Slovenians in London 91-94

Slovenians in London 1991-1994
Grass-roots Activities for Slovenian Independence

The Slovenian Crisis Centre and the Slovenian Newsletter
Exhibition Catalogue
Jana Valencic and Miha Dobrin
A PERSONAL VIEW
The political and military events leading up to Slovenia’s

independence have been widely documented by the me-
dia. What was less well acknowledged were the activities
of Slovene citizens who were living abroad at the time.
This exhibition attempts to document the response of a

small group of Slovenes living in UK in 1991. The indi-
viduals concerned did not have close contact with each
other until events began to take place but were galvanised
into committed group action by shared concern over Slov-
enia.
As an Englisman married to a Slovene, I was able to make

relatively objective observations and watch this phenom-
enon of a pressure group action unfold, with a growing
admiration for not only the energy involved, but also of
the ability to negotiate and reach decisions rapidly. In my
view, this exhibition is not simply a record of events - it
is a small tribute to the individuals who took the time and
energy to participate and who did not merely stand back
passively.
This exhibition should not be viewed simply as an archive

- it points to the future, offering an example of how com-
mitted individuals and groups can actively take part in
society. By persistent pressure the will of people at grass
roots level can influence the decision makers, politically,
culturally and commercially.
This exhibition contains examples of grass roots action at

pressure group level, throught the Slovenian Crisis Cen-
tre and the Slovenian Newsletter, and at individual level,
throught the promotion of Slovenian culture and commerce
at Leighton House and St. John’s Smith Square (classical
and folk concerts), Liberty (Slovene design and produce)
and at the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford (kozolec).
The most effective democracies operate from grass roots

level, encouraging participation from “bottom up” to bal-
ance the tendency for “top down” decisions. This exhi-
bition should be regarded as an example of the value of
encouraging grass roots movements throughout Slovene
society.
In a country the size of Slovenia everybody should be en-

couraged to participate - maybe this exhibition can offer
some encouragement.
Michael Betts, 1994
FRONT COVER
Vigil in front of the Yugoslav Embassy in London on
30 June 1991. Photo: Miha Dobrin, 1991
Grass-roots Activities for Slovenian Independence:
Photo: Miha Dobrin, 1991. Source: Archive SNL
Exhibition Catalogue by Jana Valencic and Miha Dobrin

The authors wish to express our gratitude to the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia (Slovenian National Archives) and to
its Director Dr Matevz Kosir for their support throughout our work with the exhibition and accompanying documentation
Text
Jana Valencic, Dr. Marko Hawlina, Dr. Zvezdan Pirtosek, Michael Betts
Photography
Miha Dobrin, Vesna Azadi, Jana Valencic, Tomaz Rudolf, Janez Kovic, archive SCC/SNL
Published by
The Slovenian Newsletter London, and
Inštitut za kulturne stike / Institute for Cultural Connections, Portoroz
Sponsor Eka Valencic
Ljubljana 2008
“Slovenia at War”, front page of the Independent
on 28 June 1991
28 June 1991
(eye witness’ account) In the early morning

hours the Yugoslav Army attacked Slovenia.
The first war on European soil after the end of
the WWII sent a shock wave and immediately
echoed in the British media. We, Slovenian ex-
pats in London, instantly heard about the ag-
gression from our families, friends and contacts
back home. The news travelled with the speed
of light, often widely exaggerated, as we would
establish later, but originating from people we
cared about and who were fearful:
“Maribor, the second largest city in Slovenia is be-

ing bombed... Television studios are under attack...
Airports bombed ... Border crossings closed... On
the highway, a line of lorries with foreign drivers
was machine-gunned from the airplanes. Other
cities bombed... Yugoslav air force machine-gun-
ning anything in sight... Dr.Marko Hawlina called
for action: “High time for civil society to respond!
2 VI
Demonstrations in support of Slovenia will be at

Trafalgar Square on Sunday 7 July”... Yugoslav
soldiers are deserting from the army and giving
themselves up to the Slovenian Territorial Army...
Massive protests in aid of Slovenia all around the
world... Niki Kortvelyessy, Green Party interna-
tional coordinator will help set up the interviews...
Make placards, big and with bold lettering “Yugo-
slav tanks out of Slovenia”... Breakdown of peace
and order in Ljubljana...”
From Slovenia, my 83 years old father phoned

crying: “It is my third war, I am sitting on my suit-
case prepared to flee before bombs, again…” In
London, I could hear the wailing of sirens in the
background.
On that day, architects and medical doctors, writ-

ers and theatre producers, students, au-pairs, reti-
rees and business people from across the Slovenian
community in London, and their British spouses,
turned activists. The grass-roots action in support of
our homeland was born (jv1994).
Collected by Dr. Marko Hawlina, 1991. Source: Archive SNL
Exhibition Catalogue Credits of 1994 exhibition Slovenians in London
1991-1994: Grass-roots Activities for Slovenian
by Jana Valencic and Miha Dobrin Independence
Catalogue design The exhibition is based on the archive material of the

Jana Valencic (cover and texts) London-based Slovenian Crisis Centre action group and
Miha Dobrin (images) the Slovenian Newsletter. It was first shown in December
Photography 1994 at the World Slovenian Congress Hall in Ljubljana,
Miha Dobrin, Vesna Azadi, Jana Valencic, Tomaz accompanied by a catalogue.
Rudolf, Janez Kovic, archive SCC/SNL
The exhibition editorial group included Dr Zvezdan
Text Pirtosek, Dr Marko Hawlina, Miha Dobrin, Dr Polona
Jana Valencic, Dr Marko Hawlina, Dr Zvezdan Pir- Truden-Dobrin, Polonca Baloh Brown, Nada Rojnik Stone,
tosek, Michael Betts Breda Gajsek, Andrew Hartley, Tonci Cerar, Michael Bet-
ts, Jana Valencic, Ifigenija Zagoricnik-Simonovic. Con-
Editing
tributors to the first catalogue were Polonca Baloh Brown,
Jana Valencic
Michael Betts, Tonci Cerar, Frank Devlin, Miha Dobrin,
Proofreading Breda Gajsek, Dr Marko Hawlina, Dr Zvezdan Pirtosek,
SNL Marianne Plenicar Bailey, Dr Polona Truden, Jana Valen-
cic, Anica Wilkinson. Edited by Jana Valencic.
Production
Matej Petek, Galdesign
4 XXII
Material was also contributed by BBC World Service Slo-

Published by venian Section, David Bieda, Monsignor Stane Cikanek,
The Slovenian Newsletter London and John Corsellis, Boza Devlin, Gaby and Mike Fellows,
Inštitut za kulturne stike/ Evald Flisar, Keith and Slava Miles, Valentin Zdravko
Institute for Cultural Connections, Portoroz Mohar, Dusan Plenicar, Marianne Plenicar Bailey, Joe and
Ljubljana 2006, revised 2008. Maria Pogatchnik, Al Stone, Veseljko Simonovic, Rajko
Reissued in CD format for the mounting of the exhi- Vatovec, Igor Vrabec, Anica Wilkinson and others.
bition at the House of Commons, UK.
Sponsored by Eka Valencic Photographs: Miha Dobrin, Vesna Azadi, Jana Valencic,
SCC/SNL archive
The exhibition “Slovenians in London 1991-1994,
Grass-roots Activities for Slovenian Independence”, The first mounting in Ljubljana in 1994 was realised with
was originally mounted in 1994 from the archives of the support of The Slovenian Newsletter, London, World
the London based Slovenian Crisis Centre action group Slovenian Congress - Conference for Slovenia and Con-
and the Slovenian Newsletter. It was remounted to a ference for Great Britain, Slovenian National and Univer-
travelling format in 2006 by the Slovenian National Ar- sity Library (NUK), Ljubljana, the Dusan Cerne Library,
chives to mark the donation of the SCC/SNL archives Trieste. It was organised by Helena Drnovsek Zorko, Dr
to their collection. Irene Mislej, Marko Zorko
CIP - Kataložni zapis o publikaciji In 2006 the exhibition was remounted and a comprehen-
Narodna in univerzitetna knjižnica, Ljubljana
sive Chronicle of Activities was made possible by the
314.743(410.111=163.6)”1991/1994”(064) Slovenian National Archives to mark the donation of the
VALENČIČ, Jana
SCC/SNL archives to the Archive collection. A short exhi-
Slovenians in London 1991-1994 : grass-roots activities for Slovenian bition catalogue was published by the Institute for Cultural
independence : The Slovenian Crisis Centre and the Slovenian Connections, Portoroz.
Newsletter / exhibition catalogue by Jana Valencic and Miha Dobrin
; with contributions from Marko Hawlina, Zvezdan Pirtosek, Michael
Betts ; photography Miha Dobrin ... [et al.]. - Portorož : Inštitut za Exhibition design and A.D
kulturne stike = Institute for Cultural Connections ; London : The
Slovenian Newsletter, 2006
Miha Dobrin, u.d.i.a Mphil (AA)
ISBN-10 961-90862-1-X (Inštitut za kulturne stike)

ISBN-13 978-961-90862-1-6 (Inštitut za kulturne stike)
Exhibition concept and realisation
Jana Valencic, u.d.i.a M.Arch (Toronto)
1. Dobrin, Miha
229154304
© The Slovenian Newsletter London 1994
Photo: Miha Dobrin, 1991. Source: Archive SNL.
2 VI
“Slovenia at War”, front page of the Independent on (re-translation) “We worked very hard to make the
Contents
Panel Title
28 June 1991 name of Slovenia heard”

Panel Number
4 Credits Anica Wilkinson

5 XXII Grass-roots response on the attack on Slovenia.
6 About the Exhibition by Jana Valencic The war in Slovenia and subsequent events were of
Page
8 III Demonstration on 19 January in front of the Yugoslav special significance for the nascent Slovenian state
Embassy in London and her people. Simultaneously, these events were
10 IV Demonstration on 9 March 1991 at Trafalgar Square significant in the life of expatiate individuals, who
and a petition to the British Prime Minister away from motherland experienced moments of
12 V “Europe of a Hundred Flags”,
anger, worry, and fear – but also of hope and expec-
documents and cuttings
tation. At key moments individuals react in surpris-
14 VIII Hope against War Machine: Vigil in London
ing ways. In London - frantic with aggression on
on 30 June 1991
Slovenia – we responded with action.
16 VII Slovenian demonstration in front of the Yugoslav
Embassy in London on 30 June 1991
18 XV Attack on Slovenia in British Press and
This exhibition on Slovenians in London in 1991-
in the Parliament 1994 documents the response of a group of indi-
20 XI Founding and work of the Slovenian Crisis Centre 22 viduals to the war in Slovenia and its aftermath. It is
XII Key meeting of the Slovenian Crisis Centre neither a comprehensive nor definitive presentation
on 4 July 1991 of many activities which took place in London during
24 XVI Expressions of solidarity with Slovenian independence those fateful moments as it is based solely on the
6 VI
26 X Organisation of our demonstration material preserved in the archives of the Slovenian

