July 2018

With great sadness, we have heard news that Dora Lavrenčič, widow of Karl Lavrenčič, passed away on 10^th July at the age of 94. Dora was a broadcaster with the BBC’s Slovene section.

Née Dora Žebot, she was the daughter of a prominent pre-war figure Franjo Žebot who, as acting Mayor of Maribor, refused to raise the Nazi flag on the town hall at the time of the 1941 invasion. He was subsequently the first Slovene to be transported to Dachau concentration camp, where he died.

Dora’s funeral arrangements are as follows:

Funeral Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Cobham, Surrey at 11am on Friday 20th July. There will be a reception immediately afterwards in the parish centre next to the church. 

The British-Slovene Society sends heartfelt condolences to Dora’s family, Alenka and John.

The Gallus Aeternus choir enlivened the annual Oxford Picnic of the British-Slovene Society on 1^st July 2018 alongside the traditional kozolec at the Harcourt Arboretum.

Members old and young came with their families and friends. Ambassador Tadej Rupelj led a strong contingent from the Slovenian Embassy, bringing some good bottles of Slovenian wine in his rucksack.

Guests of honour were representatives of the Slovenian Government Office for Slovenes Abroad. Secretary Primož Ilešič brought personal greetings from Minister Gorazd Žmavc.