REPOSITORY OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE AND A CULTURAL SCIENTIFIC HUB

The Garden of Remembrance and Comradeship in Petanjci is a living commemorative botanical collection. Its fundamental message, »In memory of the victims of Fascism and Nazism and as a solemn reminder to the living,« is honored and preserved by the many trees and plants found within.

As academician Dr. Marjaž Kmecl described, »In Ljubljana, they have the Path of Remembrance and Comradeship, and here at Petanjci, we have the Garden of Remembrance and Comradeship.«

The Garden is a protected cultural and historical monument. It is part of the Network of Botanical Gardens and Arboretums of Slovenia, a notable point on several cycling routes, the beginning and end of Kepler’s astronomy trek, the headquarters of the ZRC SAZU Research Station Prekmurje, as well as an active co-creator of cultural, educational, research, and tourist life in the local and wider environment, and, above all, is an indispensable part of the cultural heritage of the world along the Mura and the Pomurje region.

In 1945, Apolonija Šiftar planted the first memorial trees—two weeping willows—at the entrance to Šiftar’s homestead in memory of her two sons who did not return home after the war. Mother’s weeping willows became the foundation of the Garden of Remembrance and Comradeship, and its construction became the life’s work of her third son, Vanek. Vanek Šiftar continued to build the Garden of Remembrance and Comradeship to honor this touching act of his mother. A magnificent garden was created, which has been a cultural monument and natural attraction and has been protected as such since 1968 by a decree of the Municipality of Murska Sobota, and since 2005, it has been protected as a cultural monument by the Municipality of Tišina.

The garden covers an area of 1.5 ha, where almost 500 different native (indigenous) and non-native trees from all over the world are planted, with botanical peculiarities and symbolic meanings linked to World War II and the quest for world peace. They remind us of the many bloody scenes of human suffering and death in Europe, the longing and struggle for survival and freedom of the Slovenian nation, and above all, the collective effort for peace, understanding, and peaceful cooperation in the world.

The garden, especially its historical and symbolic value and uniqueness, is also accentuated by memorial sculptures, each with its own humanistic and symbolic messages.

A commemorative plaque honoring the astronomer and scientist J. Kepler, who spent several months of his exile at the end of the 16th century at the then manor of the Hungarian counts Nádasdy in Petanjci, can also be found within the garden.

The garden is also the headquarters of the Institution Dr. Šiftar Foundation.