1

INTERANTIONAL MEMORIAL TRAIL OF ALLIANCE - - THE CROW'S FLIGHT

Društvo za ohranjanje spomina na reševanje zavezniških vojakov v času NOB –

Vranov let v svobodo Društvo Vranov let, Kacova 1, SI – 2000 MARIBOR, SLOVENIJA Society for the commemoration of the rescue of the Allied soldiers

on time of the National Liberation War of Slovenia – WW II - THE CROW'S FLIGHT TO THE FREEDOM

THE CROW'S FLIGHT SOCIETY

The Crow’s Flight Trail (20th – 25th September) “The International Memorial Trail of Alliance - The Crow’s Flight”

The story of The Crow’s Flight is a true historical event. In August 1944 about one hundred Partisan combatants liberated 80 British POWs, from New Zealand, Australia and England that were imprisoned in a POW camp – Stalag XVIII D in Maribor. Led by Partisans, fugitives have travelled about 330 kilometres in 14 days on foot from Ožbalt to Semič. On 18 September 1944, they boarded Dakotas DC 3 aircraft. From the partisan airfield Otok they were brought to the Allied base of Bari in Italy and safely returned to their homes. Look more details about The Crow’s Flight Project at enclosed flyer.

In the book “A Hundred Miles as the Crow Flies”, this rescue of POWs is described in details by Australian Ralph F. Churches, one of the two organizers of the escape.

The Crow’s Flight Project commemorates escapers, evaders and helpers and we invite you to come with us to relive part of the trail and be part of ceremonials that take place every year since 2008 in Slovenia on this matter. The Slovene Partisans rescued 439 British POW’s escaped from Italian and German camps and 806 rescued Allied airmen supported by people in mountainously country of Slovenia. Read appendix: Summary out of “The Broken Wings” by Matija Žganjar.

This year the main event will be in the village of Otok on the area of former Partisan airfield Otok, under the original DC3 aircraft. Besides, you will discover the beauties and cultural diversity of one of the smallest countries in EU.

Day 1: Tuesday, 20th September 2016

Individual arrival to Maribor

Maribor airport, Slovenia; Look info on http://www.maribor-airport.si/en/Home.aspx

Ljubljana Airport - Airport Jože Pučnik, Slovenia; then taxi or shared ride Shuttle Service to Maribor, 130 km highway ; estimated time 01:30;

Graz airport, Austria , then taxi or shared ride Shuttle Service to Maribor 60 km highway; estimated time 00:45

Vienna/Wien airport, Austria , direct train from airport Vienna to Graz 260 km, and then taxi or shared ride Shuttle Service from Graz to Maribor, 60 km highway ;

Zagreb, Croatia (International Airport), then taxi or shared ride Shuttle Service to Maribor, 125 km highway, estimated time 01:30;

Trieste / Trst, Italy, then taxi or shared ride Shuttle Service to Maribor 250 km highway, estimated time 02:30

Accommodation in Hotel Orel in the centre of Maribor

6 00 pm – Introduction meeting with organizers

Overnight

2

Day 2: Wednesday, 21st September 2016

Breakfast

8 00 am - Sightseeing tour of Maribor with guided visit of National Liberation Museum Maribor and visit the place of former POW camp– Stalag XVIII D in Maribor.

11 30 am – Bus drive to Ožbalt (short introduction of escape and the rescue of 80 British war prisoners from the working place on the railroad in Ožbalt)

1 30 pm – Lunch at the local inn.

2 30 pm – Bus drive to Činžat, the starting point of our hiking trail

3 00 pm – Hiking tour Činžat – Klopni vrh (approx. 7,5 km)

7 00 pm – Dinner and overnight in mountain cottage on Klopni vrh

Day 3: Thursday, 22nd September 2016

Breakfast

7 00 am – Hiking tour Klopni vrh – Ribniška koča (approx. 17 km)

3 00 pm – Bus drive from Ribnica na Pohorju to Dravograd

4 00 pm – Guided visit of former Gestapo prison in Dravograd

5 30 pm – Bus drive to Slovenj Gradec and sightseeing of the city centre; Meeting with the members of Union of the Associations for the values of the national liberation movement of Slovenia.

7 30 pm – Dinner and overnight in the hotel in Slovenj Gradec

Day 4: Friday, 23rd September 2016

Breakfast

9 00 am – Bus drive with local guide from Slovenj Gradec via Mozirje to Gornji Grad

11 00 pm – Meeting with the members of Union of the Associations for the values of the national liberation movement of Slovenia

12 00 pm – Bus drive to Geometric Centre of the Republic of Slovenia – GEOSS; ; Meeting with the members of Union of the Associations for the values of the national liberation movement of Slovenia

1 30 pm – Cultural programme in GEOSS and light meal

5 00 pm – Bus drive to Metlika; ; Meeting with the members of Union of the Associations for the values of the national liberation movement of Slovenia

7 30 pm – Dinner and overnight in hotel in Metlika

Day 5: Saturday, 24th September 2016

Breakfast

8 00 am – Bus drive to Semič (welcome greeting -meeting with the members of Union of the Associations for the values of the national liberation movement of Slovenia) and back to Gradac, the starting point of our hiking tour to Otok

9 30 am – Hiking tour Gradac – Otok (approx. 5 km)

12 00 am – Main commemoration of The Crow’s Flight Project

3 pm – Drive to Ljubljana

5 pm – Guided sightseeing tour of Slovenian capital Ljubljana

7 30 pm – Dinner and overnight in hotel in Ljubljana

Day 6: Sunday, 25th September 2016

Breakfast

Individual departure

Hikers: Those who want to join hiking tours must be individually insured, in good health and prepared for moderate hiking effort. Hikers must also take their own hiking equipment appropriate for all weather conditions. *Programme for non – hikers: For those who will not join the hiking tours the programme and services are the same, except on the 2nd and 3rd Day. On the 2nd day bus will take non-hikers from restaurant, where we will have lunch, to Maribor. Overnight in Maribor. On the 3rd day bus will pick up the guests in Maribor and drive them to Dravograd, where they meet up with the rest of the group.