28 XIII Sketch for the New Slovenian Flag Crisis Centre action group and the Slovenian News-
A Toast, Slovenian National Anthem letter. Other initiatives in aid of Slovenia which
30 XVIII Our demonstration at Trafalgar Square took place in London during that time but were not
on 7 July 1991 documented in our archives include the Slovenian
32 XVII In aid of Slovenia at Trafalgar Square on 7 July 1991 Information Office, the World Slovene Congress
34 XIX Our printer and Slovenian patriot Dusan Plenicar – Conference for UK, Slovenian Catholic Mission,
36 XX Plenicar’s Print and the work of many individuals.
38 XXIII Placards and T-shirts in support of
Slovenian independence This is simply a testimony of a group of individu-
40 XXIV Media coverage of our demonstrations als with different backgrounds, world views, and
42 XXV Giggly Breda Gajsek’s vigil in the Evening Standard work methods but united in support of Slovenian
44 XXVI “Our Breda” Gajsek’s months long vigil independence and her recognition both officially
46 XXIX Autumn 1991: bonding of the Slovenian Community and amongst the British public, initially hostile to
48 XXX Our cultural events in 1991 and 1992
the break-up of Yugoslavia.
50 XXVII Petitions and parliamentary lobbying
52 XXVIII British recognition of Slovenian independence
A precursor to these grass-roots initiatives was
54 XXXII Liberty’s “Putting Slovenia on the Map” poster
the lobbying, pressure and media contact group
56 XXXIV Slovenian design at Liberty in April and May 1993
under the name of the Committee for the Defence
58 XXXV Kozolecs in England in 1993 and 1994
60 XXXVI Assembly of “Liberty’s” kozolec in
of Democracy in Yugoslavia. Founded in 1988 in
Pitt Rivers Museum London by a few UK based Yugoslav intellectu-
62 XXXVII The Slovenian Newsletter als, the Committee lobbied politicians, personali-
64 Chronicle of Grass-Roots Activities for ties and organisations interested in developments in
Slovenian Independence the then Yugoslavia. The Committee included two
Slovenian medical doctors. Dr Zvezdan Pirtosek, a
ON THE INSIDE OF THE COVER - FRONT neurologist, was also connected with non-govern-
A Personal View by Michael Betts mental bodies and with the media, whilst Dr Marko
Hawlina, an ophthalmologist, had links with the
ON THE INSIDE OF THE COVER - BACK older Slovenian political emigration to the UK.
Authors’ and contributors’ details With escalating militarisation in Yugoslavia the two
doctors initiated grass-roots activities among Slove- Part of the community turned to relief initiatives
nians in London. for refugees in Slovenia whilst the SCC focused on
fundraising to clear its debts, petitioning and parlia-
In the light of events in Yugoslavia, the Committee mentary lobbying for British recognition of Slovenia.
organised a rally in front of the Yugoslav Embassy. It The lobbying of British parliamentarians led to the
took place on 30 January 1991, followed, on 9 March formation of a group of Slovenia-friendly MPs and
1991 by a demonstration at Trafalgar Square and subsequently to the establishment of the All Party
the delivery of a petition to 10 Downing Street, the Group for Slovenia in the British Parliament, which
official residence of the British Prime Minister. was founded in June 1992.
The Slovenian Declaration of Independence on 27 June With the international recognition of Slovenian in-
1991 triggered an immediate invasion of Slovenian dependence in the beginning of 1992 and the estab-
territory by the then Yugoslav Army. Pictures of tanks lishment of the Slovenian Embassy in Great Britain,
united Slovenian expatriates of different persuasions and group activities waned. Political activism was super-
catapulted us into action. The Slovenian Crisis Centre seded by cultural and community events, and image
(SCC), coordinator of media contacts was founded building campaigns aimed at educating the British
on 28 June. The ‘samizdat’ The Slovenian Newsletter public about Slovenia. Others decided to help the
(SNL) was founded on the following day, 29June 1991 war-affected areas of former Yugoslavia.
as a personal response to British public opinion, which
was generally hostile to the idea of Slovenian Indepen- These activities are documented in the papers of the
dence. Everyone responded in the manner in which he Slovenian Crisis Centre and material gathered by the
or she felt would be most efficient. Slovenian Newsletter as the chronicler of the events.
The documents were first mounted in the exhibition
The second rally in front of the Yugoslav Embassy “Slovenians in London 1991-1994” in December 1994
took place on 30 June 1991. The Crisis Centre’s at the premises of the World Slovenian Congress in
activity was helped by previous contacts established Ljubljana, later shown in other venues in Slovenia and
by the Committee for the Defence of Democracy amongst the Slovenian minority in Italy. In 2006, the
in Yugoslavia, and other existing networks. Group exhibition was remounted and a Chronicle of the Events
VI
actions included contacts with the media, parliamen- published to mark the donation of the SCC/SNL archive
tary lobbying, organisation of demonstrations and the to the Slovenian National Archives in Ljubljana.
bonding of Slovenian community in UK.
The exhibition in its travelling format and this
Our display of solidarity with Slovenia peaked with a catalogue show fewer panels than the original ex-
7 July demonstration at Trafalgar Square and another hibition and the chapter entitled ‘Exhibition of the
petition to Downing Street. Although the war in Chronicle’. The Roman numbers, shown in this
Slovenia was short-lived, we feared another Yugoslav catalogue alongside the description of each panel,
Army intervention in Slovenia. This sense of insecu- refer to the original display. Another departure from
rity was further fuelled by the Foreign Office’s advice the original is that this edition of the catalogue is in
against travelling to Slovenia. black and white whereas in the original, images are
in colour.
With the cessation of military activities in Slovenia
in summer 1991, group impetus started to wane but At this point I would like to thank everyone who
some of us wanted to continue in case the situation selflessly helped me with the production of this
worsened again. Another impetus was appeals catalogue. In particular I am indebted to the architect
from Slovenia, citing devastating damage caused and photographer Miha Dobrin for his photographs
by the war, economic blockade and the collapse of which convey the emotional charge of those times
tourism. Over the summer of 1991, we identified a and for the design of this exhibition which we can all
programme of support for Slovenia in the fields of be proud of. My deepest gratitude goes to Dr Marko
tourist promotion, business information, charity and Hawlina, Dr Zvezdan Pirtosek and Michael Betts for
cultural exchange. their wise comments. Above all, I would like to thank
the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia (Slovenian
In September 1991, regular monthly meetings were National Archives) and to its director Dr Matevz
started in the upper room of the Mason’s Arms pub in Kosir for their support throughout the preparation of
Central London. They aimed to help the community the Chronicle and the remounting of the exhibition.
preserve its sense of identity awoken by the crisis and Finally I wish to record my gratitude to Eka Valencic
bond the older, political emigration with the younger of the Institute for Cultural Connectiones for pub-
generation of economic migrants. These meetings lishing this catalogue.
were the forerunner of the British-Slovenian Society. Jana Valencic, 2006
19 January 1991 demonstration in front of the Yugoslav
Embassy in London
From the late 1980’s onward, members of the

Slovenian community in London were becoming
aware - some more, some less - of the deteriorat-
ing situation in the then Yugoslavia, a federation
of six republics (and initially, two autonomous
provinces) one of which was Slovenia. No collec-
tive uproar was in evidence until the morning
in mid-January 1991 when someone unknown to
many of us, Dr Marko Hawlina, cold-called Lon-
don Slovenes and invited us to the forthcoming
demonstration at the Yugoslav Embassy in West
London. It took place on Saturday, 19 January
1991 at 1pm and set the foundation of future or-
ganized grass-roots initiatives.
Dr Marko Hawlina recollects the atmosphere:

“Times have changed in Yugoslavia after Serbian
President Slobodan Milosevic turned the nations of
Yugoslavia against each other. Serbs, from the larg-
est nation in the Federation, dominated the Federal
Army, the fourth strongest military force in Europe
at that time. To Milosevic it must have seemed easy
to submit all smaller nations. With the slogan »wher-
8 III
ever there is a Serbian grave, there is Serbia« he

brainwashed the Serbian nation with a conviction
that their historical moment had arrived whilst the
“memorandum” of the Serbian Academy of Arts and
Sciences drew the “Serbian historical national bor-
der” that engulfed half of Bosnia and large parts of
Croatia.
I remember that political pressure was first exert-
ed through the socalled “Meetings of Truth” that
boiled Serbian ethnic emotions against other na-
tions. These meetings proclaimed that the Federal
Constitution of Tito’s Yugoslavia was unfair and that
Tito (himself of mixed Slovenian/Croat origin) had
been oppressing the Serbs. Pro-Milosevic’s crowds
were given bread and yoghurt after which this eerie
caravan, moving from town to town was nicknamed
the “yoghurt revolution”. Slovene authorities did
not allow the Serbian rally to be held in Slovenia
thus enraging Milosevic’s mob.
After the Slovenian condemnation of Serbian apart-
heid in Kosovo, the political atmosphere in Serbia
turned openly violent against Slovenia. Milosevic’s
rousing nationalistic speeches set the national emo-
tions ablaze and Slovenians felt that it was no lon-
ger an option for their republic to remain within
Milosevic’s Yugoslavia. When provocations of the
so-called Federal Army turned openly pro-Serbian
in Kosovo and in Croatia, we in London felt the need
to do something, to tell the British that the evil was
on its way” (mh2006).
Photo: Archive SNL (author unknown), 1991. Source: Archive SNL.
9 March 1991 demonstration at Trafalgar Square and
delivery of a petition to the British Prime Minister
As the Yugoslav Federal army, though formally

impartial, started to side with Milosevic’s Serbia,
the London based “Committee for the Defence
of Democracy in Yugoslavia” geared up for ac-
tion. Their first mass manifestations were the
demonstrations on 19 January 1991 in front of
the Yugoslav Embassy in London and a letter to
the editor in the Guardian on 6 February 1991.
Their second demonstration on 9 March at Tra-
falgar Square was followed by the delivery of a
petition to the British Prime Minister.
Dr Marko Hawlina was one of the founding members

of the Committee for the Defence of Democracy in
Yugoslavia, initially a lobbying, pressure and media
contact group. It was initiated in the late 1980’s by a
group of London residing intellectuals from various
parts of Yugoslavia.
In Dr Hawlina’s words: “As the Yugoslav Federal
Army became openly pro-Serbian in Croatia and
Kosovo we started to take more determined political
actions. The Committee held regular meetings at dif-
ferent parts of London. We spent countless evenings
10 IV
brainstorming with (Dr) Zvezdan Pirtosek at a Chi-

nese restaurant at Charing Cross (a street in Cen-
tral London) and many discussions at (Dr) Drago
Stambuk’s home (Dr Stambuk subsequently became
the Croatian ambassador in UK, India and Japan).
Drago was an infectologist working with AIDS pa-
tients in one of London’s hospitals, a poet and a sen-
sitive patriot. Other members were (Dr) Ramadan
Berisha, also a medical doctor representing Kosovo
and Branka Magas, a refined and clear-minded Cro-
atian lady and the only non-medical member of the
core committee.
We sensed then what would happen. We all had this
apocalyptic vision of the future, which became real,
only in much more cruel ways than any of us could
have predicted. The military might of the Federal
Army was waiting to be unleashed. At the Committee
we felt an urge to access important people and Brit-
ish political parties.
We told them that what seemed to be skirmishes and
nationalist provocations were just the beginnings of a
catastrophe. In our view, the European Union should
have been giving a clear message to Slobodan Milos-
evic not to use the Federal Army against other Yugo-
slav nations thus preventing the war. We wrote letters
to MP’s, political parties, we informed the media and
civil society, we wrote letters to the newspapers… but
nobody really listened. Nobody really cared - until
that June when Slovenia was attacked and the army
machinery was set on its evil way” (mh2006).
Photo: Vesna Azadi, 1991, and Archive SNL (author unknown), 1991. Source: dr. Marko Hawlina and Archive SNL.
“Europe of a Hundred Flags”: documents and cuttings
related to 9 March 1991 demonstrations
Simultaneously with Slovenia gaining her independ-

ence from the increasingly volatile Yugoslav Fed-
eration, another tectonic shift was occurring, albeit
within a Slovenian nation ideologically split since
the Second World War. The generation that had
to flee from the Yugoslav regime was fiercely anti-
communist, deeply Catholic and demonstratively
patriotic. To the liberal generations that grew up
under Tito’s dictum “Brotherhood and Unity”, with
his denouncement of every manifestation of national
identity as deplorable ”chauvinism”, any demon-
stration of patriotic feelings was distasteful. It took
the ultimate threat of the destruction of Slovenia for
the two factions to find common ground.
On 11 March 1991 the leading Slovenian daily pa-

