Liberation Front of the Slovenian People

The Liberation Front of the Slovenian People, established 26 April 1941 in Ljubljana as the Anti-Imperialist Front, was the political organization of the Slovenian resistance to Axis occupation during World War II. Its founding groups were the Communist Party of Slovenia, Christian Socialists, left-wing Slovenian Sokols (also known as "National Democrats") and a group of artists, including Josip Vidmar and Ferdo Kozak.

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Slovenia established the "Liberation Front of Slovenia" on 27 April 1941.

The programme of that Front was outlined by the following fundamental points:
* Armed struggle
* United Slovenia
* Continuity of Yugoslavia and closeness with the Russian people.
* Loyalty of all factions to the Liberation Front
* Adherence to democracy after the liberation
* Acceptance of the Atlantic Charter
* Outgrowth of the Partisan Units and People’s Guards into a broader front of the National Liberation Struggle.

After the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, the organization changed its name to the Liberation Front of the Slovenian People and proclaimed as its goals liberation from fascism, the unification of all Slovenes within a federalized Yugoslavia, and the establishment of a "Popular Democracy" after the war. It organized a partisan army which fought a guerilla war against the Axis and the local Collaborationist forces, in strong alliance with other Yugoslav partisans and, after 1942, with help from the Allies.

In September 1941, the Front's Supreme Plenum proclaimed itself the supreme political authority of the new Slovenia under the name of the Slovenian National Liberation Council. In territories liberated by the partisan army, the Front organized a local government in the form of National Liberation Committees, which organized education, cultural activities, health services, supplies for the partisan army, and so on.

The Slovene National Liberation Council enacted as one of the first four revolutionary laws (decisions) on the protection of the Slovene Nation in its struggle for unity and liberation.

In February 1943, the founding groups signed the so-called Dolomite statement: all other groups recognized the Communist Party as the leading force, and renounced independent political action. The Communist Party, which had been the major force in the Liberation Front since its formation, was thus officially recognized as the leading faction, as well as the only group within the Front that kept the right to have a dinstinct and independent organizational structure.

After the capitulation of Italy in September 1943, a so-caled meeting of National Representatives was held. At the meeting, a new 120-member Supreme Plenum and a 10-member Executive of the Front was elected. The latter also acted as the Slovenian National Liberation Committee and the Committee's Presidency. In February 1944 in Črnomelj, the Liberation Front established the Slovenian National Liberation Council, an elected regular legislature, with departments, committees and institutes. On 5 May 1945, in Ajdovščina, the Council proclaimed the National Government Act and appointed the new national government, which moved to liberated Ljubljana on 10 May.

After the war, the Liberation Front was transformed into the Socialist Union of Working People.Fact|date=February 2008

Source

* Yugoslavian Encyclopaedia, articles Slovenci and Slovenija, Yugoslavian Lexicographical Institute, Zagreb, published up to 1990.

ee also

*Edvard Kardelj
*Edvard Kocbek
*Franc Rozman Stane
*Franja Partisan Hospital
*AVNOJ
*Slovensko domobranstvo
*Province of Ljubljana
*Matej Bor
*Karel Destovnik Kajuh
*Tone Čufar