The Museum of Hostages is located in the centre of the village of Begunje na Gorenjskem in the northwest wing of the imposing Katzenstein mansion. From 1941-1945 it was a notorious gestapo prison. In the memorial museum visitors can see the cells of former prisoners. There are shocking written records of inmates on the walls and proclamations by the occupiers.
During the second world war 11,477 prisoners suffered in Begunje prison, the majority were members of the Gorenjska resistance movement, as well as from other regions of Slovenia and foreign nationals. Many were sent from the prison to concentration camps, the majority to Mauthausen and Dachau. One of the extreme forms of Nazi oppression of freedom was the shooting of hostages. Of the prisoners in Begunje, 849 were executed.
On 4th May 1945 the Kokra detachment of partisan soldiers took over Begunje prison and freed 632 prisoners. This day is marked annually in Begunje and is celebrated with a memorial ceremony.
In the park surrounding the mansion and in the nearby Draga valley there are 667 graves of hostages and partisans. The site was laid out according to the plans of the architect Edvard Ravnikar. The artistic sculptures in the mansion park are the work of the academic sculptor Boris Kalin.
INFORMATION
Radovljica Municipality Museums
mro@mro.si
Begunje 55, Begunje na Gorenjskem
T: 0+386 (0)4 53 20 520
Museum reception: +386 (0)4 533 37 90
www.mro.si
OPENING HOURS
Open by appointment on 00386 4 53 20 520 or mro@mro.si
PRICE:
- Children: 2,00 €
- Adults: 3,00 €
- Family Ticket: 7,00 €
- Retirees, students: 2,00 €
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