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the Government of the Republic of Slovenia passed a
decree for the statutory protection of the hospital as a
cultural monument of national importance.
Management structure:
The Franja Partisan Hospital is managed by the Idrija
Municipal Museum which in 1978 established a dislocated
department in Cerkno. It is responsible for the maintenance
and presentation of the site, and especially for the guided
tours of the monument. The Ministry of Culture and the
Cultural Heritage Administration are responsible for the
adoption of protection regulations and other administrative
issues. The Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage
is responsible for the general management of recording,
research, the preparation of conservation programmes, etc.
Resources:
The conservation and maintenance of the Franja Partisan
Hospital is financed by the Republic of Slovenia, the
Municipality of Cerkno and the Idrija Municipal Museum
(entrance fees, sponsors, donators). The restoration and
major maintenance works are financed on the basis of
project proposals submitted annually by the Idrija
Municipal Museum to the Ministry of Culture for
approval. The Hospital has no funds of its own to finance
urgent interventions.
Justification by the State Party (summary)
The property was first presented by the State Party on the
basis of criteria i, iv and vi. Subsequently, this was
modified referring only to criteria iv and vi.
The Franja Partisan Hospital is an exceptional example of
the organisation of medical services by a resistance
movement during World War II, and the largest and best
preserved facility of its kind in Europe and the world.
Because of its historical message, cultural and
civilisational significance, typological characteristics,
critical-historical surveys and published material, the
Franja Hospital is an outstanding monument of universal
value for the entire world. By its location, facilities and its
preserved medical equipment, the Franja Partisan Hospital
is the most illustrative example of the organisation of a
medical service in wartime. A tour of the protected site
offers a convincing picture of life in the hospital during its
operation. Its carefully selected location in a remote gorge
with a stream and waterfalls, accessible only by a footpath
running along the stream, demonstrates how wellconcealed
such hospitals had to be.
Criterion iv: Franja Partisan Hospital is an outstanding
example of a type of building ensemble - a hidden hospital
of the partisan resistance movement - perfectly integrated
into the landscape. Its functioning in the occupied territory
was possible due to:
- Configuration of the terrain in the Slovene territory that
enabled the builders to adapt hospital buildings to special
geographical and climatic conditions of the natural
environment,
- the use of traditional skills of constructing in wood which
were typical for the vernacular architecture of central
Europe, combined with contemporary skills needed for a
better quality of life and survival possibilities of the
89
patients (electric plant, surgery equipment, X-ray
apparatus).
Criterion vi: Franja Partisan Hospital is directly and
tangibly associated with a particular segment (as the result
of extraordinary circumstances) of the most dramatic
period of human history in Europe - the great conflict. It
preserves and conveys to new generations positive
universal cultural values of humanitarianism, altruism and
compassion. These values mark people during the most
dramatic periods in the history of humanity, such as World
War II.
3. ICOMOS EVALUATION
Actions by ICOMOS
An ICOMOS expert mission visited the nominated site in
July 2002.
Conservation
Conservation history:
The facilities of the Franja Partisan Hospital are preserved
in situ including all the immovable property and most of
the movables. The comparison with original photographs
shows that most of the site has remained in the original
shape. The first restoration works started already in 1949,
the unfavourable climatic conditions in the gorge having
harmful effects on the wooden structures. Subsequent
events include the following:
- In 1952 a snow slide caused considerable damage to
Slovenia and the Franja Hospital.
- In 1957, a rock fall damaged seven cabins.
- In 1961 the access route to the upper shelter and some
cabins were restored.
- In 1968, the deteriorated parts were replaced in 8
facilities.
- In 1980, the surgery cabin was restored, serving as a
model for the gradual restoration of the remaining
facilities.
- In 1989, ca 6-8,000 m 3 of rock, sand and earth broke
away from the slope above the gorge, burying the eastern
part of the hospital and destroying or severely damaging 3
cabins and the sales kiosk. The destroyed cabins were
rebuilt on the basis of measured drawings. Most furniture
and equipment could be recovered and restored.
State of conservation:
Recent interventions include the repair and reconstruction
after the rock fall in 1989, as well as other works such as
replacement of deteriorated parts in the cabins (beams,
roofing, wallpaper). Some mistakes can be indicated, eg
use of improper materials especially paints. Some changes
are visible on the site, mostly related to attempts to prevent
humidity. These include lifting up the barracks from the
ground on concrete pillars or strengthening the foundation
stones with cement, which the risks of preventing air
circulation. The roof shingles, having been made of sawn
boards instead of cut boards, have been extremely
vulnerable to rain, and have been changed. Modern paint