per Delo published the article “Europe of a Hundred
Flags” reporting on the pro-democracy demonstra-
tion at Trafalgar Square on 9 March 1991 which was
organized by the Committee for the Defence of De-
mocracy in Yugoslavia. The report by Delo’s London
correspondent Alja Kosak analysed the incident in the
Slovenian community over the Slovene flag. From
12 V
this experience we all learned the value of tolerance

and acceptance of our differences if Slovenia were to
pull together.
As Dr Marko Hawlina, one of the organizers of that
rally recollects, ”Indeed, the story about these flags
was tragic-comical. So many flags in Europe and
no flag of our own (or rather, two flags too many)!”
The flag of the Yugoslav republic of Slovenia had
three colours, from the top white, blue and red, with
a big red five-pointed star in the middle. In March
1991 it still counted as the official Slovenian flag.
Understandably, our post -WWII emigrants never
accepted the red-starred flag. Their Slovenian flag
from before WWII had a plain tricolour design (as
today’s Russian flag).
As the Slovenian Catholic priest in London learned
that there would be many red starred-flags at the
demonstration he was reportedly so upset - under-
standably from his generation’s traumatic experi-
ences- that he discouraged his followers from at-
tending the rally and refused to march behind the
red-starred flag.
Many Slovenes disappointedly stayed at home whilst
the more open-minded came carrying the »Russian«
flag. In a letter to the priest we tried to explain that
these were new times, and as Zvezdan (Dr Pirtosek)
said in his speech at the demonstration: ‘Europe
should be a territory of a hundred flags….’ And we
said to the people: please come with any flag you
wish but do come and say that you care about the
future, not the past” (mh2006).
Source: Archive SNL
Vigil in front of the Yugoslav Embassy in London
on 30 June 1991
Overnight, Slovenia was at war. A tiny republic,

in size and population akin to Wales, was at-
tacked by the fourth biggest army in Europe.
The international community was aghast. It was
impotent. Moreover, countries like Britain resist-
ed the idea of the break up of Yugoslavia. But the
more pragmatic politicians offered hope: “The
time has passed when you could keep a country
together by shooting its citizens” (Douglas Hurd,
British Foreign Secretary, interviewed on BBC 1
On the Record on 30 June 1991). I made the note
of it with tears in my eyes.
It was not an easy time to be a Slovenian. On 3 July,

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Douglas
Hurd said in Parliament: “The position in Yugo-
slavia remains dangerous. This morning events in
Slovenia and Croatia were escalating out of control,
and the army is no longer under the effective con-
trol of the political authorities. A large number of
armoured vehicles left Belgrade early this morning,
moving towards Croatia and Slovenia. There can be
14 VIII
little doubt that the Yugoslav army… are intent on

further military missions against Slovenia. This ac-
tion disregards international opinion and overturns
the ceasefire agreement negotiated over the week-
end by the two EC troika missions…”
We could not passively accept the destruction of our
country. The Yugoslav army attack on Slovenia be-
came every London Slovenian’s personal war. They
were in the wrong. We were right.
“IMPORTANT MESSAGE. Our lawyers have clari-
fied the Yugoslav Ambassador’s mis-interpretation
of the Yugoslav constitution. The agreement required
is not whether or not to secede but HOW to secede.
Slovenians are acting lawfully. The Federal Govern-
ment is acting unlawfully. The army is out of control
(The Slovenian Newsletter No.2, 3 July 1991, p.3).
And on the same page: We must unite to present a
single strong voice for Slovenia. And also: “Vigil
in front of the Yugoslav Embassy is every day from
10 am to 7 pm. For more information please contact
Breda Gajsek, telephone…”
Some of us wrote to the FCO (British Foreign Min-
istry). The answers were polite and polished but
non-committing, some blurb about the EC. Our only
chance was to appeal to British public opinion.
Demonstration in front of the Yugoslav Embassy
in London on 30 June 1991
The most amazing aspect of the Slovenian grass-

roots response was its spontaneity. With hardly
any coordination, people intuitively acted in sync
with the rest. In the tiny Slovenian community
in London, the word got round: “On 30 June in
front of the Yugoslav Embassy”. People brought
candles and placards but no flags. The old Slov-
enian flag was discredited and in the first days of
the new country, no new flags could be found in
London.
With the Yugoslav Army attack on Slovenia in

the early morning on 28 June 1991, the Slovenian
community in London instantly rose in support of
its beleaguered homeland. On the same day, three
London based Slovenes: Polonca Baloh Brown
a theatre producer; the writer Evald Flisar and a
medical doctor, Dr Zvezdan Pirtosek, met in the
Brown’s house in North London and founded the
Slovenian Crisis Centre: “… because my husband
had a fax machine”, later recollected the theatre
producer. The Crisis Centre set itself the mandate
of informing the British media and the public on
16 VII
events in Slovenia, and to coordinate the informa-

tion. Appeals by phone and by fax, from individu-
als, organisations and institutions were pouring in,
pleading: “Help us notify the world public...”
The next day, after a sleepless night and unaware
of the initiative in North London, Jana Valencic, an
architect, founded the Slovenian Newsletter with
the aim of providing organised communication for
the Slovenian community. The first issue was pub-
lished on the following day, on 30 June 1991 and
distributed to a small crowd of Slovenian protesters
in front of the Yugoslav Embassy in West London
(featured above). The Newsletter soon ran out and
was replenished on the nearby hotel photocopier.
Candles were lit on the stairs leading to the Embassy
door, the media in attendance. An elderly Slovenian
lady was collecting voluntary contributions. Some-
one else sent around a sheet of paper to gather ad-
dresses. A petition was handed to the Embassy duty
official, a copy sent to the then British Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs Douglas Hurd, and the US
State Department Secretary James Baker.
Photo: Miha Dobrin, 1991, and Archive SNL (author unknown), 1991. Source: Archive SNL
Attack on Slovenia in the British press:
articles and letters
The British media immediately seized upon the

newsworthiness of the first war on European soil
since WWII. Before the era of rolling news and
the Internet, our sources of information were,
apart from messages from Slovenia, regular
radio and television broadcasts - some at very
early hours - and the newspapers. Compre-
hensive clipping by Dr Marko Hawlina, Anica
Wilkinson, the Hartley family and others helped
us to trace the shifting British view on the Yugo-
slav crisis.
Some of the key spokesmen on Slovenia in UK

were Dr Zvezdan Pirtosek and Dr Marko Hawlina.
Through their Committee for the Defence of De-
mocracy in Yugoslavia they had established con-
tacts with political and academic communities, and
the media. However, as Dr Pirtosek recollects, “The
British media had an appallingly bad grasp of the
situation in Yugoslavia”.
The impotence of the European Union however was
clear. A cartoon published in the Independent on 1
July 1991 featured a cattle-truck with ‘Yugoslavia’
18 XV
written on it, loaded with peasants. Two of them,

identified as ‘Slovenia’ and ‘Croatia’ had escaped
but were caught and beaten by a giant ‘Serbia’
whilst a character in a business suit and clutching a
bag embossed with EU crest was of looking at the
scene with bewilderment.
The battle for British public opinion was fought
through the pages of Letters to the Editor. Three
days into the war the Guardian published Dr Pir-
tosek’s rhetorical question to the British Prime
Minister: “(For Slovenia) to become independent is
not a secessionist decision for politicians, it is the
will of nearly 90 per cent of the people. Would you,
Mr. Major, ignore such a result in your country?”
Three days later Dr Marko Hawlina wrote in the
Independent: “Is it possible that in 1991 in the mid-
dle of Europe, people must die to prove that their
nation deserves the basic right of self-determina-
tion?”
Dr Hawlina shared the page with letters by a
Slovenian academic; a group of Slovenian writers
emphasising that Slovenia was at war with the Yu-
goslav Army and expressed sympathy with ordinary
soldiers; a Ukrainian expat calling on EU govern-
ments to re-evaluate their insistence on “territorial
integrity”; and a plea from Ghana to Europe “not to
allow Slovenia to be overrun by Balkan Stalinists”.
But there were also letters, articles, broadcasts and
debates with dramatically different views.
Source: Archive SNL
The Slovenian Crisis Centre
On 28 June, on the day of the Yugoslav Army at-

tack on Slovenia, a group of three met in North
London. A theatre producer, a writer and a med-
ical doctor felt that in view of British leaders and
the general public’s hostility to the idea of Slov-
enian secession it was paramount to receive and
forward the information about the real situation
in Slovenia, leading to ”traumatic and sleepless
weeks” (Polonca Baloh Brown).
As Polonca Baloh Brown, the theatre producer

in whose living room in North London the Crisis
Centre was founded, wrote: “…Our instinctive re-
sponse was that we must do something to inform
the public on the background of the situation, about
which nothing was known and to which the Brit-
ish government responded with view of supporting
status quo… One of our major aims was to collect
information from hour to hour and to disseminate it
to any public individual or media organisation we
could contact. The urgent need was to balance per-
ceptions of recent Yugoslav history and the position
20 XI
of Slovenia in it, resulting in its independence”.

“The response was extraordinary, with TV crews
disrupting the quiet suburban area we lived in”,
wrote Polonca Baloh Brown, whilst “more and
more Slovenes came to the house offering help,
information and ideas”. On 4 or 5 July, Polonca
Truden Dobrin, a medical doctor and Miha Dobrin,
an architect, found a vacant office above Adria Air-
ways in Central London where the Crisis Centre
then resided until February 1992.
As recorded in the SCC papers, members of the
Slovenian community instantly turned into media
figures. Not only Dr. Zvezdan Pirtosek, who recol-
lects both himself and Evald Flisar appearing on
various channels (BBC, Sky, ITN, TVam), but also
a nurse, a translator and an office executive were all
interviewed by British media.
“6 July: Boza Devlin will be today at 6 pm on ITV.
Breda Wilkinson was there yesterday, where is she
today? - Gaby Fellows is today on Breakfast AM,
Dr Pirtosek on TVam. - Slovenian Saturday School
was shown on TV. - Polona (Baloh Brown) and Jana
(Valencic) are having a radio interview with Angela
Rippon…”
On the day of our demonstration 7 July 1991, the
EU brokered moratorium pushed Slovenia off the Dr Zvezdan Pirtosek on British television (TVam)
main news. The media appetite for Slovenian ama- in the first days of the war in Slovenia (Still from a
teur spokespersons diminished but not the need to video clip. Source: Dr Zvezdan Pirtosek 1991, and
keep Slovenia on the British agenda. Archive SNL)
A key meeting of the Slovenian Crisis Centre
on 4 July 1991
Key operational decisions for the organisation

of the demonstrations were discussed and de-
cided at this meeting in a private house in West
London on the evening of 4 July 1991. They in-
cluded a briefing on press contacts, slogans to be
printed on placards, security and coordination
of stewards, sale of merchandise, and assistance
to Slovenes stranded in London.
Dr Zvezdan Pirtosek, one of the founders of the

