Montenegrin Navy: Aleksandar Petković, Srđan Nikolić, Salija Jašarević, Dragan Đukanović, and Dalibor Žarić. This marked the final dive of any submarine from the former Yugoslav Navy. The last submarine unit was definitively decommissioned in March 2005, precisely 77 years after the arrival of the first two submarines, Hrabri (P-1) and Nebojša (P-2), in Tivat, marking the beginning of submarine units in the Yugoslav Royal Navy. Tivat thus became the birthplace and the end of submarine warfare on the eastern side of the Adriatic.

After the donation of the submarine P-913 by Montenegro to the Republic of Slovenia in 2008, it safely arrived at the Park of Military History Pivka on April 17, 2011. The spectacular transport of the submarine, which traveled from the submarine base in Tivat to the port of Bar, then across the Adriatic to Bari, and finally on a truck along Italy to Slovenia, was carried out free of charge by the company CEM-TIR d.o.o. The unloading in Pivka was conducted by the company Dvig d.o.o.

The donation of the submarine was largely the result of years of efforts by former submariners who unite in Slovenia under the association called “Podmorničar” (Submariner). In this context, the role of former Rear Admiral Marjan Pogačnik and Captain of a warship Vojko Gorup deserves special mention.

Submarine P-913 Zeta, measuring nineteen meters in length and weighing 76 tons, belongs to the so-called midget or commando submarines of the Una class. In the 1980s, the Yugoslav Navy concluded that larger submarines were unsuitable for performing various tasks in the Adriatic Sea due to its specific characteristics. At the same time, they were looking for a more economical way to increase the submarine fleet. By 1989, six pocket submarines were built in Split, named after rivers from each republic of the former Yugoslavia. The submarine in the Park is named after the Montenegrin river Zeta, and its sponsor during the launch was the municipality of Nikšić in Montenegro. The basic crew of the submarine consisted of four members, and it could also transport up to six operators/divers.

Submarine P-913 Zeta represents an exceptional example of military-technical heritage, and Slovenian experts and industry played a significant role in its development. In addition to being a technical monument, the Zeta submarine also serves as a memorial to generations of Slovenian submariners well-represented in the Yugoslav Navy.

Park of Military History will be open during the Christmas-New Year holidays, from December 26, 2023, to January 2, 2023, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The Park will be closed on December 25, 2023, and January 1, 2023.

For a tour of the submarine’s interior and a flight simulator MiG-21, ADVANCE RESERVATION IS MANDATORY. You can make a reservation at 031 775 002 or [email protected].

The Kantina Pivka (restaurant) will be closed on December 24, 25, 31, and January 1. From December 26 to December 29, the Kantina will be open from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and on Saturday, December 30, and Tuesday, January 2, 2024, it will be open from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

The Park of Military History has released the catalog “Enigma – The Mysterious Behind the Scenes of War.” In addition to creating appealing museum content, the Park is actively involved in scholarly research on military history and the publication of professional literature. The latest publication, authored by Mag. Janko Boštjančič and Dr. Andrej Gaspari, enrich the museum shelves with the recently released catalog “Enigma – The Mysterious Backstage of War.”

Although Enigma is commonly associated with the Battle of the Atlantic or the Battle of Britain, where the role of this German encryption machine from World War II and the revelation of its code are most extensively researched and published, it appeared wherever German military units, ships, or submarines were present during the war. Due to German soldiers’ efforts to prevent Enigma from falling into enemy hands, surviving Enigma machines are relatively scarce, with the M4 model used by the German Navy Kriegsmarine being exceptionally rare. However, one such machine found its way into the Park’s collection in 2021 through a series of fortunate events. Following a complex conservation process, the machine’s story was explored, providing insights into the mysterious backstage of the war.

The catalog “Enigma – The Mysterious Behind the Scenes of War,” presented in an expanded book format, follows the exhibition of the same name at the Park of Military History. It uses rich photographic and archival material to narrate the story of a naval Enigma M4 from the German minesweeper R 15, which was sunk off the Istrian coast in April 1945. The catalog offers an in-depth look at the intricate mechanisms of the Enigma cipher wheel and, within a broader historical context, sheds light on Enigma’s role and the impact of revealing its code on the course of World War II. A valuable contribution to the exhibition comes from Croatian researcher Danijel Frka, who outlines the course of World War II in the Adriatic region. The catalog includes a timeline with key events of World War II, highlighting the role of decrypting Enigma in shaping historical developments.

The catalog is available for purchase at the museum’s store, Magazin, and online, where December offers free shipping for a more favorable purchase. Selected pages of the catalog can be previewed at the link: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/0b113ff1c8.html.

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.