Patriot and Veteran Organisations – The Case of Slovenia

Abstract

Povzetek V prispevku predstavljamo ugotovitve, ki izhajajo iz proučevanja slovenskih domoljubnih in veteranskih organizacij. Na tej podlagi razpravljamo o značilnostih funkcionalnega in socialnega imperativa. Pri tem obravnavamo devet organizacij, ki so povezane v posebno koordinacijo. Veteranstvo na Slovenskem ima več kot 140-letno tradicijo in posebno razvojno pot vse do obdobja po osamosvojitvi Slovenije pred četrt stoletja. Slovenski primer tako vključuje domoljubne in veteranske organizacije, povezane z veterani prve in druge svetovne vojne ter osamosvojitvenega obdobja 1990–1991, pa tudi generacije, povezane z mednarodnimi operacijami in misijami, v katerih slovenski vojaki in policisti sodelujejo zadnjih dvajset let. Slovenija ima sodoben in tudi zelo liberalen pristop k organizaciji ter delovanju domoljubnih in veteranskih društev in zvez, ki jih financira prek obrambnega ministrstva, izjema so organizacije vojnih in civilnih invalidov vojn, ki jih financira pristojno ministrstvo za socialne zadeve. Dve slovenski posebnosti sta povezani z vprašanjem, kako in kdo ščiti vrednote, ki jih zastopajo in ohranjajo domoljubne in veteranske organizacije, ter kako te dejavnosti lahko prispevajo k spravi zaradi dejanj, ki so med nacistično in fašistično okupacijo ter družbeno revolucijo najbolj razklale in razdelile številne generacije Slovencev, takrat in pozneje. Ugotovitve kažejo, da tranzicijsko obdobje teh zadev v Sloveniji še ni končano. Ključne besede domoljubne in veteranske organizacije, društva, Koordinacija domoljubnih in veteranskih organizacij Slovenije, vojni veterani, zaščita vojnih veteranov. Abstract The paper presents the findings from the study of Slovenian patriot and veteran organizations (PVO). On the basis of this, we discuss the characteristics of the functional and social imperative. In this respect, nine different PVOs are discussed, which are linked through a special coordination. Veteran activities on Slovenian soil have had an over 140-year old tradition and a special development path up to the period after Slovenia gained independence a quarter of a century ago. Slovenian example includes PVOs related to 1st and 2nd World War veterans, veterans of the 1990 through 1991 independence period as well as the generations associated with international operations and missions, which have included Slovenian soldiers and police officers for the last twenty years. Slovenia has a modern, but also a very liberal approach to the organization and functioning of patriot and veteran societies and associations, which are financed by the Ministry of Defence, with the exception of military and civilian war-disabled organizations, funded by the Ministry responsible for social affairs. Two Slovenian particularities are linked to the question of how and who is protecting the values represented and cherished by PVOs, and how their activities can contribute to the reconciliation with respect to the offenses which during the time of Nazi-Fascist occupation and social revolution divided the then and many subsequent generations of Slovenians. According o the findings, the transition period with regard to these matters in Slovenia is not yet complete. Key words: Patriot and veteran organizations, societies, coordination of patriot and veteran organizations of Slovenia, war veterans, protection of war veterans.