SCC observed late in 1991: “One of the great val-
ues of such grass-roots movements (as the Crisis
Centre with all its subdivisions was) is their spon-
taneity and freedom, expressed through democratic
and non-institutionalised structure, the gratuitous
origin and unforced, logical disappearance; and
above all, independent, honest and highly motivated
spirit of people who are brought together by com-
mon concern”,
The 4 July 1991 meeting is one of the few minuted
Crisis Centre gatherings, by Nadja Rojnik Stone. As
22 XII
not many records of Crisis Centre day-to day man-

agement have been preserved this meeting can serve
as an insight to its decision making processes.
Opinions vary as to what the SCC was, who be-
longed to it and when it was dissolved. It was
not an organisation; it had no formal leaders, no
membership, no long-term programme and very
few scheduled meetings. The changing core group
reflected different initiatives, which attracted differ-
ent participants.
Initially focused on media briefing, it soon evolved Line drawing: Jana Valencic. Source: Archive SNL
into a fluid concept around which ideas and people
rallied. It remained as such long after the majority
withdrew. The most reliable evidence of its work-
ings are financial records but they exclude all initia-
tives which didn’t come with a bill or an invoice and
of which there were many - such as “Our Breda’s”
vigil documented elsewhere.
The Crisis Centre had a wide orbit and some activi-
ties were co-ordinated from elsewhere, from offices
as well as living rooms. The seat of the Newsletter
and of the Demonstration Organising Committee
was at Jana Valencic’s Russell Court flat, whilst
for a period, much of the networking, lobbying and 1- Evald Flisar, 2- Nadja Rojnik Stone, 3- Polona Truden Dobrin,
4-Jana Valencic, 5- dr. Zvezdan Pirtosek, 6- dr. Marko Hawlina,
masterminding was done from Dr Hawlina’s and Dr 7- Andrew Hartley, 8- Nataša Kormanic, 9- Christopher Long.
Pirtosek’s hospitals. Photo: Miha Dobrin
Expressions of support for Slovenia
The foundations of Crisis Centre lobbying were

set previously by the Committee for the Defence
of Democracy inYugoslavia which existed from
the late 1980’s until the war in Slovenia. Their
previous contacts, with parliamentary and
non-parliamentary parties, non-governmental
organisations and various interest groups, were
called upon to rally support for independence
for Slovenia.
Regrettably few records have been saved, consider-

ing the relevance of the Committee for subsequent
grass-roots initiatives - “lost in the tempest of times”
(Dr Zvezdan Pirtosek). We were able, however, to
identify support from the Welsh National Party in
the run-up to the 9 March 1991 and later from the
Scottish National Party.
Considerable support was offered by the British
Green Party’s spokesperson on foreign affairs, both
before and after secession. She co-ordinated media
contacts, set up parliamentary links and organised
24 XVI
letters of protest to the Yugoslav Ambassador. Dr

Pirtošek was also involved in setting up an organi-
sation of stateless nations to parallel the United Na-
tions. At the 7th July Trafalgar Square demonstra-
tions their representatives such as Sikhs and Kurd-
ish offered support. The Office of Tibet sent a letter
supporting Slovenia through the Greens.
The attitude of the three big parliamentary parties
varied. Liberal Democrats and their Leader Paddy
Ashdown were supportive. Sir Russell Johnston,
Lib Dem PM and their spokesman on foreign af-
fairs demonstrated a touching concern for Slovenia.
The Conservative Party was cautiously sympathetic
apart from the extremely friendly William Powell
MP for Corby. The British Left however had most
difficulties with Slovenian secession although some
MPs showed individual support.
Interest in Slovenia was shown by individual digni-
taries such as the retired Archbishop of Canterbury
Lord Robert Runcie who had been a tank command-
er during the WWII and in 1946 a member of the
Italo-Yugoslav Border Commission. Another event
in mid-July 1991 was Crown-Prince Alexander of
Yugoslavia’s invitation to Dr Hawlina and Dr Pir-
tosek to talk about the future of ‘Yugoslav nations’
and ‘democracy’.
Organisation of 7 July Trafalgar Square 1991
Slovenian demonstration
The 7 July Trafalgar Square Slovenian demon-

stration was initiated immediately after the Yu-
goslav Army attack on Slovenia on 28 June. The
organisation, which ran in parallel with other
initiatives such as media briefing and lobbying,
was a test in endurance and lack of sleep. Apart
from paperwork, lining up the speakers, and lo-
gistics, it had to deal with very pragmatic issues
of finding money to finance the event, a crash-
course in fundraising.
By the morning of Monday, 1 July 1991, grass-roots

activities were in top gear. (Excerpts) “Took unpaid
leave from work.. Every hour more notices, phone
numbers, reminders, letters were pasted on the wall.
In the Parliament we visited Daffydd Wigley, the
Leader of the Welsh National Party and Margaret
Ewing, MP for the Scottish National Party. Booked
loudspeakers for the press conference. Designing
posters for Plenicar to print. The Brown’s house re-
porting to be inundated with messages and media
requests. At the Newsletter we will print T-shirts and
badges to finance the organisation. Calling around
26 X
we feel London is with us – people are stunned by

pictures of tanks. For our T-shirts we got the best
deal in town. Put a paid-for ad in the papers an-
nouncing our demonstration. The Guardian was
already full, The Times accepted. Opened a bank
account at my local Lloyds. Called representatives
of the five Slovenian companies for a suggested do-
nation of £200 to £300. One refused whilst Mr Fux
of Adria Airways offered more: “Write on the re-
ceipt ‘for publicity’”. Who is dealing with the peti-
tion? Polytechnic of Central London Student Union
offered help with the sale of merchandise, pasting
posters, stewarding the demonstration. Polona
Truden Dobrin’s been organising the demonstration
permit. Zvezdan’s compiling the list of speakers…
Hundreds of phone calls. Andrew Hartley, married
to a Slovenian wants to organise a petition. We’ll
need some cellular phones (this was before mo-
biles). 1000 badges, 100 T-shirts and 500 placards
ordered. 1200 badges delivered, the excess 200 are
their contribution to our cause. How many poles
should we buy? Who is collecting the placards? The
EU is divided down the middle over Slovenian inde-
pendence…” (jv1991).
(A full version of this recollection (in Slovenian) is found in the
Chronicle, 2006, pp.86-123)
Source: Archive SNL
Sketch for the new Slovenian flag by Miha Dobrin
The old Slovenian flag became redundant with The Slovenian National Anthem A Toast
the proclamation of independence whilst none of
The vintage, friends, is over,
the new design was available in London. In the And here sweet wine makes, once again,
very first days of the crisis Miha Dobrin made Sad eyes and hearts recover,
this sketch for the new Slovenian flag based on a Puts fire into every vein.
fax from Ljubljana. He also drafted a cut for the Drowns dull care
Everywhere
new flag, which was reprinted in the 2nd issue of And summons hope out of despair.
the Slovenian Newsletter on 3 July 1991, to en-
courage the community to make the new flag. To whom with acclamation
And song shall we our first toast give?
God save our land and nation
And all Slovenes where’er they live,
Slovenians are not a flag waving nation and certain- Who own the same
ly the younger generation of liberal intellectuals that Blood and name,
at that time inspired the grass-roots movement in And who one glorious Mother claim.
London would in normal times subscribe to “patri- Let thunder out of heaven
otism-lite”. Slovenian ex-pats rarely seek the com- Strike down and smite our wanton foe!
pany of compatriots, never drape themselves in the Now, as it once had thriven,
national flag and perform the National Anthem very May our dear realm in freedom grow.
May fall the last
sparingly – albeit the Slovenian National Anthem is Chains of the past
one of a kind. It is a toast: Which bind us still and hold us fast!
God’s blessing on all nations Let peace, glad conciliation,
Who long and work for that bright day Come back to us throughout the land!
28 XIII
When o’er earth’s habitations Towards their destination

Let Slavs henceforth go hand-in-hand!
No war, no strife shall hold its sway Thus again
Who long to see Will honour reign
That all men free To justice pledged in our domain.
No more shall foes, but neighbours be!*
To you, our pride past measure,
Most Slovenes of that liberal generation considered Our girls! Your beauty, charm and grace!
nationalism distasteful. It took a crisis of tectonic There surely is no treasure
To equal maidens of such race.
proportions to press us Slovenes into publicly dem- Sons you’ll bear,
onstrating our sense of national identity - momen- Who will dare
tarily - and rally behind the flag. Defy our foe no matter where.
With the June 91 war, the flag of the Yugoslav repub- Our hope now, our to-morrow -
lic of Slovenia no longer represented the symbol of The youths - we toast and toast with joy.
the nation. In the run up to the proclamation of inde- No poisonous blight or sorrow
pendence, a new flag had been chosen. It was com- Your love of homeland shall destroy.
With us indeed
mercially produced and available at the secession in You’re called to heed
Ljubljana but not in London. For our demonstration Its summons in this hour of need.
at Trafalgar Square we had to make it.
The first documented hand made flag in London God’s blessing on all nations,
Who long and work for that bright day,
was sewn by the Hartley family, with the little stars, When o’er earth’s habitations
Mount Triglav and sea waves in the crest, cut out of No war, no strife shall hold its sway;
gold coloured paper, and attached with glue. It has Who long to see
since been deposited within the Slovenian National That all men free
No more shall foes, but neighbours be.
Archive.
At last to our reunion -
*The Slovenian National Anthem, originally A Toast (1844) To us the toast! Let it resound,
Lyrics by Dr France Preseren (1800-1849) Since in this gay communion
Set to music by Stanko Premrl in 1905 By thoughts of brotherhood we’re bound
Declared the Slovenian National Anthem (Stanza 7) in Sep- May joyful cheer
tember 1989 Ne’er disappear
Translated by Janko Lavrin From all good hearts now gathered here.
Author: Miha Dobrin, 1991. Source: Archive SNL
Trafalgar Square on 7 July 1991
The event is covered extensively by photographs

and a list of speakers exists but not much in
term of written records, just memories, vague
through exhaustion. For onlookers it would look
like another Trafalgar Square rally, another
sequence of speakers, applauses, readings, and
a National Anthem. For us it felt different. We
had a new flag, a new National Anthem (albeit
upgraded from a Toast), a new identity and a
brand new state.
It was a sunny Sunday, the pinnacle of a frantic

week-long effort to rally support for Slovenia and to
organise this demonstration. As a white sheet with
big letters written on it: “Against aggression and for
self-determination” was being fixed to the base of
Nelson’s Column, a group of Croats gate-crashed
our demonstration – or so we felt, having done all
the preparatory work ourselves. They brought to the
podium an even longer piece of fabric with bigger
and bolder letters than those on our banner, and oth-
ers climbed up with Croatian flags.
30 XVIII
Speakers included Sir Russell Johnston, Deputy

Leader and Spokesman on Europe for the Liberal
Democrat Party, the first British politician to have
backed independent Slovenia; maverick Labour MP
Ken Livingstone, one of the few Left politicians at
the time to support Slovenian secession; Niki Ko-
rtvelyessy, the fairy godmother of Slovenian grass-
roots action represented the Green Party. Then our
own Dr.Marko Hawlina followed by the National
Anthem plus an unscheduled but moving address by
a Slovenian government minister.
There were also representatives of would-be nations
and some groups, unknown to most of us. Then
letters of support received from the President of
Lithuania; Paddy Ashdown, leader of the Liberal-
Democratic Party; Vice Chairman of the Conserva-
tive Party; The Scottish National Party; the Office of
Tibet; and Keith Miles, a “Slovenian by marriage”,
the Honorary Secretary of the Slovenian Repre-
sentative Office, the unofficial Slovenian Embassy
located in the office of Gorenje, a Slovenian white
goods maker.
At the end, the petition to John Major, the Prime
Minister was read and we walked to Downing Street
to deliver it.
Trafalgar Square, July 1991 – an English point of view
The 7 July Trafalgar Square demonstration at-

tracted an eclectic crowd of UK based Slovenians
as well as those stranded in London by the closure
of the Yugoslav borders. There were British family
and friends of Slovenians and also people express-
ing sympathy for the country at war and others
in solidarity, themselves belonging to stateless na-
tions. Michael Betts remembers:
“As an Englishman married to a Slovene my response

to the demonstration against Slobodan Milosevic’s
tactics towards minorities in Yugoslavia could be
regarded as being a little more objective than most
Slovenes during that emotional time. I was aware of
the developments that lead up to Slovene secession
and particularly aware of the motives behind Milose-
vic’s nationalist politics. His aggressive behaviour in
stirring up hatred against Albanians in Kosovo was
repulsive to my ‘liberal’ outlook – I felt that I could
understand some of the anxiety felt by Slovenes at the
32 XVII
time and I therefore eagerly participated in the events

in Trafalgar Square.
The atmosphere was full of energy and camaraderie
and had that sense of solidarity that must have given
Slovenes terrific encouragement. There were banners
and the new Slovene flag but little evidence of over-
zealous nationalism – more a celebration of Slovene
patriotism at another challenging time in that re-
gion’s history. Trafalgar Square that afternoon was a
colourful and excited place. Looking into the crowd
of several hundred assembled below Nelson’s Col-
umn I saw drawn together an eclectic collection – the
older generation of Slovenes who had been through
similar situations before; younger Slovenes for whom
this was unknown territory: even a group of onlook-
ers dressed as Chetniks, apparently flown in the day
before from Belgrade to heckle the speakers.
Standing to one side on the podium next to those
stone lions I felt admiration for those people who had
channelled their strength of feeling into such a well-
organised and peaceful event – visible evidence of the
ability of people to get together at grassroots level
and produce effective results” (mb2006).
Our printer Dusan Plenicar at Trafalgar Square
on 7 July 1991
The Crisis Centre benefactor, printer and Slov-

enian patriot Dusan Plenicar arrived at the
Slovenian demonstration at Trafalgar Square on
7 July 1991 after a sleepless night which he spent
printing, with his wife Elisabeth, the two thou-
sand copies of the Newsletter issue No.3, one of
which he is featured holding in his hand.
The Crisis Centre was set up by a group of young

intellectuals, but immediately it became a focus for
the Slovenian community at large. One of our most
dedicated supporters was the printer, Slovenian pa-
triot and devout Christian Dusan Plenicar, a mem-
ber of the older emigration of political refugees
who fled to the UK after the Second World War.
Plenicar, a widely respected democrat and anti-
communist had been politically active all of his
life and to disseminate his ideas and views, made
a living by running a commercial printing shop in
34 XIX
Enfield, North London.

