In Podgorica: World War II Memorial on the Gorica Hill
A monument on the Gorica hill in Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, commemorates the partisan struggle during World War II.
According to the Portal to Euopean Sites of Remembrance “between 1941 and 1944, Tito partisans fought against the Italian and German occupying forces. Following the invasion of the Axis powers in the spring of 1941, Yugoslavia was dismembered, and Montenegro was occupied by Italy. Already in the summer of 1941, a resistance movement against the occupying forces formed in all of Yugoslavia. Among the strongest resistance groups were the partisans led by Josip Broz, called Tito. The Wehrmacht and the Italian army fiercely fought against the partisans. During the First Enemy Offensive in autumn 1941, as it was referred to in partisan historiography, the Tito partisans were forced to retreat to Montenegro. They continued to carry out operations from there. Podgorica, the largest city in Montenegro, was the target of severe air raids during the war. Following Italy's surrender in autumn 1943, German troops took the city. In 1944, Podgorica was liberated by partisans.
Montenegro became one of six republics in the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia. In Montenegro, as throughout the Yugoslav Republic, numerous monuments to the partisans were built. However, unlike in the other republics these monuments were not destroyed following the break-up of Yugoslavia in 1991-92.
In 1992 Montenegro initially opted to remain part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, from 2003 it formed a single state with Serbia.”
An independence referendum was held in Montenegro on 21 May 2006. It was approved by 55.5% of voters, narrowly passing the 55% threshold. From then on Montenegro has been an independent state. The capital, which had been renamed Titograd in 1946, regained its historical name Podgorica in 1992.
These photos were taken in August 2018.
