Igman March anniversary marked

(Patria) - The 82nd anniversary of the "Igman March" is being marked today with a traditional march and laying of wreaths and flowers by delegations at the Memorial to the members of the First Proletarian Brigade on Veliko polje on Igman.

This is the anniversary of the legendary breakthrough of the First Proletarian Brigade from Romanija to the free territory in Foča and one of the most significant operations during the People's Liberation Struggle in World War II.

The president of SABNOR in the Canton of Sarajevo and the president of the Igman March Organizing Committee, Mirsad Ćatić, told Fena that they are proud to be the organizers of this grand gathering and that participants are coming from all over Europe.

- Today at 10 AM, all participants of the Igman March, which is being marked for the 82nd time this year, gathered. The flag of the First Proletarian Brigade was handed over to the commander of the column, and the march began at 10:30 AM. The column is currently halfway. We expect the marching column around 1 PM at the monument on Veliko polje, where wreaths will be laid - said Ćatić.

He emphasized that more than 60 delegations will lay wreaths.

As he pointed out, delegations from all former Yugoslav countries, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Austria are present, and more than 10,000 visitors are expected at Veliko polje for the central event today.

- This is the largest anti-fascist event in all of Europe after Lisbon. We are proud that for many years, anti-fascist people have recognized this and that kind souls, with big hearts and pride, bring their joy to Igman, and all of this together creates a beautiful image that anti-fascists convey - said Ćatić.

The "Igman March" was carried out on the night between January 27 and 28, 1942, in deep snow and extreme cold of minus 38 degrees Celsius, and 800 members of the First Proletarian Brigade walked for 17 hours.

Members of the First Proletarian Brigade were surrounded by strong German forces on Romanija. The brigade's headquarters decided to carry out a dangerous but the only possible maneuver. The participants of the march passed by Sarajevo and, across Igman, broke through towards Foča, then a free territory.