Although most of the Crisis Centre group belonged
to a different generation and often had a different
world view from his own, Plenicar was impressed
by our enthusiasm to help the homeland. He offered
to print all of our promotional material including
leaflets, placards and the Newsletter for free. On the
picture above he is featured during our demonstra-
tion at Trafalgar Square and holding a copy of the
Newsletter No.3. The blueprint for it was delivered
to him the previous day (he came by bicycle to meet
us at Enfield train station) and both he and his wife
Elisabeth printed all through the night to deliver it
on the morning of the demonstration. On another
picture, he is seen surrounded by his placards in
vivid colours.
Plenicar was a candle burning at both ends for his
beloved Slovenia and he died of overwork in De-
cember 1992. To celebrate his memory, we donated
an artwork to Westminster Cathedral and dedicated
to him our exhibition on Slovenes in London, which
we mounted in 1994 in Ljubljana.
Plenicar’s print for the
Slovenian Crisis Centre
Although the Slovenian Crisis Centre was a tiny

and penniless group it stood out with its colour-
ful printed material, which - after the Crisis
Centre instructions - was executed, printed and
sponsored by the elderly Slovenian émigré, dis-
tinguished campaigner for democracy and pro-
fessional printer Dusan Plenicar.
One of the Crisis Centre’s most enduring visual

legacies is the printed material, be it posters, plac-
ards or handouts, printed in striking colours, as well
as early issues of the Newsletter, all designed and
produced professionally by Dusan Plenicar. As
a seasoned political émigré, he was aware of the
power of the written word. He immediately agreed
to help the Crisis Centre by printing professionally
whatever was needed, for free.
The wording sent to him from the Crisis Centre
originated from various sources and were sent to
print without questioning their precise significance.
36 XX
Time was a luxury. A young Cambridge based

business correspondent, for example, sent to the
Centre a fax with an appeal against the humiliation
of Slovenia and for free enterprise. Although free
enterprise was not an issue for the Crisis Centre,
the text was printed at the back of one of the peti-
tions and sent around the country. Similarly, a flyer
with the date and the venue of the demonstration
included the committee worded demand for basic
human rights, FREEDOM and DEMOCRACY. It
was printed in several thousand copies, by Plenicar
on paper in two shades of green, remnants from his
commercial contracts.
Plenicar’s most striking contribution to the Crisis
Centre’s visual imagery were his placards for the
Trafalgar Square demonstrations. The slogans were
agreed by the core of the Crisis Centre at the 4 July
meeting and included Two Million United People
Cannot Be Wrong, Keep Slovenia Free, and for
some reason Thank You Britain. Plenicar designed
and printed them in bold black letters on Day-glo
paper in yellow, red and bright green.
Author: Dusan Plenicar, 1991. Source: Archive SNL
Placards and T-shirts at Trafalgar Square
on 7 July 1991
More than any other grass-roots action in sup-

port of Slovenian independence in London, the
Trafalgar Square demonstration on 7 July 1991
was a novel experience for most of the partici-
pants. Slovenians very seldom display patriotic
sentiments. Or was it because – based on anecdo-
tal evidence – some of the most overtly patriotic
“Slovenians” were the British husbands of Slov-
enian women (not an opinion shared by all).
From the improvised podium at the base of Nelson’s

Column - which was in any sense a big step for sud-
den would-be Slovenian “revolutionaries” - the
crowd below seemed topped by a froth of red col-
oured placards. There were a few yellow ones and a
few green ones, the random result of Mr Plenicar’s
leftover stock. Reprinted with bold black lettering
were the slogans, agreed by the Crisis Centre at the
4 July meeting: “2 million united people CANNOT
BE WRONG”. “FREE Slovenia NOW”. Squeezed
into ‘Slovenia’ between the letters V and E was the
38 XXIII
shape of a leaf of a lime tree, a symbol of Slovenia

and at the time her tourist promotion logo.
From this wall of front of red-yellow-green plac-
ards the handmade ones stood out. Some of them
were supporting Croatia but most were in aid of
Slovenia. A large one proclaimed in carefully hand-
drawn letters “Slovenia’s Independence is Legal”.
It was carried by a middle aged woman of sober
appearance, a very unlikely demonstrator in normal
circumstances. Another one announcing “Slovenia
voted YES for independence” - the word ‘Slovenia’
again decorated with a lime tree leaf traced from
a tourist brochure - looked worn, having survived
from the 9 March demonstration, also at Trafalgar
Square. The placard was held upright by another
middle-aged woman, this time dressed in the full
regalia of Slovenian national costume.
Younger demonstrators were wearing T-shirts
“FREE Slovenia NOW”, again with the lime tree
leaf, and a matching badge. Both were fund-raising
merchandise, produced and sold by the Crisis Cen-
tre at the demonstration in anticipation of invoices
to cover the cost of the organisation.
The Trafalgar Square demonstration
and media coverage
The list of speakers at the Trafalgar Square Slov-

enian demonstration on 7 July 1991 received an
unexpected addition when a Times journalist
brought to the rally a Slovenian government min-
ister who was on a visit to London. An added bo-
nus was the next day’s coverage of the Slovenian
event in the Times with “their” speaker in the
foreground.
Unexpectedly, a bespectacled lady was led to the

podium by a Times journalist and introduced as the
Slovenian government Minister for Energy in Lon-
don on some mission. We seized the opportunity to
add some official Slovenian flavour to the list of
speakers. We drafted a few lines and handed her this
speech. She read it. She sobbed. We sobbed listen-
ing to her. Long applause. Someone escorted her to
her hotel and we went on with the demonstration.
On the side of the podium, a small group waving
Serbian flags loudly protested, distributed leaflets
40 XXIV
and looked frightening. Later we learned that this

group was sent from Belgrade the previous day.
In a long file then we marched to Downing Street
to deliver a stack of petitions tied together with a
ribbon in the Slovenian white-blue-red national
colours. At the end, a Scotland Yard detective ap-
proached us as the organisers with tips on safety and
self defence. He then came with us to inspect our
premises above Adria Airways Office. Exhausted,
we opened a bottle of wine and ordered a pizza.
The following morning Dr. Zvezdan Pirtosek was
supposed to give an interview on breakfast TV. It
was cancelled “but only after I had got up at 3 am”.
Whilst we were demonstrating a group of Irish
prisoners escaped. They made the news. The Times
though published a picture of our bespectacled min-
ister towering over our demonstration and the Daily
Telegraph a picture of a blonde girl with a placard.
Below, a cartoon on the EU-brokered cease-fire the
previous day: “We could get Peter Brooke to negoti-
ate – he’s got nothing much to do, at the moment.”
Breda Gajsek’s recollection of her vigil in front
of the Yugoslav Embassy from June to October
Breda Gajsek’s recollection (above) of her vigil

in front of the Yugoslav Embassy from June to
October 1991 documents the extent to which the
Embassy staff went to discredit the protester who
attracted considerable media attention including
an article in the Evening Standard and television
coverage.
Breda Gajsek’s vigil in her own words:

“The idea that we should keep the vigil for a week
or two was Zvezdan’s (Dr.Pirtosek). He asked for
volunteers, I raised my hand and I guess, being the
only one, I got the “job”. We decided to keep the
Vigil every day for the next couple of weeks with
burning candles, flowers, and a Slovenian flag….
Another highlight of the Vigil was the day when
Boza Devlin and her sister Zeljka Jones organised
ITA and cable TV to come and film the Vigil. As the
cameras started to make their first shots a police car
42 XXV
with sirens switched on rushed to the scene and two

police officers jumped out of the car.
‘Who is Breda Gajsek?’ they shouted out.
‘Me!’ I replied, puzzled.
‘We have been informed that hundreds of people
are gathering in front of the Embassy and there are
fears that you are going to storm the Embassy... yet
you have been granted permission for only two peo-
ple to gather at this place. What is going on?’
“I started to laugh - I could not help it... I explained
to the police officers that we were only making a
short film for the evening news, and that was it. The
police office looked at each other and smiled. I was
glad to see that even the police were amazed at the
extent the Embassy went to in order to get me out of
sight. They left and we carried our filming as nor-
mal.
There was another incident during Vigil that sent a
bit of a chill down my spine... I reported this to the
Kensington Police and they suggested that I should
stop the vigil as things were getting too dangerous
for me - after all I have made my statement and there
was nothing else for me to achieve. But I was stub-
born and I insisted on carrying on – if nothing else,
every day few more people would learn something
about my country...” (bg1991).
(from Our Breda, in Chronicle Slovenians in London 1991-1994, ARS

2006, p.199-203)
Photo: Miha Dobrin, 1991, and Archive SNL (author unknown), 1991. Source: Archive SNL
“Our Breda’s” vigil in front of the Yugoslav Embassy
from June to October 1991
“Our Breda” Gajsek, a nutrition expert held

her vigil in front of the Yugoslav Embassy in
West London from June to October 1991. She
was holding a placard “Slovenian Independ-
ence is Legal” to raise awareness amongst the
British public on the existence of Slovenia and
its right to self-determination. The placard by
Frank Devlin has since been deposited with the
Slovenian National Archives.
A PERSONAL VIEW by Michael Betts

“The political and military events leading up to
Slovenia’s independence have been widely docu-
mented by the media. What was less well acknowl-
edged were the activities of Slovene citizens who
were living abroad at the time.
This exhibition attempts to document the response
of a small group of Slovenes living in UK in 1991.
The individuals concerned did not have close con-
tact with each other until events began to take place
but were galvanised into committed group action by
44 XXVI
shared concern over Slovenia.

