The author of Schindler’s Soldier, Rasto Božič, as a sensitive follower of social events in Dolenjska, came across an interesting story of the forcibly mobilized German soldier Stanko (Stanislav) Ponikvar.
He confided in him a personal story about his forced mobilization into the German army in 1942, joining the SS units and working in the Mauthausen and Auschwitz concentration camps. In both, he saw the horrors of the complete dehumanization of the inmates, who were just numbers for the Nazis. He realized the cold, industrial character of killing and destroying less worthy races, such as the Jews in the first place, followed by the Roma and, of course, the Slavs, especially the Russians and Poles, but also the Slovenes. What he said is interesting for the general public, because based on personal experience and reliving the camp atmosphere, he additionally confirms the proven methods of Nazi genocide during the Second World War in concentration and extermination camps in a narrative manner. Ponikvar himself was not a camp worker, but he got to know the structure of the camp and its functioning, especially in the light of the guards and their tasks. (dr. Marjan Toš, museum consultant)
In cooperation with the Cultural Center Maribor, we cordially invite you to the presentation of Rasta Božič’s book Schindler’s Soldier. The story of Stane Ponikvar. The presentation of the book will take place in the Maribor Synagogue on February 16, 2017, at 11 a.m.
Rasto Božič has published almost 7,000 articles in more than a decade of his independent journalistic activity and almost three decades of activity in the field of media for various editorial offices, and in the Cobiss library system there are just under 1,100 of his author citations. In 2008, the Novomeška Publishing House Goga published his debut book, Mesto situl, devoted to the archeological heritage of Novomeje, and he published some of his short stories in the magazine Rast and elsewhere. Among others, he wrote for the newspapers Dnevnik, Večer, Park, Dobro jutro and Dolenjski list. He also wrote music reviews and book reviews for some of the aforementioned newspapers. He has been a regional correspondent for STA since 2007 and also works as a photographer. In 2003, he started working with the regional magazine for literature, culture and social issues, Rast, and in 2010, the municipality of Novi Sad appointed him as its editor-in-chief. He led Rast until the end of 2015. In 2015, the municipality of Novo mesto awarded him the Trdin Award, the highest municipal cultural award, for his achievements in the cultural field.
