During the Second World War, in the occupied Europe, Slovene Partisan theatre was something of a unique phenomenon, both in terms of its organization and the standard of performance. The web exhibition Partisan Theatre presents the various forms of the Partisan theatre, its ways of operating, displaying a wealth of materials: photographs taken at various performances and rehearsals, a rich body of documents connected to its functioning, theatre texts, costume and prop sketches, prompter and director notes, performance programmes, leaflets and other referential materials. The core of the exhibition is made up of the digitilized collection of over one thousand units, original documents and museum pieces held in the Archive of the Centre for Theatre and Film Studies at the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television of the University of Ljubljana, and is of national importance. The exhibition presents a choice selection from this body of material, introducing the visitor to the phenomenon of Partisan theatre, its largest part dealing with the ways in which the Slovene National Theatre operated on the liberated territory, from its founding in January 1944 up until the autumn of 1945. To render the presentation as complete as possible, the archival material is supplemented by excerpts from television programmes, statements of visitors, contemporary researchers and artists who continue to be inspired by the phenomenon of Partisan theatre, as well as links to sites with related content.

The Slovene National Theatre was founded on the liberated territory with the decree of the executive committee of the Liberation Front on January 12, 1944. Its first principle was Filip Kumbatovič Kalan, and its artistic director Mile Klopčič. Out of its sixteen actors most had been professionals before the war, and most now embarked on their Partisan theatrical journey with the Jerman group. After a month of work on the stage in Črnomelj, and after acquiring the props and wardrobe, as well as the rehearsals, the theatre was inaugurated with the debut performance of Ivan Cankar’s play King on Betajnova under the directorship of Matej Bor. The second debut performance was a re-enactment of the one-act play of Mile Klopčič entitled Mother. This play, with the same director and cast, was premiered earlier in Kočevje for the Assembly of the Delegates of the Slovene Nation. Thirteen more premieres were to follow, overall more than a hundred-and-thirty performances, commemorative events and cultural programmes. A professional repertoire was put together with regard to the latest trends and it encompassed local authors engaging with contemporary political issues as well as Slovene, Yugoslav and European classics.
The first theatrical performances with the Partisans were important primarily as social events. Slovene songs accompanied by an accordion would resound on marches or by the camp fire. Especially after Italy’s capitulation in 1943, these rather impromptu meetings turned into more organized events, enabled also by a greater influx of cultural workers amidst the Partizans. The propaganda wing of the headquarters was responsible for directing — ideologically, thematically and organizationally — the culturo-educational and propaganda activities in its various divisions. The purpose of these meetings was to publicize the national liberation struggle, to raise the partisans’ morale, and with political speeches, recitations, songs and sketches augment the national consciousness of the military as well as civilian society. These meetings eventually led to the organization of singing choirs, bands and finally a real theatrical group.

Towards the end of 1944 the Partizan Puppet Theatre was founded with the Central Technological Unit of the Communist Party of Slovenia. Alenka Gerlovič and her collaborators staged a play entitled Jurček and Three Robbers in what was an original reflection on the contemporary situation. Lojze Lavrič, a student of the Zagreb Academy, following the idea of Nikolaj Pirnat, carved out sixteen puppets. The puppets’ clothes were sewn out of the nylon cloth of Allied forces’ parachutes, and the marrionette were attached to the cords of the parachutes. The first performance was staged on the New Year’s Eve of 1944 in Črmošnjice. There they also constructed a make-shift stage and the group became a travelling theatre group.