3

PRICE

No. of persons in the group 10 pax 15 pax 20 pax 30 pax

Hikers 490 EUR 435 EUR 405 EUR 370 EUR

Non-hikers 498 EUR 450 EUR 415 EUR 380 EUR

Supplement for single room: Hikers: 70 EUR for five nights; Non-hikers: 80 EUR for five nights. If less than 10 persons the program will be discussed individually.

Services included in the price:

Day 1: 1 BB (overnight, breakfast) in hotel 3* in double rooms

Day 2: Hikers - 1 HB (overnight, breakfast, dinner) in mountain cottage – shared rooms, beds; Non-hikers – 1 BB in Hotel 3*)

Day 3,4,5: 3 HB (overnight, breakfast, dinner) in hotels 3* in double rooms

Lunch in local restaurant – Day 2

Light meal – Day 4

Bus transfer according to the programme

Local guides (Maribor, Slovenj Gradec)

Tour Guide – Day 5 and Day 6

Hiking guide – Day 2 and Day 3

Entrances according to the programme (National Liberation Museum Maribor, Gestapo prison in Dravograd)

Organizational costs of The Crow's Flight Society

APPLICATIONS To make a reservation for The Crow's Flight Trail please:

Fill out the application form and sent it to: info@agencija-m.com

Pay a deposit of 200 EUR till 15th June on agency bank account. About 30 days before the tour we will inform you about final price (depending on the number of applications) and ask you to make the final payment

ADRRESS: Agencija M, d.o.o., Partizanska cesta 6, 2000 MARIBOR, SLOVENIA BANK: Delavska hranilnica d. d. Ljubljana, Miklošičeva 5, 1000 LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA

IBAN: SI56 6100 0000 6058 870; SWIFT: HDELSI22 PLEASE NOTE: Bank transfer costs go on your account!

4

Address of the Society: Društvo Vranov let, Kacova 1, SI – 2000 MARIBOR, SLOVENIJA Chairman of “The Crow’s Flight Society”: Eduard Vedernjak, the coordinator of this presented event 2016

This program will be conducted for THE CROW'S FLIGHT SOCIETY by tourist agency »Agencija M« from Maribor with

long year successfuly tradition since 1995. So please read their presentation http://www.agencija-m.com/en/

For the program the responsibility bears THE CROW'S FLIGHT SOCIETY.

As for the logistic the agency » Agencija M« is responsible please

kontakt directly AGENCIJA M, http://www.agencija-m.com/kontakt.php

Mateja Ogrizek

Agencija M

Partizanska cesta 6

2000 Maribor

T: +386 2 250 98 86; +386 41 388 945

F: +386 2 250 98 87

mailto:info@agencija-m.com

5

To know more about rescuing the Allied Airmen in occupied Slovenia:

THE BROKEN WINGS

by

Matija Žganjar

For 20 years Matija Žganjar, historian and museum adviser, researched the matter of Rescuing Allied airmen in Slovenia

during World War II. On 2012 his book THE BROKEN WINGS was published. 632 pages, format 24x32 cm. Lot of

documentary photos and a map of an American airman.

ISBN / EAN: 978-961-6681-21-6; held by 7 WorldCat member libraries worldwide;

In 1943, the Allies migrated their air forces from airports in northern Africa to Europe. In southern Italy, in Foggia near

Bari, the 15th US Air Force started operating with approximately 2,000 airplanes, which attacked primarily strategic

targets in the southern part of the German Reich. The 15 Air Force aircrafts very often flew over the occupied Slovenian

territory. Many of them were damaged by German forces during the bobardement the German Reich. The only chance to

rescue was to parachute or even land on Slovenian territory an to find Partisans and people cooperating with the national

liberation movement. And all of them persistently endeavoured to find the Allied in time.

6

Here you can read the Summary of »THE BROKEN WINGS«:

7

Rescuing airmen in the most dangerous and fatal moment, first aid to the shaken and damaged, treating the

wounded in partisan hospitals and decent burial of the fallen with all military honors if only possible is certainly

admirable, civilized and humane act which ought to be also recognized by those who are reluctant to Partisan

movement. Matija Žganjar

Recomended additional reading:

Books by members of Allied misions:

Franklin Lindsay: Beacons in the Night , Stanford univ. press, Calif., 1993 Rogers Lindsay: Guerilla surgeon, London 1958 William Jones: Twelve Months with Tito´s Partisans, Canada 1946 Peter Moor Links: 1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovene_Partisans

2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugoslav_Partisans and find Raid at Ožbalt

3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugoslavia_and_the_Allies

. BEAUTIES OF SLOVENIA

40 incredible landscape photos from the Styria region of Slovenia by Peter Zajfrid

http://travelslovenia.org/peter-zajfrid-photo/

W E L C O M E in S L O V E N I A, EU