As an Englishman married to a Slovene, I was able
to make relatively objective observations and watch
this phenomenon of a pressure group action unfold,
with a growing admiration for not only the energy in-
volved, but also of the ability to negotiate and reach
decisions rapidly. In my view, this exhibition is not
simply a record of events - it is a small tribute to the
individuals who took the time and energy to partici-
pate and who did not merely stand back passively.
This exhibition should not be viewed simply as an ar-
chive - it points to the future, offering an example of
how committed individuals and groups can actively
take part in society. By persistent pressure the will of
people at grass roots level can influence the decision
makers, politically, culturally and commercially.
This exhibition contains examples of grass-roots ac-
tion at pressure group level, throughout the Sloveni-
an Crisis Centre and the Slovenian Newsletter, and at
individual level…
The most effective democracies operate from grass
roots level, encouraging participation from “bottom
up” to balance the tendency for “top down” deci-
sions. This exhibition should be regarded as an ex-
ample of the value of encouraging grass-roots move-
ments throughout Slovene society.
In a country the size of Slovenia everybody should
be encouraged to participate maybe this exhibition
can offer some encouragement.” (mb1994).
Slovenian community meetings at the Mason’s Arms
in autumn 1991
In the autumn of 1991 the Crisis Centre initi-

ated regular monthly meetings for the Slovenian
community. It took place at the Mason’s Arms
in Maddox Street in Central London, close to its
premises above Adria Airline and coincidentally
run by a Slovenian born lady publican by the
name of Slavica.
Over the summer of 1991, with the worst of the cri-

sis over, group impetus was on the wane but a few in
the Crisis Centre decided to seek further challenges.
Prompted by moving appeals from Slovenia citing
devastating damage and a dire economic situation as
the consequence of the war, economic blockade and
collapse of tourism we drafted a programme of fu-
ture activities to help our motherland. We proposed
to aid Slovenia in the fields of tourist promotion,
business introductions, charitable assistance and
cultural exchange. The outline was discussed with
46 XXIX
the Slovenian community in London and presented

to the authorities in Ljubljana.
Another pressing task was the bonding of the
Slovenian community, divided until the war along
generational, ideological and gender lines. Of the
1500 Slovenians living in the UK, a great part
were London-based and belonged to three groups
with little in common. The older generation of
political refugees from just after the Second World
War, mostly manual workers, was focused on the
Slovenian Catholic Mission. Later arrivals, young
(female) economic immigrants, stayed, married and
integrated. The remaining few belonged to the busi-
ness community or were students.
Pictures of Yugoslav Army tanks rolling over Slov-
enian countryside awoke amongst Slovenes of all
persuasions a sense of national identity and togeth-
erness. Determined to help preserve and cultivate
it, we initiated regular first-Monday-of-the month
meetings at the Masons’ Arms. These meetings ran
for over a year and were the forerunner of the Brit-
ish-Slovenian Society.
Photo: Archive SNL (author unknown), 1991. Source: Archive SNL
Our cultural events in 1991 and 1992
Between autumn 1991 and spring 1992, a se-

quence of Slovenian cultural events livened the
community calendar, including concerts, poetry
readings, a commercial cassette production, the
founding of a Slovenian language class, a lecture
and a (briefly flourishing) literary page in the
Slovenian Newsletter.
Initially, the idea of organising cultural events had

a practical goal - the need for fundraising to cover
considerable Crisis Centre expenses during those
frantic times of war and demonstrations. A tel-
ephone company threatened the Crisis Centre and
consequently our host, Adria Airways Representa-
tive Office, with bailiffs.
Our first fundraising concert at the beautiful
Leighton House in October 1991 featured two
Slovenian-born musicians, sisters Tatjana and Na-
tasa Lipovsek, and a poetry reading by our poetess
48 XXX
and potter Ifigenija Zagoricnik-Simonovic.

In 1992, our second concert with the Lipovsek sis-
ters took place at St.John’s Smith Square, a prestig-
ious musical venue in Central London. To finance
its organisation, a syndicate of twenty was set up to
provide an initial budget as a no-interest high-risk
loan. The concert was recorded and professional
quality cassettes were produced. With the proceed-
ings we organised a beginners’ Slovenian language
evening class, the only one in London. It was based
at the University of London and was aimed at Brit-
ish spouses of Slovenians. We also co-sponsored
the visit of Slovenian poets to a festival in London
and made a charitable donation to Lady Nott for her
Fund for Refugees in Slovenia.
For all involved, the organisation of these events
was a steep learning curve in promotion, publicity,
and sponsorship acquisition. We were driven by an
invincible “naive enthusiasm” (Zvezdan Pirtosek)
and each time rewarded with an adrenaline boost.
For many of us the hardest experience was not the
challenge of demanding actions but the eventual
– normality restored - return to routine.
Photo: Vesna Azadi, 1991, and Archive SNL (author unknown), 1991, 1992. Risbe: Jana Vizjak.
Design: Ifigenija Zagoricnik Simonovic. Source: Archive SNL
Parliamentary lobbying and petitions
in the autumn 1991
Media briefings and systematic parliamentary

lobbying were identified as the most effective
grass-roots activities to counteract the initially
hostile British attitude towards Slovenian seces-
sion. In the autumn of 1991, well before her rec-
ognition, Crisis Centre activists identified sym-
pathetic MPs and extensively campaigned for
Slovenia in the Parliament.
The attack on Slovenia put parliamentary lobbying

high on the every British Slovene’s (and their British
spouse’s) agenda. After the demonstration and a joint
decision to keep up the pressure, Andrew Hartley
produced a round-robin letter which was sent to all
MPs. This questionnaire, with a tear away slip, asked
each MP to declare whether “I do/do not support the
demands of the Slovene people for self determina-
tion and for Slovenia to take its place among the free
nations of Europe” and “I do/do not wish my name
50 XXVII
to be used in public”. Of the 57 answers the Crisis

Centre received, 19 were encouraging, 38 neutral or
hostile.
The British Left had most difficulties with the
changing geopolitical reality: “…The line was that
nationalism, which seems to have motivated Slov-
enia’s unilateral declaration of independence, is
equally responsible for the bloodshed and misery
which is being inflicted on the country... I don’t be-
lieve there is any room at all for nations which have
based themselves on racial prejudice, disharmony
and selfishness... ” A Labour M.P. (dated 17 Sep-
tember 1991).
On October 1991, Dr.Zvezdan Pirtošek submitted
evidence to the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Com-
mittee. It was published in their report Volume 2 on
6 February 1992. Dr.Pirtosek also submitted a draft
for the Early Day Motion (EMD) on the recogni-
tion of Slovenian independence. It was read in the
House of Commons on 20 November 1991. The All
Party Group for Slovenia was established in the Par-
liament on 17 June 1991.
Another manifestation of grass-roots initiative was
five rounds of petitions. Three of them were deliv-
ered to John Major, the Prime Minister.
Source: Archive SNL
Prime Minister John Major’s letter dated 15 January 1992
with British recognition of Slovenia
The driving force for expatriate Slovenians was

absolute conviction on the legality and legitimacy
of Slovenian secession. The long awaited British
recognition of Slovenian sovereignty and inde-
pendence came in a letter dated 15 January 1992
from the British Prime Minister John Major to
the President of Slovenia Milan Kucan.
Slovenes living in Britain had been aware for a

while that both the British public and the majority
of opinion-makers resisted or were even opposed
to the break-up of Yugoslavia. One of the reasons
– perhaps Margaret Thatcher’s during her time in
Downing Street – questioned: “Who would then
pay back the Yugoslav foreign debt?” Also, in the
eyes of many British politicians, particularly those
on the left, Yugoslavia had the aura of a country that
fought Hitler and resisted Stalin whilst Slovenia
52 XXVIII
would be a Johnny-come-lately and possibly part of

a German foreign policy plot.
As Frank Devlin, an Englishman married to a
Slovenian later observed: “When Slovenia was ‘in-
vaded’ by the Yugoslav National Army, and under
attack from the Federal government in Belgrade, I
was as ignorant of the constitutional facts as anyone
else in Britain – and prepared to accept at face value
the media reports that the Slovenes were adopting
an unconstitutional (and therefore ‘illegal’) position
by pressing ahead for secession from the Yugoslav
Federation…”
Slovenia declared her independence but the tide
was slow to turn. This fuelled us with determination
to explain Slovenia’s position to Britain through
media interviews and parliamentary lobbying. A
decade later, in 2001 HE Hugh Mortimer, British
Ambassador to Slovenia commented at the open-
ing of our exhibition at the Slovenian National
Archives: “Statehood does not happen by itself but
it is the result of political consensus which depends
in turn on sheer hard work, leadership and the com-
mitment of many”.
Grass - roots may have played a part too in British
recognition of Slovenia.
Poster “Putting Slovenia on the Map” on the London
Underground in April and May 1993
In March and April 1993, the celebrated Lon-

don department store Liberty mounted a com-
mercial exhibition of Slovenian design and
products under the title “Putting Slovenia on
the Map”. The show, advertised by a striking
Liberty-designed poster on the London Un-
derground, attracted extensive media coverage
and echoed in Slovenia.
In summer 1991, soon after our demonstration at

Trafalgar Square in support of Slovenian inde-
pendence, it became obvious that the majority of
the British public were ignorant of the new state
in Europe and of normal living conditions within
her borders. As Slovenes in Britain, we considered
it our duty to inform Britain about Slovenia and to
link the two countries through cultural promotion
and mutual business opportunities.
We felt that we could achieve this goal with a visual
54 XXXII
presentation of Slovenian design and products. It

happened thanks to the visionary merchandise
director of Liberty’s. In July 1992, Richard Stew-
art-Liberty agreed to organise a sales exhibition of
Slovenian goods for which he suggested the title
“Putting Slovenia on the Map” and engaged Lib-
erty’s publicity machine to promote Slovenia. This
was in spring 1993 when for most of the British
public, Slovenia, Slovakia and Slavonia were a war
zone in the Bosnian quagmire.
For a month, the Slovenian flag flew high over
Liberty’s Regent Street building. All Liberty’s shop
windows featured stunning displays of Slovenian
goods. A penetrating advertisement about the ex-
hibition filled the radio-waves, life-style magazines
wrote about it. Below ground, Liberty-designed
posters “Putting Slovenia on the Map” graced the
stations and corridors of the London Underground.
Later on, the then Slovenian Ambassador remarked
that prior to this exhibition, all of their mail went
to the Slovak Embassy. Afterwards, he noticed the
reverse.
Photo: Jana Valencic, 1993. Source: Archive SNL
“Putting Slovenia on the Map” at Liberty
in April and May 1993
Slovenian products, fashion, food, drinks, cui-

sine, tourism, and Slovenian literature in English
translation were incorporated into the exclusive
Liberty stock during the “Putting Slovenia on the
Map” sales exhibition in April and May 1993.
As the British public in those times knew nothing

