Gonars
The Gonars Concentration Camp: Where History Has Left Its Mark
The Gonars Concentration Camp is a place that carries the weight of history. Built in 1941 by the Italian Fascist regime in Gonars, a province of Udine, the camp was used to intern civilians who were rounded up in the territories occupied by the Italian army in then-Yugoslavia.
The Structure
The camp consisted of two distinct enclosures: Camp A and Camp B, divided into three sectors, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma, separated by high barbed wire. The guard towers were equipped with machine guns and floodlights that illuminated the camp at all times of day.
History
The Gonars Concentration Camp was initially built in anticipation of the arrival of Russian prisoners of war, but instead was used to intern civilians who were rounded up in the provinces occupied by the Italian army. In the spring of 1942, the Gonars camp was used for the first time to intern civilians from the "Province of Ljubljana" who were rounded up by the Italian army.
Initial Use: Suppression of Opponents
Emilio Grazioli, the Prefect of the Province of Ljubljana, and General Mario Robotti, Commander of the Italian XI Army Corps, implemented repressive measures that resulted in hostage shootings, village burnings, and the deportation of entire populations. On the night between February 22 and 23, 1942, the city of Ljubljana was entirely surrounded by barbed wire, and all adult males were arrested and subjected to checks. The vast majority of them were destined for internment in the Gonars Concentration Camp. Other inhabitants of cities in the "province" suffered a similar fate.
By the summer of 1942, over 6,000 internees were present in the camp, well beyond the capacity for accommodation. Poor sanitary conditions and inadequate nutrition led to the spread of various diseases such as dysentery, resulting in the first casualties.
The Internees
The internees at the Gonars Concentration Camp included intellectuals, teachers, students, workers, and artisans, considered potential opponents. Among them were also many artists who, despite the difficult situation, continued to create and dedicate many of their works to their detention in the camp.
Furthermore, some members of the Slovenian People's Liberation Army were interned under pseudonyms at the camp. They would later become leaders of the Yugoslav Resistance. In 1942, some of them organized an escape from the camp by digging a long tunnel under the barracks of XXII. After the escape, most of the internees were transferred to other camps established in Italy, including the Monigo Concentration Camp, the Chiesanuova Concentration Camp, the Renicci Internment Camp, and Visco.
The Mark of History
The Gonars Concentration Camp remains today a symbolic place of the sad history of the 20th century and the brutal fascist repression. The main building of the camp was put up for sale in 2019, and since then, many people have mobilized to prevent it from being demolished, calling instead for its restoration and use as a center for the memory of fascist repression. The memory of the victims of the Gonars camp is important to not forget those tragic events and to honor their memory.
