Ceremony honors the Bazovica heroes, still regarded as terrorists in Italy

A traditional ceremony at the memorial near Bazovica, close to Trieste, will honor four men executed there 96 years ago: Ferdo Bidovec, Zvonimir Miloš, Franjo Marušič and Alojz Valenčič. This year’s commemoration is dedicated to Valenčič, the oldest of the group.

The Bazovica Heroes Committee decided that, in the run-up to the centenary of the first Trieste trial, each central ceremony held before 2030 will focus on one of the four men. Valenčič was born in Trieste on Sept. 9, 1896. According to the committee, he played an important role in attacks carried out in Trieste by the underground organisation Borba at the beginning of 1930.

Fascist authorities arrested him first among the four in April 1930 and sentenced him to death. Members of Borba were shot at a site near Bazovica on Sept. 6, 1930, following a ruling by Italy’s fascist Special Tribunal.

The committee is also introducing cooperation with secondary schools in the Trieste and Gorizia areas. It wants at least one school to participate in the programme each year by 2030. The ceremony is the culmination of events held in Ljubljana, Kranj and Koper, and will include Slovenian state secretary Helena Jaklitsch, Trieste Mayor Roberto Dipiazza and Trieste Bishop Henrik Trevisi.

The Bazovica heroes are regarded by their supporters as symbols of resistance to fascist rule and ideology, and as heroes of a Europe built on anti-fascist foundations. Italy still officially considers them terrorists. The committee, together with Slovenian minority organisations in Italy, is seeking their rehabilitation.