Page 178 - Dark Shades of Istria
P. 178
Istrian Memories in the Dark Tourism Context: The Qualitative Analysis
victims, coexistence, tolerance and friendships between different nations
and cultures; contemporary or past borders were not mentioned at all.
Anti-fascism in Istria offered him a constant framework for his speech.
The following honorary speakers – the Mayors of Muggia in Italy and
Ankaran in Slovenia – predictably stayed within this framework. Both of
them spoke in their native languages. Choral singing of the joint choirs
from Umag and Novigrad followed with songs Himna slobodi (‘The An-
them of Freedom’) in Croatian and Fratellanzza (‘Brotherhood’) in the
Italian language.
The central phase of the event – the wreath laying ceremony at the
monument – was particularly commemorative and showed a great degree
of respect and compassion. Delegations of Croatian, Italian and Slovenian
municipalities of the Upper Adriatic, delegations of veterans’/anti-fascist
organisations in the region and the Istrian County solemnly laid wreaths,
flowers and candles at the monument, accompanied by the sound of
trumpets (see Figure 8.10). Flag-bearers approached the monument be-
fore that. The symbols of anti-fascism and w w i i strongly marked the
commemorative atmosphere. As is typical for this day and age, this phase
was massively recorded and photographed, not only by the many pro-
fessional journalists, cameramen and photographers, but also by many
regular visitors with their cameras and smart phones.
The solemn atmosphere continued with the recognition of the long-
time organiser of the commemorations in Kućibreg, supporter of anti-
fascism and former mayor of Buje, Mr. Edi Andreašić. On behalf of the
Union of the Associations for the Values of the National Liberation Move-
ment of Slovenia, the President of the Association of anti-fascists, fight-
ers for the values of the National Liberation War and Veterans of Koper
presented him with the Golden Plate award. In a brief speech, he also
remembered that the Kućibreg fighters were initially Istrians and then
Croats, Slovenes and Italians.
Children of elementary schools from Oprtalj and Ankaran participated
in the cultural programme; Slovenian theatre actor Brane Grubar recited
the poem of Slovenian poet Srečko Kosovel. Another honorary speaker
was the President of the Istrian County who relied on similar Istrian
specifics as the speakers, especially the mayors, before him; his speech
was in the Croatian language. A point of special interest was his reflec-
tion on the governmental rejection of the proposal prepared in Istria for
the legal ban of the Ustasha symbols and salutation. He also emphasised
that there should be many commemorations such as the ones in Kućibreg
178
victims, coexistence, tolerance and friendships between different nations
and cultures; contemporary or past borders were not mentioned at all.
Anti-fascism in Istria offered him a constant framework for his speech.
The following honorary speakers – the Mayors of Muggia in Italy and
Ankaran in Slovenia – predictably stayed within this framework. Both of
them spoke in their native languages. Choral singing of the joint choirs
from Umag and Novigrad followed with songs Himna slobodi (‘The An-
them of Freedom’) in Croatian and Fratellanzza (‘Brotherhood’) in the
Italian language.
The central phase of the event – the wreath laying ceremony at the
monument – was particularly commemorative and showed a great degree
of respect and compassion. Delegations of Croatian, Italian and Slovenian
municipalities of the Upper Adriatic, delegations of veterans’/anti-fascist
organisations in the region and the Istrian County solemnly laid wreaths,
flowers and candles at the monument, accompanied by the sound of
trumpets (see Figure 8.10). Flag-bearers approached the monument be-
fore that. The symbols of anti-fascism and w w i i strongly marked the
commemorative atmosphere. As is typical for this day and age, this phase
was massively recorded and photographed, not only by the many pro-
fessional journalists, cameramen and photographers, but also by many
regular visitors with their cameras and smart phones.
The solemn atmosphere continued with the recognition of the long-
time organiser of the commemorations in Kućibreg, supporter of anti-
fascism and former mayor of Buje, Mr. Edi Andreašić. On behalf of the
Union of the Associations for the Values of the National Liberation Move-
ment of Slovenia, the President of the Association of anti-fascists, fight-
ers for the values of the National Liberation War and Veterans of Koper
presented him with the Golden Plate award. In a brief speech, he also
remembered that the Kućibreg fighters were initially Istrians and then
Croats, Slovenes and Italians.
Children of elementary schools from Oprtalj and Ankaran participated
in the cultural programme; Slovenian theatre actor Brane Grubar recited
the poem of Slovenian poet Srečko Kosovel. Another honorary speaker
was the President of the Istrian County who relied on similar Istrian
specifics as the speakers, especially the mayors, before him; his speech
was in the Croatian language. A point of special interest was his reflec-
tion on the governmental rejection of the proposal prepared in Istria for
the legal ban of the Ustasha symbols and salutation. He also emphasised
that there should be many commemorations such as the ones in Kućibreg
178
