20th anniversary of the idea of establishment in the Park of Military History

Twenty years ago, on May 9, 2004, just a few days after the Republic of Slovenia joined the European Union, on the Day of Europe and the municipal day of Pivka, the idea was born to convert abandoned, decaying barracks on the outskirts of Pivka into a military museum. The bold idea had little chance of realization. Still, the Municipality of Pivka recognized it as a developmental opportunity, the Ministry of Defense assessed the project as feasible, a dedicated team embarked on the work, and European cohesion funds opened unforeseen possibilities… Designers got to work, construction machinery buzzed, and the Military Museum of the Slovenian Armed Forces began the restoration of its first exhibits.

From its modest beginnings at its opening in 2006 to the present day, the Park of Military History has developed into the largest museum complex in the country and one of the most visited museums in the state. With its registration in the museum register at the Ministry of Culture in 2019 and obtaining authorization to perform state public museum services in 2022, its role in presenting military movable and intangible cultural heritage was also confirmed at the national level.

In commemoration of the twentieth anniversary, which marked the inception of such a daring project, a museum monument with a photographic exhibition depicting the development of the museum complex was erected in the Park of Military History.

The exhibition, titled “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks (Isaiah 2:4),” visually presents the rich history of the former barracks on the outskirts of Pivka from its construction in the 1930s to its gradual decline after Slovenian independence. A series of photographs in the second thematic section highlights key milestones in the story of the Park of Military History, whose establishment architecturally preserved the impressive barracks complex from final decay. The exhibition’s author is the director of the Park, Mag. Janko Boštjančič. The construction and exhibition were designed by Barbara Sirk and Žiga Okorn from the company Uvid.si, and executed by the companies Maher and O.K.V I R.

On May 8th, at a brief ceremony in the Park of Military History, Minister for Cohesion and Regional Development Dr. Aleksander Jevšek unveiled a museum monument with a photographic exhibition. In light of the twentieth anniversary of Slovenia’s accession to the European Union, the Park of Military History, as highlighted, represents a success story due to the recognition of new development perspectives and successful utilization of European funds while also supporting the state policy of decentralization and coherent regional development. The director of the Park, Mag. Janko Boštjančič summarized the museum’s mission and the exhibition’s message with the words: “For the name of the exhibition and indeed the entire commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Park’s idea, we chose a biblical quote: ‘They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.’ Isaiah’s prophecy from 2,750 years ago seemed highly appropriate to us, as it eloquently encapsulates what we are doing here, transforming weapons intended for destruction and killing into developmental and touristic potential. In a time when swords and spears are being forged with full force around the world again, this message is even more important. We have inscribed Isaiah’s words into metal so that they can testify to future generations of our firm belief that a better world is possible and that peace and justice will ultimately prevail among nations.”

The opening of the exhibition was followed by a panel discussion with the creators of the idea from twenty years ago and key actors in the rapid and successful development of the Park of Military History. Memories of the unwavering enthusiasm of the responsible individuals at that time and the challenging formal-legal path to the establishment of the Park were presented by the former commander of the Pivka barracks, Major General Roman Urbanč, who is now the representative of the Republic of Slovenia to the EU and NATO, Mayor of the Municipality of Pivka Robert Smrdelj, and the director of the Park, Mag. Janko Boštjančič, emphasizing the exemplary cooperation between the local community and the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Slovenia or the Slovenian Armed Forces. The discussion, moderated by Marjana Grčman, also involved Colonel Marko Hlastec, the Chief of the Military Museum of the Slovenian Armed Forces, Dr. Jedrt Vodopivec, conservator, Sandi Curk, the commander of the regional Civil Protection Headquarters for Notranjska, as well as representatives of the Walk of Peace Foundation in the Soča Valley, Škocjan Caves Park, and the Regional Development Agency Green Karst as long-standing partners of the Park of Military History. In addition to sincere congratulations to the Park of Military History, they emphasized its important role in today’s world and its contribution to the development of the museum profession and the tourist recognition of the region and the wider area.