Nikola
Ladika (born 1942)
1. Introduce yourself (write something about your region in which you have lived during the war and year of birth).
I am Nikola Ladika born on November 6th 1942 in a small village called Kamanje which is located in Karlovac region in today’s Croatia.
Prior to Second World War people in our region were mostly farmers, they were also developing some craftwork for home needs, the attempts at industrial development were unsuccessful. For special needs people went shopping to nearby bigger towns of Novo mesto or Karlovac, those two cities had besides shopping markets developed wood, textile, iron and leather industry. But because of the poverty and underdevelopment on both sides of river Kolpa people were leaving and immigrating to different European countries and all over North America. Some of them came back after a while and put all the savings into improving their economic situation (building a house, buying land, craftwork, etc.).
2. How old were you when the war started?
I was born two years into the war.
3. Did you know what was happening?
I was aware of what was happening in my surrounding after my second birthday. Because of the testimony of my parents and older brothers and sisters, a lot of things remained imprinted in my memory. I was told by other villagers that my family took shelter in our house several times. My parents wanted us (my brothers and sisters) to stay in groups because of the safety but we wanted that because we felt safe. Every now and then we could see soldiers walking down the village, they were either in small or large groups.
4. What kind of food did you have in that time, and did anything change during the war?We were living on a farm which made our lives a little bit easier. A bigger problem was sharing our food with soldiers which marched through our village. It was really hard to produced and process food. As children we had to help our parents in the fields (planting, harvesting) and sometimes we had to run home or find a shelter to hide from military action. As a child I could not believe that before the war my parents and siblings had eaten white bread. Because of small harvest of wheat latter on we only had black bread on our table. They told us, children, how was the food like before the war but I just knew how the food was then and it was really good to satisfy hunger. Those who were born during the war, like me, thought that it had to be like this.
5. How was the economy during the war? Did your family have enough money?
All people in our village were farmers. Compared with our neighbours we had (for that times) quite modern agriculture tools and other accessories. We cultivated our fields with the help of animals. Money was always the problem; it all depended on harvest, created surpluses and the buyers with the money.
6. Were you in school during the war, and if so, what changed?
During the war our school was closed. They opened it right after the end of war and there were pupils of different ages in one class, which created a lot of problems and tensions between pupils and teachers.
7. Were you afraid, and were your parents afraid?
I remember being scared often – on fields, at home during days and nights. There was always something that surprised us.
8. What was the most significant change that was caused by the war?
As I was too young I can only talk about changes my parents noted.
9. Any other war time memory you wish to share?
A lot of what was happening during Second World War can be also seen today from safe distance in areas of constant military conflicts. In Syria, Libya, Egypt, Afghanistan, 25 years ago it was again happening here and in neighbouring countries during the war in former Yugoslavia. Current wars are even worse, more destructive and dangerous for civilians. There can be no excuse for wars. They also cost billions and that money could be better spend for development and well-being of people.
Lojza
Ladika (born 1939)
1. Did you know what was happening?
Lojza was at the beginning of the war 6 years old, and at the end she was 10. She remembers soldiers staying in village. At the beginning there were mostly German and Italian corps but soon Partizans came and resist foreign aggressor soldiers. Unlike German and Italian soldiers there were locals who leaded unfair war for liberation. Our life changed with soldiers’ arrival.
2. What kind of food did you have in that time, and did anything change during the war?
At home and in all village people were home cooking peasant foods. Dishes from potato, peas, sour cabbage, turnip, barley, porridge and other home meals were cooked. Baking bread from black flour was everyday chore. Although there were a lot of kids at our house there was not any hunger.
3. Were you in school during the war, and if so, what changed?
In our village there was primary school of 4 classes and just two teachers. Lessons were taking place all the time during the war with occasional breaks for one day or a week when in our region held army battles. Only when Italy capitulated (1943) our school lessons were interrupted for one month.
