Kočevje Regional Museum

The origins of Kočevje Regional Museum date back to the founding of the Museum Society of Kočevje in 1953. The Society was initially housed in the former Skubiz villa on the Rinža, which today houses the offices of Kočevje Municipality. Due to bad storing conditions museum was moved in 1963 into Sokol House, originally constructed in 1937-1938 as a multi purpose building with a large central auditorium, which in October 1943 hosted the Assembly of the Delegates of the Slovene Nation, the first elected parliament in the history of the Slovenes. In 1947 Sokol House was renamed Šešek House in honour of national hero Jože Šešek who was executed by Italian occupation forces in 1942.

Collections

Kočevje Regional Museum presents several collections, including Drawings by Painter Božidar Jakac in auditorium - among them are 34 drawings made during the session of the Assembly in 1943; and the Lost Cultural Heritage of the Kočevje Germans - presenting the Kočevje region, which after over 600 years was suddenly abandoned by its majority (German) population in the winter of 1941-1942 when this region was not incorporated in the German occupation zone, but occupied by Italians. The leaders of the Kočevje Germans agreed with the German government to move the entire population to the Reich. The resettlement, the ravages of the war, the post-war collapse and systematic destruction had far-reaching consequences for the once-developed cultural landscape. Third part of presented collection is exhibition Nation Will Write Its Own Judgement, Slovenia from Idea To The State. First sentece is the only slogan that remained after German occupation army badly damaged Sešek House in October 1943 after the Assembly. Exhibition has focus on this part of the nations history, but shows also the history from first Slavic tribes that settled in this parts to independence of Slovenia in 1991. Permanent exhibitions are mainly set up with big panels with photos and text, among them are scattered historical and ethnological artefacts.

Temporary exhibitions

Kočevje Regional Museum also organises temporary exhibitions in collaboration with four other museums in the neighbouring regions, Bela krajina Museum, Metlika, Dolenjska Museum Novo mesto, Božidar Jakac Gallery, Kostanjevica na Krki, Museum of the Posavje Region, Brežice that are exchanged among the institutions, for instance Landscapes From The Museums Depos which is current common exhibition and Independence War for Slovenia which is about to be prepared. Temporary exhibition made by Kočevje Regional Museum is on Likovni Salon Kočevje, art gallery and collection that was established in 1966 and was active until late eighties (1986), when it was cancelled. Collection is now scattered among public institutions and is under jurisdiction of Kočevje Municipality. Museum is periodically showing exhibitions from this art collection.

Dislocated units

Dislocated units of the museum with permanent exhibitions are also Predgrad and Predgrajci, ethnology, folklore and history of inhabitants of Poljanska Valley by river Kolpa based on research and book of Marija Makarovič. Exhibition is on display in Pregrad Kulturni Dom. Second permanent exhibition is Churches ans Chapels of Kočevska Reka Parish in renovated church of St. John The Baptist in Kočevska reka. Vicariate of Gotenica was mentioned as early as 1363. Exhibition is presenting ecclesiastical history, history of Kočevje Germans and devastation during and after Second World, when most of the churches and villages were left to ruin or were intentionally ruined. Kočevska Reka was around 50 years closed military zone.

External links

Kočevje Regional Museum

Contents

Collections

Temporary exhibitions

Dislocated units

See also

External links

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Financed by