Sodna represija in obračun s političnimi nasprotniki poleti 1945
Judicial Repression and Dealing with Political Opponents in the Summer of 1945

Summary/Abstract: In the summer of 1945, criminal justice in Slovenia was administered by courts-martial, which also tried civilians, and the Court of Slovenian National Honour. The organisation and operation of the courts, the preparations and course of mass judicial proceedings, and the penalties imposed show that these proceedings had a political background. The mass political judicial proceedings in the summer of 1945 were part of the process of the Communist Party’s consolidation of power and “cleansing,” in which the new authorities dealt with collaborators of the occupying forces and “domestic traitors” as well as (potential) opponents of the new political system. The penalties imposed by the courts had long-term consequences. Deprivation of citizens’ and political rights meant that those convicted were excluded from public participation; they lost the right to perform public service and occupations as well as all citizens’ and political rights. The confiscations of property imposed were a permanent measure and facilitated subsequent nationalisation. In the summer of 1945, the courts handled cases involving at least 10,000 people; the Court of National Honour convicted 3,025, and the courts-martial handled around 7,000 cases.

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