4. Were you afraid, and were your parents afraid?
We were often afraid. We as a children were main observer dangerous situation whether there was overflight of enemy aircrafts, coming of enemy soldiers or artillery bombardment. Our village was several times artillery bombarded form enemy’s bases or air raids. Then we ran into shelters where we could hear bombardments even more and felt strong ground shaking.
Branko
Mlačak (born 1933)
1. Introduce yourself (write something about your region in which you have lived during the war and year of birth).
My name is Branko Mlačak (retired engineer of chemistry) born on June 18th 1933 in Kamanje (Croatia), a small village on the right side of Kolpa river that now serves as border between Slovenia and Croatia. My parents were farmers; they planted corn, wheat, barley, rye and grew potatoes and vegetables (peas, onions, lettuce, tomatoes and paprika) in the garden next to our house. In stable we had a cow and calves and also bulls for land cultivation. We lived in poverty, it was especially hard when drought came and there was not enough food for the family (parents, three children, two aunts and grandparents).
2. How old were you when the war started?
When the war started I was 8 years old. I was in second grade. I went to our school in village every day, but I didn't have notebooks, we had to write everything on small wooden boards. I also had to help on the farm, in mornings and afternoons we had to take our cattle to pasture.
3. Did you know what was happening?
At the beginning of the war the children of course didn't realize the seriousness of the situation. We heard from our parents and relatives that the war is coming. When Italian soldiers rolled into our village with weapons, tanks and other military equipment, we realized that the worse possible scenario is becoming a reality. Italian army built bunkers along the railway and other strongholds where armed soldiers were living.
4. What kind of food did you have in that time, and did anything change during the war?
Stores didn’t have many goods during the war, there was very little money. People relied heavily on what they produced at home. Since there were no artificial fertilizers, it was very hard to produce enough food during droughts to feed everybody. When my father joined Partisans (the resistance), everybody in the family including children had to work hard in the fields, pastures and vineyard. Neighbours and other relatives also helped us. Our soldiers were coming to village at night to get some food and that meant we had even less food, we lived really poorly and shared with our soldiers what we had. Potatoes, barley porridge, black bread, cabbage, beet was our regular food. We, the children, were almost cheering when there was milk, hard-boiled corn much or bread on the table. Eggs were sold for petroleum and oil, there was lack of salt and sugar. There were no sweets, juices, cakes or citrus fruit.
5. How was the economy during the war? Did your family have enough money?
The closest steel and leather factories and other small trade businesses were 25 kilometres away in Karlovac. A lot of factories in bigger cities were destroyed. Army industry started to grow. In almost all households money was running scarce. We got some money from selling eggs and chickens to occupying Italian soldiers.
My name is Branko Mlačak (retired engineer of chemistry) born on June 18th 1933 in Kamanje (Croatia), a small village on the right side of Kolpa river that now serves as border between Slovenia and Croatia. My parents were farmers; they planted corn, wheat, barley, rye and grew potatoes and vegetables (peas, onions, lettuce, tomatoes and paprika) in the garden next to our house. In stable we had a cow and calves and also bulls for land cultivation. We lived in poverty, it was especially hard when drought came and there was not enough food for the family (parents, three children, two aunts and grandparents).
2. How old were you when the war started?
When the war started I was 8 years old. I was in second grade. I went to our school in village every day, but I didn't have notebooks, we had to write everything on small wooden boards. I also had to help on the farm, in mornings and afternoons we had to take our cattle to pasture.
3. Did you know what was happening?
At the beginning of the war the children of course didn't realize the seriousness of the situation. We heard from our parents and relatives that the war is coming. When Italian soldiers rolled into our village with weapons, tanks and other military equipment, we realized that the worse possible scenario is becoming a reality. Italian army built bunkers along the railway and other strongholds where armed soldiers were living.