– certainly nothing positive – about Slovenia, we
soon decided to undertake image building cam-
paigns on her behalf. As individuals with no mar-
keting experience, no contacts and no money we
relied on our ideas and our conviction.
Intuitively we felt that for the most effective cam-
paigns we should cooperate with British partners
who could contribute local knowledge and clout.
We focused on design for its combination of culture
56 XXXIV
with industry, feeling that such promotion could

boost both Slovenia’s standing and her economy.
Liberty, the prestigious department store on Regent
Street in the heart of London agreed on the experi-
ment with Slovenia. Usually, promotional shows
are government-sponsored and selected by a com-
mittee. This one was idiosyncratic and different as
Liberty chose the goods, purchased them outright
and carried all commercial risk.
Liberty’s merchandise director Richard Stewart -
Liberty and a senior buyer criss-crossed Slovenia,
and sourced the items both from big, then still state-
run factories as well as small makers. The country
had only recently emerged from a command econ-
omy, a legacy of which was a multitude of small
scale, indigenous production.
The stock included Slovenian design, mass pro-
duced goods and craft items as well as fashion,
food, drinks, tourist promotion and Slovenian lit-
erature in English translation. The most photogenic
item however was an original, full-scale working
kozolec, a symbol of Slovenia, brought over by
Liberty for this show.
Kozolecs in England in 1993 and 1994
In 1993 the first kozolec, a symbol of Slovenia,

was brought to England as part of Liberty’s
“Putting Slovenia on the Map” exhibition. The
following year it was relocated at Pitt Rivers’
museum in Oxford and a second kozolec was
assembled at HRH the Prince of Wales’ estate
at Highgrove House which attracted Slovenian
media attention.
The Kozolec, a traditional Slovenian rural structure

used for drying hay is a symbol of the Slovenian
landscape. Richard Stewart-Liberty, Liberty’s
merchandise director therefore agreed to bring
a recycled eighty year old kozolec to the UK as
part of Liberty’s exhibition of Slovenian design in
March and April of 1993. A test assembly, which
lasted for one day, was constructed in Russell
Square gardens in Central London. On the follow-
ing days, the structure was reassembled in Liberty’s
central atrium for the duration of the show with the
58 XXXV
consequent aim of finding a suitable venue for its

permanent location.
In 1994, the Pitt Rivers Museum, a part of Oxford
University, accepted Liberty’s kozolec into its
permanent collection. Simultaneously, HRH the
Prince of Wales agreed to have a similar single-roof
kozolec built at his Gloucester estate at Highgrove
House as part of an awareness campaign for the
preservation of endangered vernacular structures,
and organic farming. We also felt that HRH’s inter-
est for these redundant structures could slow down
their demise and thus the pauperisation of the Slov-
enian cultural landscape.
Master carpenter Lojze Cerar from Domzale with
his three assistants arrived from Slovenia for the
two assemblies which took place on 23 June 1994
at Highgrove and 25 June 1994 in Oxford. The ‘Ko-
zolec in England’ event was a considerable achieve-
ment in logistics, sponsorship and motivation by
a number of people both in UK and in Slovenia,
where it sparked huge media interest.
Photo: Jana Valencic, 1993, 1994, and Archive SNL (author unknown), 1993, 1994. Source: Archive SNL
The assembly of “Liberty’s” kozolec at
Pitt Rivers Museum in 1994
As kozolecs are becoming increasingly redun-

dant structures due to changing farming practic-
es, the assembly of “Liberty’s” kozolec in Oxford
in 1994 and its subsequent relocation in 2006 was
a rare opportunity to document a dying skill. In
the photograph are master carpenters Lojze
Cerar and Joze Medved in Oxford in 1994.
The most travelled, most media-friendly and prob-

ably most expensive kozolec of all times was the
one brought to London by Liberty’s as part of their
exhibition of Slovenian design in March and April
1993. It had been recycled by the master carpenter
Lojze Cerar from leftovers of redundant com-
ponents into the smallest real life working ‘two
window’ kozolec, three meters high and meters in
length.
The kozolec was temporarily constructed with
detachable foundations for the polished hardwood
60 XXXVI
flooring of Liberty’s fashion department.

In the following year, the kozolec found its perma-
nent home at the Pitt Rivers ethnographic museum
at Oxford University. The structure was assembled
in the museum’s Music Garden - fittingly for a
kozolec whose subsequent foundations were made
from 200-year-old redundant oak bell supports
from a Domzale church belltower. The photograph
features Lojze Cerar on the right and Joze Medved,
his assistant, on the left during the assembly at Pitt
Rivers on 25 June 1994.
In 2006, due to the redevelopment of the site, the
kozolec was moved again, this time to the Oxford
University arboretum in Nuneham Courtenay on
the outskirts of Oxford. Lojze Cerar and his team
came over again to reassemble it once more. After a
long journey, the wandering kozolec returned to its
natural habitat, a meadow, albeit in Britain.
Photo: Jana Valencic, 1993. Source: Archive SNL
The Slovenian Newsletter, a participant
in the events and their chronicler
From 1991-1994 the Slovenian Newsletter ac-

companied the activities of the Slovenian Crisis
Centre, kept the records and later on initiated
several events including the first mounting of the
present exhibition in 1994, an appeal to preserve
a record of grass-roots activities for Slovenian
independence and the publishing of a chronicle
of events.
The Slovenian Newsletter was founded in London

on 29 June 1991 as a personal response to the war in
Slovenia, and to link the Slovenian community and
its British supporters. It’s work was closely bonded
to the Crisis Centre and later the Newsletter became
the initiator of cultural and publicity events.
In summer 1991, it took on the role of the chroni-
cler of grass-roots support for Slovenian independ-
ence. In February 1992, it incorporated into its ar-
chive most of the disbanded Crisis Centre written
62 XXXVII
records.
The Newsletter’s archiving policy focused on the
work of ordinary individuals as they regularly at-
tract less attention than institutions and personalities
- yet during those crucial times small stories were as
impressive and worth preserving as big narratives.
In summer 1993, the editors decided to organise and
present our material as an incentive for other grass-
roots movements. We examined the archive and
drafted an outline for an exhibition and a publica-
tion. In December 1994, Miha Dobrin and Jana Va-
lencic mounted the exhibition “Slovenes in London
1991-1994” which was shown in several venues in-
cluding the Slovenian Parliament in 1996, and the
Slovenian National Archives in 2001 and 2006. In
June 2008, the exhibition was mounted in the House
of Commons, UK.
In 2006, Jana Valencic and Miha Dobrin compiled
a comprehensive catalogue subtitled ‘A Chronicle
of Grass-roots Activities for Slovenian Independ-
ence: the Slovenian Crisis Centre and the Slovenian
Newsletter’. It was published by the Slovenian Na-
tional Archives to mark the donation of our archive
to their collection.
Photo: Miha Dobrin, 1991, Vesna Azadi, 1991, Andrew Hartley, 1991, Jana Valencic, 1994. Source: Archive SNL
Chronicle of Events by Jana Valencic and Miha Dobrin
Slovenci v Londonu 1991–1994 / Slovenians in London 1991–1994
Ilustracija: Michael Betts [Miha's View], 1991. Vir: arhiv SNL

Ilustracija: Michael Betts [Miha's View], 1992. Vir: arhiv SNL
THE SLOVENIAN NEWSLETTER Founded 29 June 1991 in London

»Na določen način je praznik vsak dan, ko v našo ustanovo pride »nov« arhivski dokument. V njej hranimo velike in manj velike
zgodbe. Pričujoči katalog ni le zgodba o prizadevanjih za demokracijo, dostojanstvo in svobodo. Ta katalog je vse to in s tem še
nekaj drugega. Pripoveduje nam še drugo zgodbo. Zgodbo o dokumentih. O dokumentih, ki so (postali) arhiv«.
June 2006 No.20
%S.BUFWß,PØJS
EJSFLUPS"SIJWB34
(translation) In a way, every time a “new” document comes to our institution is an occasion to celebrate. We keep momentous sto-
Factfile No.3 Slovenians in London 1991–1994
ries but also less momentous stories. The present catalogue is more than a story of our efforts towards democracy, dignity and free-
dom. It is all of the above and more. It also tells us another story, a story of the documents that are (have become) the archives. Jana Valenčič in Miha Dobrin
Slovenci v Londonu 1991–1994

%S.BUFWß,PØJS
%JSFDUPS "SDIJWFTPGUIF3FQVCMJD A PERSONAL VIEW
PG4MPWFOJB 4MPWFOJBO/BUJPOBM"SDIJWFT
The political and military events leading up to the Slov-

RAZSTAVI NA POT enia's independence have been widely documented by the
media. What was less well acknowledged were the activi-
(prevod) Politični in vojaški dogodki, ki so vodili k sa- ties of Slovene citizens who were living abroad at the time.
mostojnosti Slovenije, so bili obširno dokumentirani v
Foto: Vesna Azadi in arhiv SNL (avtor neznan). Vir: arhiv SNL
medijih. Po drugi strani pa je mnogo manj poznano delo- This exhibition attempts to document the response of a small
vanje slovenskih državljanov, ki so v tistem času živeli group of Slovenes living in UK in 1991. The individuals
na tujem. concerned did not have close contact with each other until
events began to take place but were galvanised into commit-
Ta razstava skuša prikazati odziv majhne skupine Slo- ted group action by shared concern over Slovenia.
vencev, ki so leta 1991 živeli v Veliki Britaniji. Preden
Foto: Miha Dobrin. Vir: arhiv SNL

so se dogodki začeli odvijati, si ti posamezniki niso bili As an Englisman married to a Slovene, I was able to make
blizu, skupna skrb nad dogajanjem v Sloveniji pa jih je relatively objective observations and watch this phenom-
zlila v trdno akcijsko jedro. enon of a pressure group action unfold, with a growing ad-
miration for not only the energy involved, but also of the
Kot Anglež, poročen s Slovenko, sem lahko sorazmerno ability to negotiate and reach decisions rapidly.
objektivno opazoval, kako se je razvijal fenomen skupi-
ne za pritisk, in vedno bolj sem občudoval ne le odloč- In my view, this exhibition is not simply a record of events
nost ljudi, temveč tudi zmožnost dogovarjanja in hitrega 19. januarja in 9. marca 1991 30. junija 1991 4. julija 1991 7. julija 1991 – it is a small tribute to the individuals who took the time
sprejemanja odločitev. and energy to participate and who did not merely stand
“One of the great values of such grass-root movements (as the Crisis Centre with all its subdivisions was) is their spontaneity and back passively. This exhibition should not be viewed sim-
Moje mnenje je, da ta razstava ni le zapis dogodkov – je
»Celostno umetniško delo, Gesamtkunstwerk, Kronika delovanja civilne družbe v času osamosvajanja: ply as an archive – it points to the future, offering an exam-
freedom, expressed through democratic and non-institutionalized structure, the gratuitous origin and unforced, logical disappear- o katerem so sanjali pred modernizmom, se
poklon posameznikom, ki so si vzeli čas in energijo, da ance; and above all, independent, honest and highly motivated spirit of people who are brought together by common concern.” vrača v postmodernizmu kot življenjska drža:
Slovenski krizni center in glasilo Slovenian Newsletter ple of how committed individuals and groups can actively
bi sodelovali, in se niso le držali v ozadju. Razstava ne take part in society.
Dr. Zvezdan Pirtošek, SNL No.5, September 1991, p. 6 aktivizem v imenu imperativa o skupnem do-
sme biti videna samo kot zbir zgodovinskih dokumentov
– kaže namreč v prihodnost in ponuja primer, kako lah- (prevod) Kot pri vseh demokratičnih in samoiniciativnih gibanjih leži vrednost Kriznega centra in vseh njegovih spremnih akcij brem, provokacija v imenu širitve možnega, A Chronicle of Grass-Roots Activities for Slovenian Independence: By persistent pressure the will of people at grass-roots level
– kljub razdrobljenosti – v spontanosti in svobodi, izraženi skozi ne-institucionalizirano strukturo. Zanje sta značilna svojevrstno slavitev individualnih razlik, tkanje smisel- The Slovenian Crisis Centre and The Slovenian Newsletter can influence the decision makers, politically, culturally
ko zavzeti posamezniki in skupine aktivno sodeljujejo v
poreklo in spontana, logična usahnitev; največ pa so vredne neodvisnost, poštenost in motiviranost ljudi, združenih pri skupni stvari. nih vezi s kolektivom, neka potreba po izra- and commercially.
družbi.
Dr. Zvezdan Pirtošek, SNL No.5, september 1991, str. 6 zu, ki hoče biti estetski le, če se mu ni treba
S stalnim pritiskom lahko civilna pobuda vpliva na tiste, odpovedati etiki, dokumentarni spomin in This exhibition contains examples of grass-roots action at
ki odločajo tako politično, kulturno kot poslovno. Delovanje londonske akcijske skupine Slovenski krizni center in glasila Slovenian Newsletter imaginativna vizija, svareče opozorilo in klic pressure group level, throught the Slovenian Crisis Cen-
Skupina za parlamentarno lobiranje in medijske stike, Odbor za obrambo demokracije v Jugoslaviji, je delovala od leta 1988 do vojne v Slove- k civilni odgovornosti.« tre and the Slovenian Newsletter, and at individual level,
Razstava je primer civilne pobude na ravni skupin v ob- niji. 28. junija 1991 se je ustanovil Slovenski krizni center, 29. junija pa glasilo Slovenian Newsletter, kot odgovor na britansko javno mnenje,
Aleš Debeljak throught the promotion of Slovenian culture and commerce
liki Slovenskega kriznega centra in glasila The Sloveni- nenaklonjeno samostojni Sloveniji. Delovanje skupine je obsegalo stik z mediji, parlamentarno lobiranje, organizacijo demonstracij in povezo- (translation) The total art work, das Gesa- Ob razstavi at Leighton House and St. John's Smith Square (classical
an Newsletter, in na individualni ravni v obliki predsta- and folk concerts), Liberty (Slovene design and produce)
Jana Valenčič in Miha Dobrin
vitve slovenske kulture in trgovine v dvoranah Leighton

