Igman March: We must resist the fascism we witness even today!

(Patria) - With the presence of several thousand anti-fascists from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the region and European countries, the 80th anniversary of the Igman March, one of the most famous and glorious episodes from the period of the National Liberation Struggle, was marked at Veliko Polje on Igman.  

A delegation of the Sarajevo Canton Government, including Minister of Science, Higher Education and Youth Aleksandra Nikolić, Minister of Labour, Social Policy, Displaced Persons and Refugees Ivana Prvulović, Minister of Justice and Administration Darja Softić Kadenić, Minister of Finance Davor Čičić, Minister of Culture and Sports Samir Avdić, Minister of Transport Adnan Šteta, and Minister for Veterans' Affairs Omer Osmanović, laid flowers at the monument on Veliko Polje.  

Addressing those present, Minister Osmanović emphasised that the territory of Igman is destined to remember and preserve historical battles and events, which remain recorded today as a symbol of the struggle for bare life.

 “80 years ago, on the night between 27 and 28 January, in deep snow and extreme cold, a column of fighters of the 1st Proletarian Brigade, as well as women and children, after more than 18 hours of marching across Igman, arrived in the liberated territory of Foča. It was a march for freedom, from the occupier's ring of fascist ideology. What they achieved then was put to the test 50 years later, at the foot of this same mountain, where new people, women and children fought for the same dignity, against the same fascist ideology, for one city and the same homeland. It was a struggle for new generations, our children and their freedom, which we hope will never be threatened again,” said Minister Osmanović.  

From this historically very significant place, he stated that we owe immense gratitude for everything our fighters did for our homeland, selflessly giving themselves in the battles of the National Liberation War from 1941 to 1945, and those of the Defence-Liberation War from 1992 to 1995.  

“What is also our duty and obligation is to nurture a culture of remembrance, primarily so that our descendants do not lose sensitivity towards those without whom our present-day freedom would not be possible. We need a permanent reminder of the weight of the freedom we enjoy today, while simultaneously paying tribute to the bravest sons of this state,” Minister Osmanović stated.  

As he emphasised, the most important thing is the fight against fascism and the value of the anti-fascist spirit, which must be our direction and permanent commitment in the future as well.  

“Unfortunately, we witness fascism even today, in all its forms, and we must always be aware of these plagues and be ready to resist them. May today's event remind us all once again, as well as the entire civilised world, that the spirit of anti-fascism in these areas is still present, that it lives and is strong enough to oppose all threats. The anti-fascist spirit must be preserved further and we must constantly speak about the importance of the fight against fascism, because it is a legacy of civilisation and a factor of coexistence,” concluded Minister Osmanović.   

The Igman March is a military operation from World War II, when fighters of the 1st Proletarian Brigade, besieged by strong German forces on Romanija, set out to break through towards Sarajevo. Their plan was to reach the then-liberated Foča. The breakthrough began on 25 January. In two days they reached the Sarajevo field. The most difficult part was the beginning of the ascent onto Igman.  

The crossing over Igman was carried out on the night between 27 and 28 January, in deep snow and extreme cold. That march became legendary for the 40 severely frostbitten fighters who were transferred for treatment to Foča, where they endured superhuman pain from the amputation of frostbitten body parts without anaesthesia.