4. What kind of food did you have in that time, and did anything change during the war?
Stores didn’t have many goods during the war, there was very little money. People relied heavily on what they produced at home. Since there were no artificial fertilizers, it was very hard to produce enough food during droughts to feed everybody. When my father joined Partisans (the resistance), everybody in the family including children had to work hard in the fields, pastures and vineyard. Neighbours and other relatives also helped us. Our soldiers were coming to village at night to get some food and that meant we had even less food, we lived really poorly and shared with our soldiers what we had. Potatoes, barley porridge, black bread, cabbage, beet was our regular food. We, the children, were almost cheering when there was milk, hard-boiled corn much or bread on the table. Eggs were sold for petroleum and oil, there was lack of salt and sugar. There were no sweets, juices, cakes or citrus fruit.
5. How was the economy during the war? Did your family have enough money?
The closest steel and leather factories and other small trade businesses were 25 kilometres away in Karlovac. A lot of factories in bigger cities were destroyed. Army industry started to grow. In almost all households money was running scarce. We got some money from selling eggs and chickens to occupying Italian soldiers.
6. Were you in school during the war, and if so, what changed?
I went to school regularly, except when enemy planes were flying over our village and bombed some parts of the area. In 1943 bomb hit our house and injured my mother and killed my 4 year old brother Miško, who was collecting fire wood near the house. We also didn’t go to school if there was heavy fighting going on when our teachers and parents advised us to stay at home. We wrote our homework on small chalk boards. We couldn’t save our word as we had to clear our boards if we wanted to write something new on them.
7. Were you afraid, and were your parents afraid?
Armed soldiers, weapons, bombers, killed soldiers made everybody especially children afraid. I was deeply shaken and scared when my mother was injured and my brother killed. That tragedy left deep scars in our hearts and those horrible feelings never left us. As war went on we became stronger and fear was also gradually driven away. In a way you become immune to tragic events and accept war as something ordinary.
8. What was the most significant change that was caused by the war?
The lack of food, goods and sanitation. Death from war (bombs, weapons), death from hunger and diseases connected with hunger, poverty and bad hygiene. A lot of people suffered from scabbiness and many, also children in school, had lice. Death of my brother and relatives in war became inexhaustible source of memories and emotional scars. We grew up and became mature much sooner.
9. Any other war time memory you wish to share?
During the war I met our soldiers (Partisans) who fought for their country and freedom. I also met Italian soldier, our enemies, who fought in foreign country for political interests of their leaders. I realized they were basically tools, used by their leaders and politicians to achieve their goals. As a young boy I realized that all people of good will want to be free, masters on their own land, and live happily in friendship and love. Those values are the most efficient weapons against the war which is the greatest enemy of ideas of mutual love, friendship, coexistence and respect.
I went to school regularly, except when enemy planes were flying over our village and bombed some parts of the area. In 1943 bomb hit our house and injured my mother and killed my 4 year old brother Miško, who was collecting fire wood near the house. We also didn’t go to school if there was heavy fighting going on when our teachers and parents advised us to stay at home. We wrote our homework on small chalk boards. We couldn’t save our word as we had to clear our boards if we wanted to write something new on them.
7. Were you afraid, and were your parents afraid?
Armed soldiers, weapons, bombers, killed soldiers made everybody especially children afraid. I was deeply shaken and scared when my mother was injured and my brother killed. That tragedy left deep scars in our hearts and those horrible feelings never left us. As war went on we became stronger and fear was also gradually driven away. In a way you become immune to tragic events and accept war as something ordinary.
8. What was the most significant change that was caused by the war?
The lack of food, goods and sanitation. Death from war (bombs, weapons), death from hunger and diseases connected with hunger, poverty and bad hygiene. A lot of people suffered from scabbiness and many, also children in school, had lice. Death of my brother and relatives in war became inexhaustible source of memories and emotional scars. We grew up and became mature much sooner.
9. Any other war time memory you wish to share?
During the war I met our soldiers (Partisans) who fought for their country and freedom. I also met Italian soldier, our enemies, who fought in foreign country for political interests of their leaders. I realized they were basically tools, used by their leaders and politicians to achieve their goals. As a young boy I realized that all people of good will want to be free, masters on their own land, and live happily in friendship and love. Those values are the most efficient weapons against the war which is the greatest enemy of ideas of mutual love, friendship, coexistence and respect.
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