[Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany]: 1945.
Price: $30,000.00
An important collection of extremely rare mimeographed materials printed at the Dachau Concentration Camp only days after the camp’s liberation from the Nazis by American forces. The collection includes 14 issues of *Dahavski Poroc?evalec* [The Dachau Reporter], the two only published issues of *Vesti* [News], one issue of *Razsvit* [Enlightenment]; together with *Nekaj Partizanskih* [Some Partisan Songs], the only song book printed at Dachau.
Partisan survivors at Dachau were given access to paper and mimeograph machines by the Americans, and within 72 hours the first number of *Dahavski Poroc?evalec* was printed, with the respected Slovenian journalist Ludwig Mrzel serving as editor. Only 30 issues were published, followed by only two issues of its successor newspaper *Vesti*, also edited by Mrzel. The newspaper *Razsvit* was published by Yugoslavian Antifascist Youth, and the songbook was published by another Partisan committee in Dachau as part of the American effort to dramatically improve the conditions of the former prisoners who were obliged to remain in the camp for some weeks until being processed out.
A remarkable survival of fragile materials of profound cultural and historical importance, created during one of the most tragic periods in history. Detailed descriptions follows:
1. Ludwig MRZEL (editor). *Dahavski Poroc?evalec – Glasilo Jugoslav. Narod. Odbora v Dachau*. [The Dachau Reporter – Newspaper of the Yugoslavian National Liberation Army in Dachau]: 14 loose issues: nos. 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 19, 21-24, 26-28, and 30. Dachau [Concentration Camp, Germany]: May 13 - June 5, 1945.
Quartos (30 x 21 cm). Mimeographed text, one issue with an in-text mimeographed illustration, stapled. Printed on fragile paper, slightly age-toned, scattered small tears and chips (one issue with small loss of text at the margins), issue no. 11 with a small hole in the middle (with small loss of text), no. 24 with loss of paper to the upper margin (about two one-inch pieces, laid-in), else overall good or better.
Fourteen loose issues of *Dahavski Poroc?evalec* published daily in Dachau, spanning the period from May 12 through June 5, 1945. Soon after the camp was liberated, Yugoslavian Partisan survivors were given access to paper and mimeograph machines by the Americans, and issued this daily newspaper, with the respected Slovenian journalist Ludwig Mrzel serving as editor. Only 30 issues were published.
*Dahavski Poroc?evalec* focused primarily on reporting contemporary events, including important details about conditions at the Dachau camp. Most reporting of contemporary events was derived from American media: papers, newsreels, and radio reports. Although most articles are written in Slovenian, it includes some sections, together with words and phrases, intended to be understood by Croatian and Serbian speakers. A list of all 14 issues follows:
#10. May 12, 1945 (8pp.)
#11. May 13, 1945 (2pp.)
#13. May 15, 1945 (4pp.)
#15. May 17, 1945 (6pp.)
#16. May 18, 1945 (4pp., with 1 quarter page stapled between pp. 2-3)
#19. May 23, 1945 (4pp.)
#21. May 25, 1945 (6pp., with an illustration of Tito on the front page)
#22. May 26, 1945 (4pp.) + 4pp. supplement (last page is blank)
#23. May 27, 1945 (6pp.)
#24. May 29, 1945 (6pp.)
#26. May 31, 1945 (4pp.) + 2pp. supplement (last page is blank)
#27. June 1, 1945 (4pp.)
#28. June 2, 1945 (4 pp.)
#30. June 5, 1945 (4pp.) Last issue published.
All 14 issues are very scarce. *OCLC* locates only four holdings in Slovenia.
2. Ludwig MRZEL (editor). *VESTI: Moskva-London-Beograd-Paris-New York-Ljubljana-Zagreb-Trst*. [NEWS: Moscow-London-Belgrade-Paris-New York-Ljubljana-Triest]. KZ Dachau: June 6 and 7, 1945.
Issued in 2 numbers only on June 6th and 7th, after *Dahavski Poroc?evalec* ceased publication on June 5th, when the remaining inmates at Dachau had to stay in the camp for two additional days.
Two issues: nos. 1 and 2. Quartos (30 x 21 cm). Each consists of 1 sheet (or 2pp.) of mimeographed text. The first number (June 6th) is slightly age-toned, with scattered small chips and tears to the margins, else very good; the second number (June 7th) is slightly age-toned, very good.
On June 5th the remaining inmates at Dachau were scheduled to be transferred by the Allies to their homeland, after more than a month of waiting in the liberated concentration camp. After printing the last number of *Dahavski Poroc?evalec* on June 5th, which included a goodbye note, they received the news informing them that they had to stay in the camp for an additional two days. Editor Ludwig Mrzel thus prepared a new newspaper *Vesti*, which published radio news broadcasts from all over the world on the following two days. The second number, published on June 7th, was the last newspaper printed in Dachau: on June 8th the liberated prisoners could finally leave the concentration camp.
Very scarce. *OCLC* locates only two holdings in Slovenia.
3. Razsvit – Glasilo Jugoslovanske Antifašisti?ne Mladine [Enlightenment – Newspaper of Yugoslavian Antifascist Youth]. KZ Dachau: June 2, 1945.
One loose issue: no. 5. Quarto (30 x 21 cm). 1 sheet (or 2pp.) of mimeographed text. Printed on fragile paper, slightly age-toned, small tears and holes with small loss of text in margins, otherwise in a good condition. An extremely rare newspaper printed by Yugoslavian youths imprisoned in the Dachau concentration camp, weeks after the liberation of the camp by the Allies, when inmates were still kept at the camp for security and medical reasons.
*OCLC* locates only one holding, of this issue only (no. 5), at the National Library of Slovenia.
4. Nekaj Partizanskih [Some Partisan Songs]. Kulturno-propagandni odsek Jugoslovanskega narodnega odbora v koncentracijskem taboriš?u Dachau [Cultural-Propaganda Detachment of Yugoslavian National Committee in the Concentration Camp Dachau]. Dachau: May, 1945.
12° (11.5 x 9 cm). pp. [2] 1-30. Mimeographed title and text pages, in original red paper wrapper, stitched, with original quarter linen-cloth along the spine. Early small name in ink on p. 14, a few scattered light stains, very good.
This small book, in the original stitched wrapper, was printed by Slovenian Partisans at the Dachau Concentration Camp one month after its liberation, when the camp was under American administration. Because most of the liberated prisoners were obliged to remain in the camp for several weeks until being processed out, the Americans went to great lengths to dramatically improve the conditions of the camp’s residents. Not only did they have to screen the inmates for people who were potential security risks to the Allies, it was also unsafe or very difficult for many of the inmates to return home. Time was required for all the arrangements to be made, and so thousands remained in Dachau.
Thus the Americans facilitated activities for the internees as they awaited their release, which included the printing of this songbook. The book prints the lyrics of popular Slovenian Partisan songs, including *Na juris*, and translations of foreign songs also popular during the war, including the famous Russian song *Katyusha*. As mentioned in *Dahavski Poro?evalec*, this was the only songbook printed in the camp.
*OCLC* locates only three copies in Slovenia.
Item #420923