The Slovenian Emigrants in Argentina Collection (1948–1953)

Curator: Katarina Jurjavčič

The Slovenian Emigrants in Argentina Collection consists of 369 photographs by Lojze Erjavec. The photographs illustrate the story of the Slovenian refugees who for ideological reasons or for fear of communism, withdrew to Italy. Some of them already left for Italy before the end of the Second World War, while many got there just as the war ended. Lojze Erjavec, who worked as a lithographer in the Yugoslav print works before the war. Erjavec withdrew to Italy on his 41st birthday, on 5 May 1945.

Erjavec travelled from Bagnoli (28 photographs) via Austria (14 photographs) to other temporary refugee camps in Austria along with other Slovenian refugees, first to the Fallingbostel transit camp in Germany (31 photographs), and from there to the port of Bremerhaven (14 photographs). There, they boarded the Gral Stewart and went on a long voyage across the Atlantic (110 photographs). The photographs show the boarding, sleeping conditions and food arrangements aboard the ship, as well as the uniqueness of the trip and the uncomfortable recovery from seasickness as a result of the stormy sea.

The photographs of Slovene emigrants to Argentina were donated to the museum by the photographer’s daughter, Metka Tomažin, on 24 October 2012. 

Lojze ERJAVEC, Migrants waiting to cross the sea, Bagnoli (Italy), April–May 1948. Black-and-white photograph, 7.5 × 11.5 cm, inv. no.: AE5.
Lojze ERJAVEC, Migrants waiting to cross the sea, Bagnoli (Italy), April–May 1948. Black-and-white photograph, 7.5 × 11.5 cm, inv. no.: AE5.
Lojze ERJAVEC, Playing volleyball in the Fallingbostel transit camp (Germany), 4–5 May 1948. Black-and-white photograph, 7.5 × 11.3 cm, inv. no.: AE52.
Lojze ERJAVEC, Playing volleyball in the Fallingbostel transit camp (Germany), 4–5 May 1948. Black-and-white photograph, 7.5 × 11.3 cm, inv. no.: AE52.
Lojze ERJAVEC, Holy mass on the Gral Stewart sailing across the Atlantic, May 1948. Black-and-white photograph, 7 × 7.5 cm, inv. no.: AE107.
Lojze ERJAVEC, Holy mass on the Gral Stewart sailing across the Atlantic, May 1948. Black-and-white photograph, 7 × 7.5 cm, inv. no.: AE107.