vanje slovenske skupnosti. S priznanjem Slovenije so aktivnosti na političnem področju nadomestili kulturni dogodki, in odmevne akcije, ki so
britansko javnost seznanjali s Slovenijo. Razstava in zdaj katalog sta zapis delovanja skupine in posameznikov v Londonu za Slovenijo.
mtkunstwerk, of which creative minds have
dreamt of since before Modernism is making
in predaji gradiva and at the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford (kozolec).
House in St. John's Smith Square (koncerti klasične in
narodne glasbe), v trgovini Liberty (slovensko obliko- Activities of the London based Slovenian Crisis Centre and the Slovenian Newsletter
a sly comeback in the Postmodernism. It re- v Arhiv RS The most effective democracies operate from grass-roots
turns as a temporary life style, as an activist
vanje in izdelki) in v muzeju Pitt Rivers v Oxfordu (ko- The lobbying, pressure and media contact group, under the name of the Committee for the Defence of Democracy in Slovenia, was active from
attitude in the name of the pursuit of com- 2006 level, encouraging participation from “bottom up” to bal-
ance the tendency for “top down” decisions. This exhibition
zolec). 1988 until the 1991 war in Slovenia. The Slovenian Crisis Centre was founded on 28 June 1991 and the Slovenian Newsletter the following
mon good, a provocation in the name of the should be regarded as an example of the value of encourag-
day, as a response to British public opinion, which was generally hostile to the idea of Slovenian independence. Group actions included con-
Najuspešnejše demokracije delujejo z ravni civilne druž- expansion of the possible that is celebrating ing grass-roots movements throughout Slovene society.
tacts with the media, parliamentary lobbying, organisation of demonstrations and the bonding of the Sovenian community in the UK. With the
be, spodbujajoč sodelovanje »od spodaj navzgor«, da bi individual differences, seeking ligatures that
recognition of Slovenia's independence, political activism was superseded by cultural events, and image building campaigns aimed at educat-
uravnotežile težnjo po odločanju »od zgoraj navzdol«. bind an individual to a collective, a desire for In a country the size of Slovenia everybody should be en-
ing the British public about Slovenia. The exhibition and now the catalogue are records of grass-roots activities for Slovenia.
the expression that wants to be aesthetical S prispevki / with contributions from: Vesna Azadi, Polonca Baloh Brown, couraged to participate – maybe this exhibition can offer
Ta razstava je primer pomembnosti spodbujanja civilne
pobude v slovenski družbi. only if it doesn't have to give up the ethical, Michael Betts, dr. Cathie Carmichael, Tonči Cerar, Frank Devlin, Evald some encouragement.
THE SLOVENIAN NEWSLETTER
a documentary memory and imaginative vi- Flisar, Breda Gajšek, Andrew Hartley, dr. Marko Hawlina, dr. Zvezdan Michael Betts
V tako majhni državi, kot je Slovenija, bi moral biti Founded 29th June 1991 in London
sion, a warning and a call for a civic respon- Pirtošek, dr. Gorazd Planinšič, Dušan Pleničar, Marianne Pleničar Bai- December 1994
vsakdo spodbujen k sodelovanju – in morda lahko ravno Editors: Jana Valenčič, Dr. Zvezdan Pirtošek, Michael Betts sibility. ley, Yvonne Robinson, Veseljko Simonović, dr. Polona Truden Dobrin,
ta razstava ponudi to spodbudo. Aleš Debeljak Anica Wilkinson, Ifigenija Zagoričnik Simonović, Tadeja Zupan Arsov
Literary Editor: Ifigenija Zagoričnik-Simonović
Michael Betts
(prevod Dobrin / Truden) Published by BETTS * VALENCIC, London For a list of English texts please refer to the underside of the inner flap or follow the arrows For a list of English texts follow the arrow
The exhibition and Chronicle of Activities on which it with printer and Slovenian patriot Dusan Plenicar broad-
is based document the determination which we as indi- cast by the BBC WS Slovenian Section in 1991.
viduals and Slovenians living in London felt whilst our “Chronicle of Grass-roots Activities for Slovenian Inde-
pocked-sized homeland of two million people was at- pendence: the Slovenian Crisis Centre and the Slovenian
64
tacked by the Yugoslav Army, the fourth biggest army in Newsletter” is a compilation of documents by different
Europe. In that time of crisis, when the existence of our authors and from different periods to follow the change
country and the lives of our dearest were threatened, each in intensity and focus of our memories. “Catalogue of the
of us spontaneously decided not to sit back and accept the Exhibition” was compiled in 1994 from writings by partic-
dreadful unfolding of events but to act. The exhibition is a ipants of those events and is followed by the Exhibition in
message about determined personal responses from ordi- its original 1994 version. The next chapter, “Testimonies”
nary people in support of their homeland. is a chronicle of the events from the early 1991 to the end
Some of the grass-roots response to the aggression towards of 1992 in a diary form reconstructed from our archive
Slovenia is documented in the papers of the London-based material. The chapter “Campaigns” follows image build-
action group the Slovenian Crisis Centre and the material ing activities aimed at educating the British public about
gathered by the Slovenian Newsletter, the chronicler of the then unknown Slovenia and covers the Liberty exhibi-
events. A selection of these documents was mounted as the
tion of Slovenian products “Putting Slovenia on the Map”
exhibition “Slovenians in London 1991-1994” in Decem-
in 1993 and assemblies of kozolecs in England in 1993
ber 1994. In 2006 it was remounted in a smaller, travel-
and 1994. The chapter “Media Coverage” is of research-
ling format and a comprehensive “Chronicle of Activities”
was published by the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia only interest whilst “Then and Now” (the Opinions of
(Slovenian National Archives) to mark the donation of the Many) brings moving memories from before 1994 as well
SCC/SNL archive to their collection. as some accounts written today by participants in those
The exhibition in its current format consists of 32 fabric grass-roots initiatives. Although the majority of writing in
panels (w=800 mm, h=2000 mm) as well as objects. These the Chronicle is in Slovenian, sufficient documents are bi-
include placards from various Slovenian demonstrations lingual or in English to make the publication accessible to
in London in 1991, badges and T-shirts with the slogan an English reader. Besides, the Chronicle is amply illus-
“Free Slovenia Now” which we designed and produced trated with documents, photographs and original cartoons
to finance our protests, the first Slovenian flag in London, by the Newsletter in-house cartoonist Michael Betts and
hand-sewn by the Hartley family after the sketch Miha Do- by our friend Dr Gorazd Planinsic.
brin made in those first days when the new flag of our new
state was not yet available in London. It also includes two Chronicle of Activities by Jana Valencic and Miha Do-
books of newspaper cuttings clipped by Anica Wilkinson, brin (224 pages, weight 850 grams) is available from
a videotape of Dr Zvezdan Pirtosek’s interview on British its publisher the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia
television in the first days of the war, and an interview www.Archive.gov.si
Michael Betts, Digging for Victory, 1991
Catalogue Authors and Contributors
Jana Valencic, u.d.i.a.M.Arch (Toronto)
Architect and writer
betts.valencic@poptel.org
Miha Dobrin, u.d.i.a MPhil (AA)

Architect and photographer
Arhitekti Dobrin, d.o.o.
miha.dobrin@guest.arnes.si
Dr Marko Hawlina, Opthalmologist

marko.hawlina@mf.uni-lj.si
Dr Zvezdan Pirtosek, Neurologist

zvezdan.pirtosek@kclj.si
Michael Betts, Geography teacher and

the SNL in-house cartoonist
betts.valencic@virgin.net
Vesna Azadi, Photographer

veniceazadi@yahoo.co.uk
BACK COVER
Liberty-designed posters “Putting Slovenia on the Map”
were displayed on the London Underground between
April and May 1993 accompanying their sales exhibition
of Slovenian design in there Regent Street store.
Poster design: Liberty, 1993. Published by: Liberty, Lon-

don 1993. Photo of the poster: Borut Jurca - ARS, 2006.
Source: Archive SNL
“The exhibition at Liberty’s completed the circle of our activities. From the 1991 Trafalgar Square demonstrations,
trembling with fear for the fate of our country attacked by the Yugoslav Army, to the filled up champagne glasses at the
opening of Liberty’s Slovenian exhibition in April 1993 in the stylish atmosphere of a refined English institution,”
Dr.Zvezdan Pirtosek, 1994

Slovenians in London 91-94

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Slovenians in London 1991-1994

Grass-roots Activities for Slovenian Independence

The political and military events leading up to Slovenia’s

This exhibition attempts to document the response of a

As an Englisman married to a Slovene, I was able to make

This exhibition should not be viewed simply as an archive

This exhibition contains examples of grass roots action at

The most effective democracies operate from grass roots

In a country the size of Slovenia everybody should be en-

Michael Betts, 1994

Slovenians in London 1991-1994

Photo: Miha Dobrin, 1991. Source: Archive SNL

Exhibition Catalogue by Jana Valencic and Miha Dobrin

(eye witness’ account) In the early morning

“Maribor, the second largest city in Slovenia is be-

Demonstrations in support of Slovenia will be at

From Slovenia, my 83 years old father phoned

On that day, architects and medical doctors, writ-

Catalogue design The exhibition is based on the archive material of the

Material was also contributed by BBC World Service Slo-

ISBN-10 961-90862-1-X (Inštitut za kulturne stike)

28 June 1991 name of Slovenia heard”

4 Credits Anica Wilkinson

26 X Organisation of our demonstration material preserved in the archives of the Slovenian

From the late 1980’s onward, members of the

Dr Marko Hawlina recollects the atmosphere:

ever there is a Serbian grave, there is Serbia« he

As the Yugoslav Federal army, though formally

Dr Marko Hawlina was one of the founding members

brainstorming with (Dr) Zvezdan Pirtosek at a Chi-

Simultaneously with Slovenia gaining her independ-

On 11 March 1991 the leading Slovenian daily pa-

this experience we all learned the value of tolerance

Overnight, Slovenia was at war. A tiny republic,

It was not an easy time to be a Slovenian. On 3 July,

little doubt that the Yugoslav army… are intent on

The most amazing aspect of the Slovenian grass-

With the Yugoslav Army attack on Slovenia in

events in Slovenia, and to coordinate the informa-

The British media immediately seized upon the

Some of the key spokesmen on Slovenia in UK

written on it, loaded with peasants. Two of them,

On 28 June, on the day of the Yugoslav Army at-

As Polonca Baloh Brown, the theatre producer

of Slovenia in it, resulting in its independence”.

Key operational decisions for the organisation

Dr Zvezdan Pirtosek, one of the founders of the

not many records of Crisis Centre day-to day man-

The foundations of Crisis Centre lobbying were

Regrettably few records have been saved, consider-

letters of protest to the Yugoslav Ambassador. Dr

The 7 July Trafalgar Square Slovenian demon-

By the morning of Monday, 1 July 1991, grass-roots

we feel London is with us – people are stunned by

When o’er earth’s habitations Towards their destination

The event is covered extensively by photographs

It was a sunny Sunday, the pinnacle of a frantic

Speakers included Sir Russell Johnston, Deputy

The 7 July Trafalgar Square demonstration at-

“As an Englishman married to a Slovene my response

time and I therefore eagerly participated in the events

The Crisis Centre benefactor, printer and Slov-

The Crisis Centre was set up by a group of young

Enfield, North London.