Description

This very rare WWII newspaper shows three maps. On the cover map of Europe with liberated areas by the Allies in the past 15 months, in the middle a double-page map of the Russian front, including an in-set map comparing the sizes of liberated part of Russia with the size of Germany, and a map of the theatre of War of Pacific on the last page.

This newspaper was printed by RAF and USAAF to inform people of Yugoslavia (in this case Slovenia) about the progression of the Allies in Europe and in the world, as they would be probably getting wrong information under German occupation during WWII. The paper was probably printed in Bari in Italy, in an army basis, and distributed by planes to Yugoslavia.

On June 7, 1944, the Balkan Air Force was founded in Bari by the Allies, consisting of Yugoslavian Partisans, as well of soldiers of seven other nations. From that newly liberated army base they could fly across the Adriatic in hours to the occupied territory of Yugoslavia. In the numerous operations they have also distributed newspapers to the Partisan controlled areas.

All newspapers distributed by planes during the WW II are very rare. We could not trace any other examples of this newspaper in institutions worldwide.