Description

By the late winter of 1945, the Axis forces in Yugoslavia were everywhere in retreat, as it was clear that the Partisans would gain complete control of the country sometime in the coming spring.  On March 7, 1945, the Partisan leadership in Belgrade declared the formation of the national government of the Democratic Federal Yugoslavia (Privremena vlada Demokratske Federativne Jugoslavije).  This anodyne name was chosen, which intentionally avoided references to the former monarchy, a republic or communism, so as not to pecialize certain members of the anti-Axis coalition who may not have favoured a communist takeover of the country.  The last thing that Marshal Tito needed was for a civil conflict to brew within his own ranks on the eve of victory.  That being said, this accommodation was considered to be provisional, subject to change upon the ultimate Partisan victory.  True to plan, this state was replaced upon the proclamation of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on November 29, 1945.

The present attractive work, with text printed in blue, was issued immediately in the wake of the declaration of the new state, as announced by the Tanjug news agency on March 10, 1945.  The draft of the cover was originally made by the eminent architect and draftsman Marjan Šorli (1915 – 1975), nom de guerre ‘Viher’, who was a student of the world famous architect Jože Plečnik.  Šorli graduated from his studies in 1940 and formally joined the Partisans in 1944.  After the war he gained a high profile as the architect of many of Yugoslavia’s most important public buildings.

The first edition with this cover was printed by Trilof, an underground Slovenian Partisan press that occupied a tiny wooden house in the mountains of the Gorenjsko region.  Trilof pecialized in decorative, colourful prints, especially during the last months of the war.

This is a version by another unnamed underground press.

References: Bibliografija izdanja u narodnooslobodilačkom ratu 1941-1945, 1964, possibly no. 4655.